--- title: Linden Grobbelaar description: "Linden is a photographer and printer striving to capture the world in all its dramatic wonder. " url: "https://www.artsume.com/a/linden" type: artist createdAt: 2026-03-15 updatedAt: 2026-04-13 disciplines: - Photography - Filmmaking - Writing location: "Cape Town, WC, ZA" birthYear: 1990 --- # Linden Grobbelaar *Linden is a photographer and printer striving to capture the world in all its dramatic wonder. | Photography, Filmmaking, Writing | Based in Cape Town, WC, ZA* ## Biography After graduating from film school in London, Linden worked in advertising as a writer and then as a documentary filmmaker. He has lived in Tanzania, London and The Netherlands. And is now back home, dedicating energy to capturing and telling local stories that matter. ## Curriculum Vitae ### Education - **2010** - Diploma of Higher Education, in Filmmaking, Met Film School, London ### Group Exhibitions - **2026** - Camel Rock Gallery Cape Town (Curated by Osnat De Villiers) ### Awards & Grants - **2022** - Emmy Award: Kids Factual & Entertainment (cinematographer for winning docuseries My Better World), International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences ### Professional Experience - **2016 - Present** - Writer, filmmaker and photographer, Self-employed, Cape Town - **2014 - 2015** - Director of Film & Sound Production, The Works Ltd., Dar es Salaam - **2012 - 2014** - Copywriter, Roots, Dar es Salaam - **2011 - 2012** - Assistant director, Majority Entertainment, Cape Town ## Portfolio ### Misty Cliffs (2026) *Silver Gelatin Hand Print on fibre paper (Analog Darkroom Print)* *30cmx40cm* I waited months for the conditions to capture this scene. When there was the right amount of mist in the right location and at the right time of day, I took the snap on large-format film. Printing it was a joy; it yearned to embrace the darkness of the scene, which is something I always look for. I hope the final artwork does justice to the special atmosphere along this iconic stretch of road. --- ### Beachcombing (2026) *Silver Gelatine Hand Print on fibre paper (Analog Darkroom Print)* *30cmx40cm* When the sea is calm and the tide is out on Long Beach, you can find men on the rocks foraging for various shellfish. I often stop for a chat and ask what they’re looking for. They tell me they forage because they don’t have work and when I ask if they sell the seafood, they always say 'no'. Their collection is for themselves and their families. While it is, strictly speaking, illegal to forage in this way, I always find myself empathising with these men. They are not the commercial fishing conglomerates emptying our seas. These are men in disadvantaged circumstances doing what they can to feed themselves. Most of them are happy to be photographed. I hope the prints of them somehow capture their resilience. --- ### Surf Dreams (2026) *Silver Gelatine Hand Print on fibre paper (Analog Darkroom Print)* *30cmx40cm* Learning to see in black and white is a constant battle. But sometimes you come across something with so much contrast of light, that it that doesn’t require any effort. This was one of those scenes. The sun was setting, lighting the big surf and white foam into a glow. The two wading surfers, circled by seagulls, were mere silhouettes even to the naked eye. Printing it was just a matter of finding the right level of contrast to do the inherent dreaminess of the scene justice. --- ### On The Rocks (2026) *Silver Gelatine Hand Print on fibre paper (Analog Darkroom Print)* *30cmx40cm* This particular forager was especially friendly and open, and was very happy to be photographed. I got closer him and I hope the resulting photo and print capture that openness. --- ### Secret Sunset (2026) *Silver Gelatine Hand Print on fibre paper (Analog Darkroom Print)* *30cmx40cm* This spot somewhere in the mountains above Scarborough is a special place. When I’m on a hike or run, I always stop to admire the view. There’s something obscure and quirky about the way the mountains part to reveal the beach and ocean. I have lugged my heavy camera and tripod up there several times and always find myself taking the exact same image. This is my latest capture and it’s the one where the fynbos has made its comeback after the fire a few years back. Printing it was straightforward. The mountains asked to be kept in the dark and the sun and ocean did not take much manipulation to shine. --- ### Place of Light (2026) *Silver Gelatine Hand Print on fibre paper (Analog Darkroom Print)* *30cmx40cm* The iconic Kommetjie lighthouse has been photographed to death. I went there with the hope of capturing it in a unique way with mist forecast for the evening. But that mist never came. Instead, in the last few minutes before the sunset, I was treated to this view where the sun painted the sky, water, rocks and the lighthouse in a way only the sun can. Printing the scene was all about letting the sun just be its brilliant bright self while still allowing for some texture and depth within the rocks and crevices. --- ### Shore Break (2026) *Silver Gelatin Hand Print on fibre paper (Analog Darkroom Print)* *30cmx40cm* On a gloomy day, I stumbled upon the biggest shore break I had seen all year. It was deadly. I had to take a risk to get as close as possible for this capture. Printing it was a challenge too, trying to emphasise both the monstrous dark insides and the white foam was hard. I managed to get there with light chemical bleaching. I hope the print reflects how immense the wave was.