Great photographs capture moments that are gone forever, impossible to reproduce. There’re a myriad sports photographers out there, clicking away during races, but very few have the raw talent to capture more than just action, to take photos that really grab attention, making you feel you’re actually there, breathing the dust and flicking the mud from your cheek.
This is the fourth in a series of interviews profiling my favourite photographers whose work does exactly that.
This week’s interview is with Johannesburg-based Terence “Actionman” Vrugtman, who I’ve met over the past few years at the Lesotho Ultra Trail, and whose work captures for me the very essence of mountain running.
Snowy selfie © Terence Vrugtman
LD: Where’s home? And do you get to be home much with all your shoots?
TV: I was born and currently reside in the great smoke, Johannesburg. I have moved around a fair bit, but ended back here due to my father’s job. I think I’m home for about three or four nights a week. When I’m not on a shoot or at an event, I’m either on an adventure of my own, or planning one. I find Joburg to be a wonderful base – it’s really not as bad as people make out. It has incredible weather, and working for myself, I particularly enjoy being able to pick my own travel time. What traffic?
Jock Green races along a razor sharp edge in dramatic weather during the Mont-Aux-Sources Challenge © Terence Vrugtman
LD: Did you ditch another career for the adventures of photography? How long ago did you take that leap?
TV: Straight out of school, I started a business known as Speed Stacks which distributed a number of educational products around southern Africa. I also had a hand in correcting and bringing back the physical education curriculum in primary schools, which at the time was not compulsory. As an enthusiast with a passion for fitness, movement and working with educational products, I was keen to get stuck in with helping change South Africa’s physical education programme for the better. One day while at work, I stumbled upon a video made by Mike Murphy of the 2012 Adventure Racing World Series. I was captivated by the idea of expedition racing, but even more fascinated by the enthralling adventure work that would be needed to document such a lifestyle. That was when my hunt for adventure and for capturing the moment was born. I bought a camera in 2012 and started training to race, which in turn allowed me to be fit enough to document all sports, no matter how remote they get! In November 2012 I changed careers and spent all of 2013 living the dream. Looking back, 2013 was quite tame compared to more recent years. In 2014 I photographed my first event, the Mnweni Marathon, and I’ve never looked back.
Runners experience new forest trails before the inaugural Karkloof 100 Miler © Terence Vrugtman
LD: Tell us about some of the more dramatic moments of your photographic career so far.
TV: I only have a few – I spend a great deal of time focusing and training in specific disciplines so that I’m able to take control of any situation and look after myself. Through running and mountain biking, I stay fit and strong. Kayaking and climbing help me maintain a good level of all round competency, which is needed for shooting sport.
In 2015 I photographed my first Skyrun. The plan was for me take a quad bike to the Olympus check point and then to run to Balloch. The quad track is quite dangerous (it’s used by the farmers as training for Roof Of Africa). I was on the back of a quad with a much older and larger medic behind the wheel. I wasn’t aware of his lack of technical skill, and neither of us were prepared for the bad quality of the track ahead. Somewhere on a steep rocky section, my driver hit a rock, which caused the front of the quad to kick up. With the weight of us both, an extra camera pack on my back, and a medical kit strapped to the rear of the bike, we were destined to fall off. We literally went vertical, and the bike stalled for a couple of seconds. We must’ve looked like a bucking stallion in a corny Western movie. In those two seconds, I had visions of me becoming a cushion for both driver and quad! Somehow we managed to regain control of the bike and continue on. It turned out that further along the route, just after I’d got off the quad, the driver rolled it and refused to carry on. I had to run the rest of the way.
More recently I documented the latest 9 Peaks record with Ryno Griesel, Ruan van der Merwe and Greg Avierinos. I decided to wait in a cave below the chains of Sentinel Peak for a specific shot I had in mind. As I always do, I planned my timing carefully, but unbeknownst to me, Greg rolled his ankle on the plateau and the team would run a time two hours slower than predicted. Un-equipped for that time period in the sub-freezing temperatures, I began to freeze. I had to really focus on trying to keep warm – I did about 500 jumping jacks, 200 mountain climbers and way too many push-ups. Eventually, while sheltering from the cold, sharp and strong winds I passed out, and was woken 20 min later by an icy, pebbly face slap from the wind. I ran back to the car, and was happy to see the guys’ headlamps coming out the dark about 20 minutes later. (More on that here – AdventureLife post on Expedition India) I’ve also drowned two cameras whilst filming in kloofs and shooting in strong rains. This is an expensive job!
In 2015 I photographed my first Skyrun. The plan was for me take a quad bike to the Olympus check point and then to run to Balloch. The quad track is quite dangerous (it’s used by the farmers as training for Roof Of Africa). I was on the back of a quad with a much older and larger medic behind the wheel. I wasn’t aware of his lack of technical skill, and neither of us were prepared for the bad quality of the track ahead. Somewhere on a steep rocky section, my driver hit a rock, which caused the front of the quad to kick up. With the weight of us both, an extra camera pack on my back, and a medical kit strapped to the rear of the bike, we were destined to fall off. We literally went vertical, and the bike stalled for a couple of seconds. We must’ve looked like a bucking stallion in a corny Western movie. In those two seconds, I had visions of me becoming a cushion for both driver and quad! Somehow we managed to regain control of the bike and continue on. It turned out that further along the route, just after I’d got off the quad, the driver rolled it and refused to carry on. I had to run the rest of the way.
More recently I documented the latest 9 Peaks record with Ryno Griesel, Ruan van der Merwe and Greg Avierinos. I decided to wait in a cave below the chains of Sentinel Peak for a specific shot I had in mind. As I always do, I planned my timing carefully, but unbeknownst to me, Greg rolled his ankle on the plateau and the team would run a time two hours slower than predicted. Un-equipped for that time period in the sub-freezing temperatures, I began to freeze. I had to really focus on trying to keep warm – I did about 500 jumping jacks, 200 mountain climbers and way too many push-ups. Eventually, while sheltering from the cold, sharp and strong winds I passed out, and was woken 20 min later by an icy, pebbly face slap from the wind. I ran back to the car, and was happy to see the guys’ headlamps coming out the dark about 20 minutes later. (More on that here – AdventureLife post on Expedition India) I’ve also drowned two cameras whilst filming in kloofs and shooting in strong rains. This is an expensive job!
A runner bolts past with great form through a big 5 park in the Kruger to Canyon Biosphere © Terence Vrugtman
LD: What has been your most memorable trail running shoot and why?
TV: Each year I look forward to Lesotho Ultra Trail. It was the first major event I shot, and it kick my career off to a strong start. The race is both physically demanding and mentally challenging, and will make you hurt. The open and brutal mountains at altitude make for an amazing story each year. All shoots are special to me – each one has its own story, character and angle. I enjoy shooting high-pressure events like Adventure Racing World Champs, the Otter African Trail Run and Expedition India 2017 which each have their own highly demanding variables.
My first shoot for Salomon and with Ryno Griesel, The aim was to show the pretty side of WITS © Terence Vrugtman
LD: What are your photography aspirations? Any dream places or adventures or challenges you’d love to shoot?
TV: I have a bucket list of events I’d love to shoot, including Crank Chaos, Rampag, Karkloof 100 and plenty more. Although I’m never complacent, I’m pretty happy with my current list of awesome clients who keep me busy enough. I would love to work on the Ultra Trail World Tour for a season and shoot in places like Peru, Antarctica and Norway. I also have list of people and organisations I’d love to work with to keep me focused.
Heidi Muller and Sharla Faragher run down the world’s highest motorable pass, Kardungla Pass in India, before Expedition India © Terence Vrugtman
LD: What has been the most compromising position you’ve ever been in for a shoot?
TV: This is a tricky one – I tend to be comfortable in most places! I must admit, I’m a bit arrogant when it comes to the extreme. My girlfriend, who’s a solid rock climber, reckons I have a death wish. I regularly find myself on a cliff edge without a rope, or 20cm away from a downhill mountain biker.
I can think of times where I was being stupid, but none so dramatic that they really made me reflect on life in the moment.
Recently I photographed the world’s highest adventure race, Expedition India, which was in the Indian region of the Himalaya. The final leg of the race was a trek of 50km where participants navigated from 3 000m, up over a pass of 5 400m, and back down to 3 500m. Loaded with two days’ worth of food, compulsory race gear, my photographic gear and slightly fresher legs, I hoped to move as quickly as the participating teams, or even faster than them, allowing me to get about four teams in the space of about 40km. Teamed up with a less capable tog’, (LD: that’s slang for photographer), we moved way to slow and were forced to sleep at base camp, positioned at 5 100m. After just five hours sleep, I found myself with extreme nausea, a headache and diarrhoea, all the signs of altitude sickness. Later that day we were asked to take an oxygen saturation test before we moved up to 5 400m. I ignored the orders – I knew I wouldn’t pass such a test, and I’d have to be evacuated from my route. Instead I insisted on finishing my job and sticking with the last team. It was stupid, yes, but I knew I was capable of carrying on at that point, and I knew was experienced enough to manage myself.
I can think of times where I was being stupid, but none so dramatic that they really made me reflect on life in the moment.
Recently I photographed the world’s highest adventure race, Expedition India, which was in the Indian region of the Himalaya. The final leg of the race was a trek of 50km where participants navigated from 3 000m, up over a pass of 5 400m, and back down to 3 500m. Loaded with two days’ worth of food, compulsory race gear, my photographic gear and slightly fresher legs, I hoped to move as quickly as the participating teams, or even faster than them, allowing me to get about four teams in the space of about 40km. Teamed up with a less capable tog’, (LD: that’s slang for photographer), we moved way to slow and were forced to sleep at base camp, positioned at 5 100m. After just five hours sleep, I found myself with extreme nausea, a headache and diarrhoea, all the signs of altitude sickness. Later that day we were asked to take an oxygen saturation test before we moved up to 5 400m. I ignored the orders – I knew I wouldn’t pass such a test, and I’d have to be evacuated from my route. Instead I insisted on finishing my job and sticking with the last team. It was stupid, yes, but I knew I was capable of carrying on at that point, and I knew was experienced enough to manage myself.
John Black strides past the waterfall during the Retto 2016 © Terence Vrugtman
LD: Whose photographic work has most aspired you?
TV: I admire a fair number of local and international photographers – Jimmy Chin, Kelvin Trautman and Tyrone Bradley come to mind.
Jock Green prepares for Ultra-Trail Cape Town in the Magaliesberg above Hartbeespoort Dam © Terence Vrugtman
Ultra-distance runner Tracy Zunckle follows car tracks along a long beach section outside St Lucia © Terence Vrugtman
For their safety runners are escorted by armed guards during the Isismangaliso Trail Challenge © Terence Vrugtman
Adventure racers Team Painted Wolf bomb down a line on their home turf as team training © Terence Vrugtman
A runner heads out for a casual jog on a chilly night © Terence Vrugtman
For more on Terence Vrugtman’s work, click on his website Adventure Life
