Getting to know Welties’ favourite photographer pilot
Born in Kimberley and bred in Potchefstroom, Johan has had a love for airplanes and flying for as long as he can remember.
From exotic islands in Equatorial Guinea to behind held at gunpoint in Sudan, Johan Cronje has just about seen it all from behind his camera lens.
For Johan it all started at a really young age, when he recalls first developing a love for flying.
“From the age of about five, I was fascinated with flying, I used to go and sit next to the runway in Potchefstroom hoping to see aircraft in action,” Johan said.
“I remember playing with the AM band on the radio in my mother’s car, trying to pick up Morse code signals,” he recalled.
As he grew older, his passion grew too, and when he earned his first wages as a waiter, he bought Microsoft’s Flight Simulator while still in high school.
After graduating from high school in 2001, Johan went to work in the United Kingdom, to save up money for pilot training, which he eventually began in 2003.
Johan completed his private pilot’s licence in Klerksdorp in the space of five weeks, whereafter he moved to George where he completed his commercial pilot’s licence, and finally received his airline transport pilot’s licence in 2009.
It was also during his time training in George that he started taking his camera on flights to capture what only pilots can see from above.
“Flying along the coast and mountains in George, seeing whales and sharks, forests and dams, and all of this beauty, made me realise how lucky I was, so I started taking my camera on flights,” Johan recalls.
Ever since, Johan’s documenting of the sights he sees has grown from strength to strength, and he has found himself in some precarious positions along the way.
“I was held at gunpoint by the military in Heglig, Darfur Province in western Sudan mainly due to my own stupidity and taking photos where I shouldn’t have,” said Johan.
Johan has also had the privilege of flying to exotic locations like Equatorial Guinea, and not-so exotic (but dangerous) Iraq over the years, clocking in just short of 5 000 flying hours.
For Johan, the shots that he enjoys capturing most are sunrise and lightning photos.
“When you’re flying and you start seeing the colours change and you expect the sun to peek through at any moment… I like that!” Johan said.
“My most satisfying photos are those of lightning while I’m flying. These are extremely difficult for various reasons and I have been lucky enough to have captured a few good photos.”
Johan now works at Solenta Aviation, an affiliate of DHL Aviation based at OR Tambo International Airport (ORT).
He is currently halfway through a Boeing 737 training course, which, once he has completed the course, will become the largest plane he has flown.
Johan, who now lives in Weltevreden Park, shares his spectacular photography with the fortunate members of the Weltevreden Park Community group on Facebook where, he has received nothing but high praise.
“The community group is full of the most amazing people, and I appreciate all of their support.”
Do you perhaps have more information pertaining to this story? Email us at northsider@caxton.co.za (remember to include your contact details) or phone us on 011 955 1130.
For free daily local news on the West Rand, also visit our sister newspaper websites
