The Mirage bronze coffee table shoot exemplifies this immersive approach. Ernst not only brought the piece to the Atlantis Dunes but created an entire character to embody its essence, using gold leaf on his nude form to echo the bronze’s opulence. When fog unexpectedly rolled in, replacing harsh sunlight, he embraced this ghostly addition to his desert narrative. The resulting images capture not just a product, but a meditation on illusion and desire. His thoughtful use of props (telephones, mirrors, metronomes) grounds the pieces in reality while simultaneously destabilizing our sense of scale and time. “You can never retroactively give a photograph a story,” Ernst explains. “It needs to be there from the start.”

The design industry, caught in cycles of rapid content creation, has much to learn from this patient approach to visual storytelling. Ernst shows us that meaningful documentation requires more than technical proficiency. It demands vulnerability, imagination, and a willingness to place our creations back into the landscapes that birthed them. His work suggests that design photography can transcend its role as marketing tool to become an extension of the creative act itself, completing the circle between inspiration and realization. In an era where images vanish as quickly as they appear, Ernst’s photographic poetry reminds us that the most compelling stories remain rooted in place, memory, and the profound relationship between humans and their environment.

Your photographs often capture your pieces in deeply atmospheric settings. Could you walk us through one of your most memorable photoshoots and what you were trying to convey about the work through that specific environment and lighting?

One of my most memorable photoshoots was for the Mirage bronze coffee table, which we shot on a beach setting. The table’s design was inspired by the Atlantis Dunes near Cape Town, and I wanted to translate the essence of that landscape into the visuals. The bronze material felt like the perfect medium to evoke an illusionary quality—a sense of longing or desire for something elusive. The warm tones of the bronze paired with the sand created a desert-like atmosphere, so we intentionally avoided highlighting the ocean too much. The focus needed to stay on the interplay between the sand and the table.

Initially, we envisioned harsh summer light with strong shadows and high contrast to evoke a sweltering, arid environment. However, the day of the shoot brought overcast skies and fog, which resulted in softer lighting and a more mysterious tone. In the end, this unexpected weather added a new dimension to the narrative, giving the shoot a poetic, almost dreamlike quality,

For this shoot, as with many others, we leaned into the concept of an alter ego to extend the story of the design. I collaborated closely with a team of stylists, makeup artists, and photographers to create a character that embodied the spirit of Mirage. We used gold leaf on my body to echo the opulence of the bronze and incorporated mirrors to reflect its surface, enhancing the illusionary theme.

We also always include props to aid in storytelling. These elements often introduce an absurd or surreal quality to the imagery. Photographing work in outdoor settings can lead to a misunderstanding of scale since there are no objects of recognizable proportions. By including unexpected props like telephones, mirrors, or metronomes, viewers gain a better sense of the product’s size—almost as well as if we were shooting it in a beautiful interior. These props not only ground the design in scale but also add layers to its narrative, creating a playful tension between reality and imagination.

How do you approach photographing functional objects in a way that communicates both their utility and their sculptural qualities?

My intention is always to communicate the spirit of the design first, so I focus on its sculptural qualities before anything else. When designing the object, I already have its function in mind—that layer will naturally follow. But the initial focus is finding the hero shot: that one angle or perspective that captures the essence of the piece and makes people stop, wonder, and feel something.

There are plenty of mundane, utilitarian designs out there, but very few that genuinely move you when you look at them. So, I ask myself questions like: What is the essence of this piece? How will it resonate with people? And what’s the best way to visually communicate this essence? I often brainstorm with friends and other creatives, exploring concepts related to the shoot and testing whether I’m effectively conveying the intended message. It’s a collaborative process that deepens the story behind the piece.

For me, storytelling and concept always come first. Once that foundation is strong, we layer in the communication of utility or function—but in a poetic and subtle way that doesn’t overpower the sculptural narrative. You can never retroactively give a photograph a story—it needs to be there from the start. But when the story is solid, you can always refine and take better images to bring it to life

Beyond just documenting the pieces, what larger story or feeling are you trying to capture in your photoshoots? How does this align with your broader artistic vision?

The heartbeat and core story of the studio will always be tied to landscape and memory. Growing up, I lived in various parts of South Africa, spending much of my childhood immersed in the diverse landscapes of the country while living on a farm. These experiences are deeply embedded in my creative process and shape the narrative behind my work.

What I’ve realized is that as the studio evolves, the deeper I delve into my personal connection with nature and the memories tied to it, the more meaningful the work becomes. It’s about creating pieces that not only stand as functional or sculptural objects but also evoke a sense of place and nostalgia.

This year, for instance, we’re releasing a ceramic furniture collection that draws directly from the landscapes of my childhood. The inspiration comes from the orchards on the farm, the river I used to swim in, the works of artist Walter Battiss, and the interplay between the harsh climate of the Karoo and its resilient fauna and flora. These elements are more than visual cues—they’re deeply rooted in memory, creating a bridge between personal experience and universal connection.

Through my photoshoots, I aim to go beyond documentation to evoke the emotions and stories embedded in the pieces. It’s about capturing a feeling of place, memory, and identity—an alignment with my broader artistic vision of celebrating the intimate relationship between humans and the natural world.


Photography by @margueriteoelofse, @michaeloliverlove, @_iamjacob.