"Took Our Breath Away": SA Photographer Creates Unforgettable Matric Farewell Shoot with TLB

• Photographer Sammy Gray created a jaw-dropping matric farewell shoot featuring a young woman in a yellow gown suspended from an excavator arm
• The family reacted to the final outcome of the photoshoot and shared their thoughts on using the TLB machine
• The creative shoot had online users praising the originality of the shoot and others defending Simoné's dream day from critics
• Briefly News reached out to Simoné’s mom, Hester De Klerk, for comment on her daughter’s memorable day

A South African photographer turned a TLB into a matric farewell moment no one will forget. Sammy Gray Photography captured Simoné De Klerk's matric farewell shoot on 23 September 2026, and the results left Mzansi in awe.

The video shows Simoné, dressed in a striking bright yellow gown, being lifted into the air on a flower-decorated swing attached to the arm of a TLB excavator. The shoot took place on a property with a lake, and the golden-hour light did the rest. A handwritten sign, directed at her matric dance partner, completed the scene, reading:

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"Ek het net een ding nodig vir matriekafskeid... Jy in jou Cruiser" ("I just need one thing for matric farewell... you in your Cruiser").

The shoot ended with the couple embracing near a bakkie at sunset.

A dream brought to life

Simoné's mother, Hester De Klerk, told Briefly News that her daughter was fully in her element during the shoot. Hester said:

"She was very excited and enjoyed every moment. The final outcome was amazing and the most beautiful photos came out of that shoot — took our breath away."

The creativity behind the concept, combining heavy machinery with delicate florals and a formal gown, is what set this shoot by Sammy Gray Photography apart from the usual matric farewell content.

View the Facebook video below:

South Africa reacts to the shoot

The video sparked a lively debate in the comments, with opinions split right down the middle:

@Simoné De Klerk wrote:

"Thank you for making my dream come true — you are amazing!! ❤️"

@Amoré Henning said:

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"Out of this world. And the dress so beautiful."

@Rubab En Denise Kruger shared:

"I love the matric farewell season... This is soooo original... well done! Definitely stand out. Everything is stunning!"

@Jeanette Botes added:

"Wow! What a beautiful idea!!"

@Christelle de Beer fired back at critics, saying she could not believe adults were

"...breaking down a young girl's dream day."

More Briefly News stories on matric dance

• A young Zulu woman impressed Mzansi by embracing her culture at her matric dance in an elegant traditional outfit.
• A South African matriculant made a memorable entrance at his matric dance by arriving in a purple Quantum taxi surrounded by a convoy of young men.
• A North West principal cancelled a matric farewell after 72 learners failed their Term 2 exams, sparking debate among South Africans.

Source: Briefly News