Christmas to New Year!

Wow! What a sensory overload.
As a gift to us my siter-and-brother-in-law treated us to a time-out. (hence the lack of updates on this site)
And what I found was the begining of My-Photo-Coach's Photographic Destinations reviews.
It has been my desire to compile a list of photographically favourable destinations. (i.e. destinations that you don't have to be a regular Houdini to get "that shot". Places that don't have fences obscuring your view or where the guides understand the photographer's needs and are able to accomodate you if you have to sit a little longer in one spot, or who will point out various stratigic photographic positions and who anticipate your subjects movements and can help you prepare for "that shot")

Below is our Christmas to New Year break, but I will be featuring a couple of these destinations as My-Photo-Coach Photographic Destinations on www.myphotocoach.co.za whcih is being released early next year.

Day 1:
We arrived in Wilderness National Park (link) to a beautifully set up camp site complete with Christmas decorations and all.

Day 2:
The Knysna Elephant Park (link)

A definate must to anyone who wants to be touched by these magnificent beasts. Having been charged a couple of times by these jurasic-like beasts, it's quite amazing to stand under them while they allow you to caress their crater-like hide and look down at you with the look only royalty can muster as they accomodate their subjects admiring "Oohs" and "Aahs".

Monkeyland(link)
 Having just completed a review of Monkey Town in Somerset West, it was quite nice experiencing this primate center with my eyes open. As far as Photography is concerned, this place is way better in that you are not restricted by cages. If you have the patience, you'll definately get some stunning primate shots.

 

Birds of Eden (link)

This was amazing! Considered the largest aviary in the world, Birds of Eden is a Photographer's dream. With plenty of species of birds you're bound to find sothing that will inspire you to higher heights ;-)

 

Day 2:
Outeniqua Choo-Choo (link)

With the water restrictions around the George area and the steam engine consuming around 30000 Lts of water a day, the powers that be have stopped the steam engine from pulling the cariages. That said it is still a scenic trip from Mossel Bay to George. I wouldn't classify it as a Photographic destination for everyone but for you train enthusiasts out there it still overs a lovely time.

Day 3:
Cango Wildlife Ranch (link)
This is a great stopover. You can interact with Cheatah and Tigers for an extra fee butu above all you can get "That shot" of crocs and various other wild animals you won't come across every day.

Safari Ostrich Farm (link)
Any trip to this side of the world MUST be accompanied by a trip to an ostrich farm and the Safari Ostrich Farm gives an experience you'll never forget. ;-)

 

Cango Caves (link)

Next head on over to the Cango caves, a national heritage site sure to get you "wow-ing" in no time.
Discovered by Van Zyl back in the 1700's, it's maze of crevices and mother nature's own abstract art in the form of Stalegmites and Stalectites is South Africa's oldest tourist attractions. This is an awesome Photographic Destination if you're into abstract and the not so usual.

 

Day 4:
NOTHING!!! Yeah.

Till next year!!
Keep Capturing life!
Photographically

Shooting pictures on a daily basis really creates a little bit of a conundrum (if that's the right word) for me as I kind of loose sight of what is actually a good photo and which I should delete. I've spoken to other professionals and they seem to go through the same thing. And so as a photographer, the advice I have for myself, and you for that matter is ... "Don't only chase the money. Make sure the images you produce are images you like. Because creating images you think will sell or what others think are "nice" will kill your creative spirit.And it was your creativity that drew people to your work in the first place... wasn't it?"

Talking of which here are a couple of Jack Russells I've shot over the last couple of months...

 

 

 

 

 

Of all the animals I shoot... and I shoot a LOT! The terrier types are definitely the funnest ;-) They have a HUGE "houding" and are way more cheeky than their size allows them to be.

Won't you take me to... the Monkey Town

Monkey Town - A place of GREAT controversy.
Yet a place of great comfort to many animals who come from very BAD backgrounds.

Amanda and I covered the story of 2 particular monkeys, namely Garra and Cebus.

If you want to read Amanda's review of Monkey Town then go to her Blog site Freelance Writing.

Below are a couple of pics I took.

This is Gara... His owner pulled out all his teeth when he started biting him. (This is common monkey behaviour when they come-of-age and start challenging for Alpha position)
When monkey town took him in, he didn't even know how to climb trees. Roseline (The then owner of monkey town) had to climb the trees with him in order to teach him how to climb.

This is Cebus. He was an alcoholic when he arrived. The team at monkey Town had to rehabilitate him before they could introduce him to the bachelor group of Brown Capuchins. 

This is Rusty one of Cebus' bachelor mates.

 

 

A  Cotton-top Tamrin dropped her twin babies and they had to be hand reared...

 

A day in the Studio

Not all my days are spent hunting down wildlife and animals... sometimes they come to me. Actually they mostly come to me ;-)
Yesterday I was able to show 2 clients their pictures that I took.
The first had a huge Boerbull puppy weighing in at 85 Kgs.

(By far the most obedient one I've handled to date.)

And the other was a family from a nearby school.

I enjoy the studio sittings in that I get to control the lighting etc.

But its when we go out to the beach that most of my clients tend to relax a lot more and I'm able to get the "essence" of who they are.

 

 

Cape Point - Not just a lighthouse.

Living in The Cape is such a priviledge, especially when it comes to photo opportunities.
I took the family to Cape Point and decided not to go the usual route (i.e. to the lighthouse and back)

We came across a troop of Baboons messing around and, not being familiar with them, wasn't free to get out of the car and get the picks I would have like by being "IN THE TROOP". Luckily the troop obligend and walked right next to the car... I hung my camera outside the door as low as I could and was able to get this shot...

While we were picnicking on the East side of the park by the Lime Kiln we found a very cute little leopard tortoise.

 

 

 

We called her daisy ;-)

SA Navy band goes wild

No matter where you go there's ALWAYS an opportunity to shoot "wild life" whether in the form of your children, misbehaving friends or real animals in the wild. In this case I had it all! As the band went wild with their renditions of Barry White, Johnny Clegg and others I got a couple of shots of the kids, the band and even baby seagulls...

One of the challenges I faced today was that of exposing black skin in white uniforms...

 

 

Moon Rise over false bay

There's not much to say except that sometimes the camera does capture exactly what we see.
This was WAY better than the TV program I was watching! When I spotted the moon rising in the corner of my eye I had to grab my camera (Which is ALWAYS nearby) and show you ...

Penguins at Boulders...

This was supposed to be a Reci mission to go and see what these birds in suits are up to at sunrise. I woke up at about 05:00 and headed on down. Stopped at Seaforth only to discover that the Boulders park opens up MUCH later and that I'd have to find another way round...
Water's Edge (A "private" beach close by) proved fruitless too and so I went round to Windmill beach and the walked back toward Boulders.

The Sun was above the horizon by now so I missed the lighting I wanted BUT I did manage to capture a couple of nice shots...