Back by popular demand, but this time for more then just an evening talk!  After hosting a few evening talks about photography for the Land Rover Owners Club over the years, everyone was asking for a practical weekend outing and so we did it!!

Looking back to where my love for photography started, my childhood holidays to Zimbabwe and Botswana are always top of the list.  Thanks to my dad’s utter respect and love for nature and wildlife, this passion lives on in me today.  I’ve always dreamt to capture my travelling experiences, whether it be that lone elephant bull feeding on Anna Trees in Mana Pools (which I have yet to capture), the character hugged inside a wrinkly face that you meet on your way or perhaps the majestical landscapes that you often find yourselves surrounded by.

As time goes by you spend more time to page through photographic and travel magazines and so certain names get stuck in your head.  Sometimes you don’t even pay attention to the photographers’ name as you get sucked into a landscape scene that let you escape to a magical place where the world seems to be at peace.  A place where you want to go, a place where you can be free...

We recently held a little competition for all the participants who took part in the Photographic Workshop with Bushveld Training Adventures.  I decided to do a blog post on the winning images to point out some reason behind the ratings.

Keeping in consideration that this was the first time for these participants to actually learn what the buttons and functions on their cameras can do.  Some had DSLR’s and some only had point-and-shoot cameras.  Less then half of the group had tripods yet still everyone was able to get the best out of their camera equipment and started to understand that it’s not all about equipment.  Rather learn how to use what you have ;-)

Our “gold award” was a clear winner and went to Angela Stout.  She was successful in recognizing good light and to shoot the subject in such a way to emphasize the fine details of the plant.  The direction of the light had a big influence on the overall image and she managed to get a pretty sharp image.  Composition wise, the stem acts as a line to lead your eye through the image.

In Late April I set out to do a self assignment in support of the Olympics that recently took place in London. My idea was to show a bunch of local kids sharing in the spirit and energy of sport. Little did I know how much these bunch of kids will lift my spirit!

What a wonderful time we had with Bushveld Training Adventures and a bunch of totally amazing people!  Hosting a photographic workshop is always a great experience but the secret lies in the incredible moments of sharing your knowledge and actually seeing and hearing peoples’ response.  That is the true, meaningful experience!

At last! We manage to squeeze in some one-on-one shooting with Herbert Brauer and Natahan Pilcher - two of the finest wildlife cinematographers in the country. What a fantastic time we had!