Collected Moments of Survival

The tyres of the car drumming on the tarred road surface beat out a rhythmic song that entrances the traveller and keeps his eyes glued to the horizon and the anticipation of something new. The fever builds and new experiences wait ahead to fuel the desire to keep hurtling forward in the search for unique moments. The photographer is fortunate in that these moments can be captured not only in memory boxes but in a physical format that can be shared. Photography greats such as Cartier-Bresson and David Goldblatt were supremos in the art of the moment and it is indeed from their great example that a photographer can learn that the most mundane can become the bewitchingly captivating. On the great plains of Africa the opportunities abound. Promises of encounters with the huge, the magnificent, the fast and the dangerous overpower the real magic of what lies in every corner just waiting to be seen. It is true that it takes time to peel back the layers, to search ever deeper, to learn more...

The question  begs! Does anyone go on Safari to see the little guys. I have yet to hear someone alighting a Safari vehicle asking to see a shrew mouse, a dung beetle or a striped mongoose. Standard answers expected by Game Rangers are either of the large feline variety or perhaps those lumbering giants of the African Plains. Yet any guide to the animals of the world reveals an overwhelming number of little mammals that inhabit the earth. How many Safari goers will have seen a honeybadger, a bat-eared fox, an African wildcat or even a hedgehog?  Is there any tangible excitement when the opportunity to spend some time with a colony of ants presents itself? On a recent photographic workshop with C4 Images at Mashatu Reserve in the Tuli Block in Botswana it is hide-and-seek time with the big boys and the challenges are laid down at every turn. Amazing results are testament to the sheer magic of the African bush. The first opportunity presents itself with a family of b...

  February 2011 and Tanzania is in the throes of a mini drought. Evidence that the seasonal rains are late can be seen everywhere. Anything that moves over the surface of the earth kicks up a fine dust cloud that penetrates into your very soul. The relentless sun burns the air and makes breathing a laboured task. The air is heavy with dust particles and sparse shade lures the senses as the sirens lured the sailors. Ice, shade and cold water take on new meaning. A short geography lesson on North-eastern Tanzania reveals the presence of volcanoes, both active and inactive. A short walk however reveals so much more. The fine dust layering the surface of the earth appears devoid of nutrients. Vegetation is sparse and day and night temperatures approach desert conditions. The unexpected surprise is the quality of the dust.  The essence of this dust is a contradiction in itself for a photographer. Dust is generally regarded as a foe. Dust is a scary term whispered sof...

Our arrival at Ndutu in the Serengeti coincides with a scorching drought that sees the Ndutu Lake and its estuaries parched and dust hangs in the air wherever you move. There is a sense of anticipation that this remote wilderness holds some exciting adventures but none of us can anticipate just how exciting this will turn out to be. The wake-up call on day one is prompt and I jump out of bed smartly, its safari time and no sleeping in is tolerated here. It is still dark outside and the magic hour waits tantalisingly close. The bite in the early morning air warrants a short stint in the folds of my jacket as the wind funnels through the open top of the vehicle. We make our way down to the riverbed where we know the lions have taken up vigil at the only waterhole that now still has fresh water. However, they are lazing around and we decide to head for the open plains where the cheetah roam. On day two the wake up process follows the same course and we head out in the same...