The Plight of the Penguins

I don’t normally post about awareness issues and such on this platform. I have since figured that my blog may be a good way to share my photographs as well as occasionally raise some awareness around endangered species/environmental issues etc, which are constantly bothering me.

The first animal I will be writing about is the African Penguin (AKA Jackass Penguin). These flightless birds are indigenous to the coasts of South Africa and Namibia and are found nowhere else on Earth. They have a decreasing population that currently stands at 75,000-80,000 and they are listed as Endangered by the IUCN.

In Cape Town, their nesting area is a gold mine and attracts tourists in droves.  This has unfortunately led to the birds consuming litter that people have left behind. A recent outbreak of avian influenza has also knocked this already fragile colony of only 1 700 birds.

 

Hometown

It’s quite a privilege to have one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the world on your doorstep. However, it is also easy to forget how beautiful it is when you see it every day.

This photograph was taken on my cellphone on a rare overcast day in Cape Town. I don’t normally post images taken on my cellphone, but this was just a spur of the moment feeling that I wanted to share. It reminded me of how important it is to just stop and breath and appreciate how beautiful your surroundings are, in the moment, no matter where you are.

I am back.

So after not publishing a single post in nearly two years, I am BACK! I can’t wait to start sharing my recent and not so recent photographs with you guys. I have alot of catching up to do as the photographs have really started to pile up, so watch this space!

An Icon feat. some statues

I managed to quickly snap this photo that captures the iconic Tour de Eiffel ( Eiffel tower) that shows it from an interesting angle. A few moments after I took this some guards came running and shouting at me in French to get away from the statues, which I obviously did immediately. I got the shot luckily and thats all that really matters, ahhh the things you have to do for the perfect shot.

The only way to see Paris

These colourful little bicycle buggy’s were widespread throughout Paris during my trip there and added even more colour to the extravagant city.  Although I didn’t actually travel in one of these buggy’s, I was approached numerous times by the eager drivers who would try to persuade me to go for a ride. The city was filled with excitement at the time as the soccer world cup was coming to an end and I was lucky enough to be immersed in this whirl of culture, delicious food and beautiful architecture.

A natural pin cushion

This photograph was taken in the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens in Cape Town.

This pin-cushion protea, a cousin of the King protea ( South Africas national flower), was magnificent even though it was writhing with beetles that were munching away at it, which admittedly was a little uncomfortable to watch.  However, there is no denying it that these indigenous, beautiful flowers are a national symbol for a very good reason.

A Friesian in Friesland

I took this black and white photo of a pitch black, much-loved, Friesian horse shortly before I had the heart-stopping opportunity of galloping on him through a forest in Holland. Although I’m not a fan of black and white photographs, I do feel like having any sort of saturation in this picture would not have had the same dramatic effect and I can honestly say that getting a simple gem of a photograph like this is what motivates me to continue.

Suns out, tongues out!

During a game drive in the Plettenberg bay game reserve in the garden route, I drove right by this friendly fellow. This beautiful moment presented an opportunity to capture a giraffe enjoying his lunch and, besides the close encounter with the wild dogs, was definitely a highlight for me.

Follow your own path

A famous monument in Cape Town is the Victorian Gothic-style Clock Tower situated in the Cape Town harbour. It was the original Port Captain’s Office built in 1882 and the red walls are the same colour as they were in the 1800’s. As tourists have been taking pictures of it from every available angle I wanted to get something a little different. For this picture I wanted the emphasis to be on the directional compass in the foreground.

Although I didn’t plan it, this picture has three elements relating to time and distance (map, clock, directional thing), giving it an overall theme which is quite cool.

 

You’re such a rose

Theres just something about roses that everyone finds beautiful, whether you’re drawing them or photographing them they are really inspiring. I found an old antique store in Riebeek valley that had the most beautiful handmade stained glass windows, I firstly took a photo solely of the glass but I wanted to add another angle to it. I saw a rose-bush outside and viola!

This image was born.

I feel like the roses really lead your eye in and therefore the stained glass is not lost.