DANCE of LIGHT

DE HOOP WORKSHOP

2011-10-10T02:31:00.000-07:00

We have returned from our five days workshop in the wonderful DE HOOP Nature Reserve where we encouraged 18 Participants to go beyond shooting the classic scenes, be clear about their interest in the subject and while saying something personal about the experience, develop an individual style of photography.

We abandoned preconceptions and expectations and turn the opportunities that paved this week into a voyage of discovery while I invoked the “Photographic Gods” with vigor!

DESERT RATS GONE BALLOONY

2011-08-15T06:56:00.000-07:00

We have returned from 3 marvellous and peaceful weeks in Namibia.

As it was Guy's birthday I had a surprise for him, a very old dream.....and...we went on a Balloon Safari.

We are still excited about this flight as it was clear and full moon so you can imagine our delight.

It was incredible to be suspended above this stunning vista and hear the silence while capturing the patterns below us.

YOU JUST HAVE TO DO THIS one day!!!!!

FROM A TO Z....

2011-08-15T06:39:00.000-07:00

Anna’s daughter, Zoe Jane is 6 weeks old and I feel honored to be so closely involved in this special time of ones life, a first child.

She is so pure, innocent and radiates love.

I want some of the photos to be very light, almost ethereal.

I am trying to achieve the softest look ever as if it was the drawing of a dream...

PREGNANCY

2011-05-31T05:20:00.000-07:00

The anxiety and joy is building up.

My young friends are coming to the end of the most significant 9 months of their lives and together we celebrate the beauty and richness of their curves full of promises.

Time is moving slowly, the day is almost here….

AUTUMN @ THELEMA

2011-05-25T02:53:00.000-07:00

The THELEMA WINE ESTATE is magnificent, especially when clad in Autumn colours. The designs of the vineyards clinging to the mountain slopes are reminiscent of a richly textured tapestry and their early morning mood, a delight to explore with my camera. This is another subject so familiar to me as I photograph it every year in the context of an “AUTUMN IN THE VINEYARDS” Workshop but this time decided to go back on my own to look for new perspective and interpretations.The best part was to be lost in my own bubble for a few hours with no other commitment than my own creativity trying to retain the depth of visual perceptivity I experienced in our recent Namibian trip.

THE DESERT RAT IS BACK !

2011-05-24T06:52:00.001-07:00

Just in case you wonder why we go back and back.....
Sorting my Desert pics, I need to pinch myself as I still can't believe this is what I saw.
I have roamed the desert for 20 years and this must have been the most spectacular display of clouds, storms and light I have ever seen in Namibia. We had several thunder storms every day. What a show and it was so very hot.
Wet-kikoy-hot! It means wearing a wet kikoy(large, colourful Kenyan cloth) over our shoulders all day and sleeping under one in an attempt to survive the scorching heat of 45 to 50 degree centigrade we had for a month.
I had a good time with a lot of laughing as our Workshop Participants joined in to make my birthday a fun time in spite of getting up at 3.30 am.
But if it was to see sunrises like these, what a pleasure to be able to say: "another hard day at the office !" in such a marvelous setting.

MESMERIZED BY MACRO

2010-11-12T06:32:00.001-08:00

My new Macro work is an experiment in seeing.
Inspired by the fine work of our latest Participants, I am particularly sensitize to the fragile and ephemeral world of close up photography.
My curiosity about the subjects examined dissolves in wonderment when I explore them using the favorite technique of "selective focus" and enhance the results with post processing effects.
I get swept away in the wonderful abstract world of flowers trying to discover their mystery.
The piercing eyes of raptor usually mesmerized me, but this time the challenge is to create a sense of softness around these majestic birds and the timeless quality of black and white becomes a delight for my soul.

2010-09-23T00:39:00.000-07:00

FACE TO FACE
Having just completed another "FACE TO FACE" Workshop where we explore shooting people in very different venues and light situations, I compiled a collection of photos where my aim was to capture a mysterious mood around my models. I like working with the ambiance of natural available light and at the moment explore window light in particular as I find it effective to produce evocative images and engage the viewer's imagination.

WINTER IN JONKERSHOEK

2010-09-01T06:10:00.000-07:00

There's a certain slant of light,
Winter afternoons....
When it comes, the Landscape listens,
Shadows - hold their breath...
Emily Dickinson

It took me a long time to photograph my familiar world successfully but once I realized that the magic is on my doorstep every day, there was no holding back. In this collection of photographs taken from my garden in the Jonkershoek Valley, during our mild South African winter I have learned to take full advantage of the quality of the warmer light and its deeper shadows despite the short days and cold winds.

AUTUMN IN THE VINEYARDS

2010-06-16T04:46:00.000-07:00

Walking in the Winelands around Stellenbosch is a never ending source of delight when the "Photographic Gods" illuminate the slopes of the mountains with a rich, warm Autumn light or start the day with thick mist.
Being receptive and embracing the elements allow me to immerse myself in the intimate knowledge of the vineyards as well as my inner landscapes and together they transform the experience into Images that reflect the creative appreciation of my familiar world.

50th DANCE OF LIGHT COURSE

2009-05-17T02:06:00.000-07:00

It's a time for reflecting....
Having just celebrated my 60th birthday as well as my eldest daughter's engagement makes me acutely aware of the milestones in my life.
So, as I started the current DANCE OF LIGHT basic photo course I present in Stellenbosch, I noticed, not without some trepidation that it was the 50th one since 1996 when I began to teach photography.
Looking back at the long years of helping people to discover their creativity through the mediums of Ceramic and Photography I realize with pleasure that I have not lost my passion for these disciplines, and awakening the creative potential in my pupils still fills me with joy. Sharing my knowledge, taking pictures and especially evoking emotions through my images, sustains my creative hunger.
When I examine the layers of the beautiful, rich and intricate tapestry of my life, I see it filled with great opportunities and wonderful people who give me constant support, encouragement and inspiration.
The collection of recent photographs chosen to celebrate this momentous occasion is an eulogy to them all.

MACRO PHOTOGRAPHY

2008-12-12T06:51:00.000-08:00

The macro lens allows us to discover a world that is only visible through the lens, therefore using a technique of selective focus, I enter the realm of fantasy and embark on the creative process.
The composition of these images need to be meticulously executed as the balance of every detail is crucial to its success.
I realized, long ago, that I am the one to control what happens in front of my lens because of what happens to me, deep inside myself on the other side of the camera, so it is essential that I must focus myself long before I focus my camera.
I become aware once again that it is not "what I photograph" but rather "HOW I PHOTOGRAPH WHAT" that says something about the way I view and celebrate life.

Join us on a MACRO WORKSHOP and immerse yourself in reverie and creativity.

PHENOMENAL DAY

2008-12-11T04:09:00.000-08:00

Here I am at long last, and with all the help I can get again from Eric Palmer, my 'WIZZ KID' son, I am starting this new venture, my very own blog! Seriously encouraged by my friends Karin Brynard and Ansie Du Toit who infuse me regularly with good ideas, I take the plunge and introduce my photography with a collection of my favourite landscapes.
Nature photography is one of the most demanding subject when it comes to composition and when successful, a good composition will grab your attention. When approaching a subject, through careful observation I am on a quest to make it my own.