CERES IN THE SNOW

A brutal cold front caused freezing weather and snow across parts of South Africa last week. Sleet, hail and heavy rains fell across the Western Cape for four days and as soon as the storm subsided, we drove to Ceres to see the surrounding mountains covered in snow.

It was a very cold day, crisp and so clear with a blue sky stretching for ever without a cloud in sight. Our picnic basket was packed with warm coffee and soup to keep the cold at bay while Guy who knows the area drove us around the magnificent views. My favourite spot was a stretch of water on both sides of the road, so calm that the snow covered mountains reflected unblemished, long enough for me to photograph them before a little wind got up and the perfectly sharp scenes dissolved into ripples. The Gydo Pass was spectacular and we had a marvelous day enjoying these unusual “postcard perfect” views of the region in its glamorous winter attire.

KOIIMASIS - NAMIBIA

Some years ago, traveling on our favorite and most scenic Namibian route, the R707, we discovered the vast Ranch Koiimasis which is situated in the heart of the Tiras Mountain Conservancy. In June 2018 we returned to the farm to find it covered in grass after the good rain they had in the area. What a beautiful sight to watch the tall blond grass swaying gently in the breeze. To my great delight this changed the aspect of the scenery completely and gave an extra dimension to the magnificent vistas.

The next few days saw us exploring this varied landscape from sunrise to sunset. The vast Desert plains, the Quiver tree forest and fascinating rock formations to the warm sunsets and clear night skies were a delight on their own. Add to this a heard of Oryx, Klipspringers, Ostriches, many birds, rodents and galloping horses and we thought we were in heaven savoring and photographing every aspect of these magnificent surroundings, enjoying the space and wonderful feeling of freedom.

This is a photographer’s dream and I made the most of it. Up for sunrises from the top of rocky slopes I caught the intense pinks and blues of the earth shadow and watched the formidable boulders slowly taking a warm red and orange glow in the rising sun. These convoluted rock formations, the tortured shapes of some tree trunks and the huge euphorbias were perfect subjects to plan mirror montage pictures. I could immediately anticipate the monster faces emerging from the graphic design they form and was not disappointed with the results.

Looking back at my collection of photographs I feel I have captured a strong feeling of what being in the Namib Desert represents for me and I urge you to visit this hidden treasure where you will receive a warm welcome.