Hills of Bordeaux

 Pentax K5, Sigma 10-20mm, 1/180, f5.6, ISO160

On a recent trip to France we were very fortunate to spend some time in Bordeaux visiting a few Grand Cru estates and tasting their fabulous wines.  We stayed a night in an old Chateau surrounded by rolling hills & forests - perfect for wild boar & mushroom hunting.

San Sebastien

Pentax K5, Tamron 18-250mm, 1/1250, f4, ISO160

This was taken in San Sebastien in Spain, down one of the main streets through the newer part of town.  What a beautiful city, the streets were so clean and tidy, the architecture is amazing and the people are friendly & passionate.

Pentax K5, Tamron 18-250mm, 1/10, f8, ISO160

This is a view (sans tourists) of the signage & architecture down one of the smaller cobble-stoned streets in the older, central part of the original  ancient city.  This area is full of smaller shops, cafe's & bars - a fantastic place to explore & savour the Spanish way of life.

St. Jean-de-Luz

Pentax K5, Tamron 18-250mm, 1/160, f5.6, ISO160

Due to the tremendous Atlantic storms, St. Jean-de-Luz harbour in the south of France has immense ancient walls to protect the town & bay from harm.  On the far right in the distance you can see Spain, and on the left the distant Pyrenees mountains.

Solifuge

Pentax K5, Tamron 90mm Macro, 1/160, f8, ISO160, flash

The summer temperatures are slowly climbing as we move into the New Year, and so the camel spiders or solifuges are coming out to prowl in the heat.

Pentax K5, Tamron 90mm Macro, 1/160, f8, ISO160, flash

This hairy fellow looks frightening, and he is frightening and very fast as they run across the ground hoping to bump into something to eat, but rest assured they have no venom.

Pentax K5, Tamron 90mm Macro, 1/160, f8, ISO160, flash

Then again, with jaws as powerful as these you don't need any venom to overpower your prey.  These are fascinating creatures, not spiders, not scorpions but a species somewhere in between - there are over 1000 different types of solifuges.

Merry Christmas !

Spring day hike

Pentax K5, Tamron 17-50mm, 1/100, f7.1, ISO160

 While hiking on the Pat Busch Private Nature Reserve recently, I snapped a few photographs of what late spring had to offer from ferns....

Pentax K5, Tamron 17-50mm, 1/200, f8, ISO250

 ...to these beautiful blue flowers...

Pentax K5, Tamron 17-50mm, 1/320, f8, ISO160 

...and these wild iris-like flowers growing along the stream...

Pentax K5, Tamron 17-50mm, 1/250, f8, ISO160 

...to the amazing warm texture of this driftwood washed down from the forests...

Pentax K5, Tamron 17-50mm, 1/180, f13, ISO160

...to this gnarled & stunted tree pushing up through a pile of enormous boulders.

Tiny Thief

 Pentax K5, Tamron 90mm Macro, 1/160, f7.1, ISO800

Pentax K5, Tamron 90mm Macro, 1/160, f7.1, ISO800

A few days ago I heard feeble scratching coming from somewhere in the pantry, after a careful search I found this tiny thief in the dog food bag.  He is seriously diminutive, compare him to the size of the cubes and you'll see what I mean.  I took him outside and let him go in the garden safe & sound, I even gave him a few cubes to take home :)

Never a dull moment on the farm with Cape cobras on one side and tiny shrews & mice on the other.

BULL !

Pentax K5, Tamron 18-250, 1/250, f10, ISO160

Just another day in the country, watching our Nguni herd grazing under the mountains while the setting sun splashes the valley with colour.  Who needs a fish tank, these Nguni are so beautiful to watch as they move through the grasslands, just like tropical fish swimming in a kelp filled tank.

Nightjar Cottage @ Pat Busch Private Nature Reserve

Pentax K5, Sigma 10-20mm, 1/180, f13, ISO160, flash

It was great photography weather yesterday as the sun wasn't too bright, we had nice blue skies with patches of cumulus clouds lazily drifting passed.  All in all perfect conditions for landscape photography with patches of shadow & sunlight on the hillsides. 
Anyway, I was asked to update the photographs of the exclusive cottages on the Pat Busch Private Nature Reserve website (www.patbusch.co.za).  So I grabbed my K5 and tripod, this is the result of the view from their Nightjar Cottage.

Guggenheim Spider

Pentax K5, Sigma 10-20mm, 1/180, f5, ISO80

I absolutely love Spain for countless reasons.  One of them being that most Spanish cities are liberally & randomly scattered with delightful works of art to lift the spirit.  This less delightful & more ominous spider (with a nest of eggs) prowls the promenade with the Guggenheim museum in the background

I know this image doesn't follow the 2/3rds rule and I have placed the spider centrally, but you know what they say about rules...

Pentax K5, Sigma 10-20mm, 1/180, f4.5, ISO80

Here is the same spider, but shot in the opposite direction with a rather busy bridge in the background, this image is probably not as effective as the one above.

Guggenheim - Bilbao

 Pentax K5, Sigma 10-20mm, 1/100, f7.1, ISO80

  

 Pentax K5, Sigma 10-20mm, 1/50, f7.1, ISO80

We recently spent a few weeks in the south of France on the Atlantic coast, St. Jean de Luz to be precise, and what a wonderful holiday it was.  Situated on the French & Spanish border, we were only 15 minutes away from Spain.  So we made a day trip of Bilbao and I finally had an amazing opportunity to photograph the acclaimed Guggenheim Museum.  Built in the 90's, and covered with a skin of titanium, this is claimed to be one of the finest structures on the planet and I don't believe many would dispute that. I was in my element and spent hours photographing while our hosts' good humour slowly dwindled with each shutter release.  I don't blame them since I did get carried away, but it was a dream come true and I'm very grateful.  Now I just need to print them onto canvas.......

Nosy Parker

 

Pentax K5, Tamron 90mm Macro, 1/200, f9, ISO800 

 

Pentax K5, Tamron 90mm Macro, 1/100, f10, ISO400

 

Pentax K5, Tamron 90mm Macro, 1/200, f8, ISO800

Found this Nosy Parker in the office this morning, somehow he fell into the dustbin and couldn't get out.  I grabbed the bin, grabbed my K5 and headed into the garden for a macro photoshoot.  (No shrews were harmed in the posting of this blog)

The elephant shrew is native to Africa, and lives on a strict diet of insects which it sniffs out with its elephant like nose and then devours ferociously.  Apparently this is one of the fiercest creatures on the continent, attacking at the slightest provocation and preferring to fight than flee.  Luckily for us it is only a tiny little mammal otherwise we'd live in constant fear :) 

French Sunflowers

PENTAX K5, TAMRON 18-250, F11, 1/180, ISO 160

We just returned from a few amazing weeks holiday in the south of France, and had the luxury of also visiting two top Bordeaux chateaus where strangely enough I photographed these sunflowers amongst all the vineyards.

Hadeda Ibis

 PENTAX K5, TAMRON 18-250, F8, 1/200, ISO 800

Often mummified and found in ancient tombs, the Sacred Ibis (family of the Hadeda Ibis photographed here) was much venerated & honoured by the Egyptians as they believed these birds resembled the god Thoth.  In ancient times the Ibis was sacrificed to prevent flies from spreading pestilence across the land, and to repel serpents.
I rather fittingly photographed this Hadeda Ibis (I previously incorrectly said it was a Sacred Ibis, but thanks to Hilton for pointing out my hasty error) in a cemetery in Knysna ... not a fly or snake was in sight.

Visitor

I haven't posted anything in quite sometime now due to various reasons, one of them probably being that I'm a new father :)  I never wanted this to be a family blog either, so I'm not sure this is the right site for photographs of my baby son & wife (that is pretty much all I have been photographing the last few months anyway). 

I did sssssnap this visitor recently though, sadly it wasn't taken with my Pentax K7 but with a Ixus instead.  This deadly Cape Cobra came through our house, through the passage and slithered right passed us while we sat on the couch watching telly one fine afternoon.  Our saviour Sable (our little adopted street dog) spotted the Cobra while we were completely oblivious to the deadly danger not 2m away.  The minute Sable stood up we knew something was wrong, she has a way about her when danger is near.  My wife grabbed our baby boy, and headed into another room while I cornered the cobra in our dining room.  Luckily the house was cool, so she wasn't too aggressive and I managed to drop an empty Kitchen Aid carton (what else?) over her without too much hassle.  Then I slid a board underneath and Hey Presto! - one upset Cobra in a box.  I carried her outside & let her go in the vineyard safe & sound.  Here is a photo of her in the Kitchen Aid box, ready to stand & mix it up!

Wedding Fever

 I snapped a few shots at a recent wedding held at the Pat Busch Private Nature Reserve.  Congratulations to Carl & Barbara on their union, may they have a blissful life together.

A flower for my friend

Still thinking of you, and appropriately here is a 'waterblommetjie' for you my bru!

Boys Weekend

 This is one of the reasons why we go on fishing trips ......

 And these are the other reasons ...

 

The old syrup & handsome centerfold trick!

Who's your Daddy?!

 

 Don't worry boys, we are all set for a memorable weekend!

 That's funny..........how big is it supposed to be?

 Yeah - it really is that big.

 Struggling to make words while the sedatives from the last operation wear off.

 Andy Capp...........what are you doin'?

 Too cool for school amigo.

 The old syrup in the ear trick....see, what you complaining about, it isn't so bad?

(

Hey, this is actually pretty damn good......pardon, what did you say? I've heard of a sweet tooth but this is just ridiculous!   

 Is there something on my cheek?

 Your hat fine sir....is that really the only way to wash syrup out of your ear?

The many armed Krishna of the Doring River...rarely spotted, often smelled.

 Nearly a full barrel roll bro....... Andrew was the first one in the water & to the rescue.

 Maybe this does make a better submarine, a yellow one at that!

 Otter boy! 

I love Dolly like a brother, but he is touched!

 ... then I saw this huge splash & the outboard went silent, so I gently put my b&c down, and then I dived in....

 I'm okay everybody............move along, nothing to see hear........

I think I need to change the blade in my razor...

... mmm, I like a bit of stubble myself.

 ...be the fish, be the fish......

chips?

...be the fish, be the fish....

 Andrew's culinary skills put into practise, everything he learnt from watching survivor.

What the f*** are vaaaa-ter-blumm-et-cheese?

 If you don't want to eat the waterblommetjies then f***** leave it!

 I'll eat them.............but only with chilli!

 Dedicated to my friend Andrew 'Fish' Thwaits.

Thanks for the good times, your laughter, good nature & for sincerely listening to the answer everytime you asked 'How are you?'

  We miss you my friend, may you find peace....and plenty of fish wherever you are - tightlines.

 (RIP Andrew 'Fish' Thwaits)