Blog
An Evening at the Alexander Bar in Downtown Cape Town - 206/365
The Alexander Bar in downtown Cape Town is a cool place to just relax with friends, have a drink and something light to eat. What makes it special is that upstairs they show Indie films for free. The owners love Indie films and they show them every couple of weeks. People have fun and it brings in customers.
Styling the Goggles - 205/365
Nita was one of my first friends in Cape Town. She and her significant other have become great friends of mine. She is fun loving, kind, always helping people, and just plain crazy. Here she is modeling one of the many lost and found swim masks! She is a remarkable worker and it was sad to see her leave the gym, but it was a big plus for her and Adidas. A tremendous athlete also. She is from Kimberley, where the DeBeers Diamond Mine is located and where Gold was found early in South Africa's history.
I Love My Sunrises into Work - 204/365
An early morning sunrise from the Koeberg Nature Preserve. I work in such a beautiful place.
Cape Town is known as "The Cape of Storms". I thought storms came into Florida quickly and they do, but in Cape Town they are ferocious. The wind howls, the rain blasts, and the ocean churns with such force that amazes. It is also beautiful. There is something calming and relaxing about watching a storm roll in. I remember rounding the Cape of Storms when I was in the Navy on an Aircraft Carrier. There was a huge storm as we were rounding in winter with 90 foot seas. The huge ship was bobbing like a cork in the water. We could not eat for two days and we had to strap ourselves in our bunks. I remember thinking, how did these guys in little ships make it around? Well a lot did not. To this day the Cape of Storms takes it's toll on even modern vessels.
Getting Ready for the Wind in Cape Town - 202/365
I was on the beach and I saw a boy practicing his Kite Surfing control skills on the beach in my backyard. I really loved the colors of the kite against the sky with Table Mountain in the background.
Checking Out the Surf in Muizenberg - 201/365
On a cold rainy day in Muizenberg, this lady was checking out the surf. Someone told me today that at least I wasn't a fair weather surfer. She's not either.
Little Girl in Muizenberg - 200/365
I was making some images for my friends at Surf Emporium when I saw this little girl playing around the old wooden cabanas that the beaches on the Cape Peninsula are famous for. The colors and her look were beautiful.
This sign was actually placed on a steel beam. I made the image because of the ridiculous nature of it. Is the beam going to attack you. Will you not notice that the beam is there without the sign being in place?
Here in Cape Town most all vehicle models are available in Diesel instead of Gasoline. I'm sold! More efficient and more powerful! But a Porsche? I found it unique as an American.
Whatever camera you own please at least read your owners manual. You'll be surprised at all of the things that you can do. In some cases people write third party books with even more information that the manual left out. The author of this one Ibarionex Perello. He hosts one of my favorite podcasts about photography called The Candid Frame. Every week he interviews someone significant in the world of photography. I highly recommend it as a good listen.
If you don't know it already, I'll let you know up front that I am a beer snob. No Bud or Miller swill for me. In the wine producing paradise that is Cape Town there is a surge in craft breweries. This is but one of the beers that I like. Brewed locally by Brewers & Union in Cape Town. Funny story is that they have an outdoor pub in town with all of their beers and serve great burgers. It's called "& Union". They can't use the "Brewers" part because the part of the building that they rent is owned by a local church.
I made this image just outside of my place in Cape Town. It was evening and the sky was clear except for this beautiful moon. A beautiful moon lit night.
I went on a photo walk with my photography group in Cape Town. We visited a wine estate called Hillcrest. www.winelands.co.za/wine-farms/ Hillcrest Estate is a boutique winery nestled in the Tygerberg Hills. We hiked around a bit and got to the top a hill just in time to see a storm moving in. I just love the photographic drama of storms!
Going Out for a Surf - 193/365
I spend a lot of time surfing on the weekends, and one of my favorite time is when I can go right out my door and go straight into the water. No traveling, or hassle, but I do miss seeing my friends in Muizenberg. As I've said before, it is very meditative for me just being out there on the water. Maybe that's why surfers and surfing in general is so mellow and laid back. Never really grasped all of this in my earlier days of surfing. Road-trips and girls were the order of the day then. Will never forget those days, with Hector, Jimmy, Willie, Lee, Bobby, Shelly (he didn't like Sheldon), Joe, Pepe, Billy, and many others. Good times.
Virgin Active here is much like an LA Fitness in the States. They are everywhere. I go to whichever one is convenient at the time. The club I went to on this day is at the upper part of Cape Town toward Table Mountain. Beautiful view!
Table Mountain Walking Sign 191/365
I photographed for two reasons. First because it was pointing toward a crosswalk that did not exist, and secondly and more importantly the arrow lined up with Table Mountain in the distance and I thought it funny. As if to say to go hike Table Mountain.
Getting the Right Sound in Video 190/365
More than half of video is sound. Shaky video, good sound, OK. Bad sound, no way. So in order to get the sound right like on the video I made you have to get one of these. It records the sound separately and then you synch it with the video in a video editing program. Not easy, but worth it.
Table Mountain from Blaauwberg Rocks - 189/365
I made this image of Table Mountain from Blaauwberg Rocks, a rock outcrop about ten minutes from my house on the way to Cape Town. A storm was just rolling in. Not a surprise in winter.
I made several images on this particular evening and after playing around with this one a bit, it appealed to me. I can imagine this as a very large print.
One of the two places I plan on taking my family to learn to surf is Surf Emporium. It is owned and run by Six Time South African Surfing Champion Roxy Davis and her husband William. Roxy started her business with some loaner boards from her sponsor under some beach umbrellas at Surfers Corner in Muizenberg. Roxy and William are two of the kindest and warmest people you could meet. They have a genuine caring for everyone that steps through their door. One of the major parts of their business that sets them apart is their emphasis on a Girls "RoxyLearn2Surf" program. I am really excited to think that my Granddaughters will be able to learn to surf here with Roxy. Most importantly though, I am glad to be able to call them my friends!
