Nothing specific, but everything beautiful

My, my, my how time flies! While I was looking for pictures to put in my application to Journalism 3 I realised that in my last photography post I was still tossing between photojourn and design. Well, this week was the week of big decisions and I have decided to submit my life to "death by design". I still love photo's and will never stop loving them but the excitement that stirred in me when I was looking at the design portfolios was nothing I have felt before. They were AMAZING! Now, once again, it's time for the big wait to see who gets into the specialisations. Eeekk!

Anyway, as I was filtering through my hoards of pictures to put into my portfolio I came across some that I haven't put up here yet. Thought I would just add then now before anyone looking at my portfolio decides to check out my blog :) (Hello there! Pick me!)

I found this picture from Cafe Bloom. Ive always liked the colours of the over-sized tins but never noticed the wording on the black board. I quite like the link between the tins and "treats". I wonder if it was deliberately done that way?

This is home. My dad is one of those people who gets an idea and runs with it. One day while driving home (stressing about my ridiculous university fees), a word sprung to mind- cabbages. So, a week later our fields were being ploughed and fertiliser was being kneaded into the earth, all in preparation for our first crop of cabbages. And what a success they have turned out to be! he now distributes all over the Midlands and is constantly finding more and more buyers. I think he loves the early mornings, pulling on his freezing cold gum boots, turning on the sprinklers and picking a good head for supper...Go dad!

We went to Rocky Bay (Natal) for a while during the holidays and I managed to sneak this picture of my sister while she was sleeping. Although not such a great photo technically, I still think it's a fun angle...



Deanne and I went for a walk just before dusk and I managed to catch the light as it was turning a rich, golden colour. I loved the way it illuminated this washed up tree. Even without the lighting this tree is beautiful. Its soft contours and smooth skin were just begging to be touched. It's not always that the light finds the photographer. Usually it's us chasing the light.

Odds and sodds

These pictures have been up for a while now, but I decided they need a bit of a re-vamp. Mom and I went for a walk with the dogs (you can see her in the back ground) and as farm dogs do they decided to roll in lumps of cow poop. I was lucky enough to get down close to this one before they destroyed the beautiful mushrooms in it.

i think Deanne looks a bit like the wooden carvings of women that used to be mounted on the front of the ship.

And darling David Acres. My life would not be the same without him and his family's influence. The spontaneity and pleasure in this picture are what grabs me most. I also love the flare bouncing of his head. Just a little pity about the rope through his eye.

Inspiration...?

It seems a bit depressing at first but its true and worth a listen, found this on Christine Meintjies website. Take a listen if you are sometimes wondering why you do what you do.

Another one of my posters (i know its pretty vain)....

WEDLOCKED RMR 89.7 FM

"Wedlocked, RMR 89.7 FM", the jingle echoes in my ears while I sleep. The hum of the studio lights is the current anthem to my life. Finally the week is drawing near where we will get to hear our weeks of sweat and microphones be broadcast on RMR, our campus radio.

As part of our JMS 2 semester we have had to produce a full half hour radio slot based on the series, "Under Construction" which tackles the experiences (good or bad) faced by Rhodes students and the Grahamstown community as well as the issues which arise from these experiences in attempts to defy stereotypes and break taboo's. We have hunted high and low for people to interview, got them over the mic-shy stages and then after hours of transcribing each interview we finally managed (with what energy I don't know) to edit the 15 minute interviews into a three minute piece for the listener.

The above poster is the one I designed for our series based on the concept of "demolishing the norm and building the reality". The one below is the individual poster designed by Stef, our other group marketer.

Our group is the 'Wedlocked' team and for the past couple of weeks we have spent hours together perfecting the sound quality of our pieces and rehersing our anchoring styles (A big well done to Alex who has done such a fantastic job). Our show investigates the various aspects of marriage in the different religions which we find on campus. We even went as far as to uncover the development of a new religion on campus.... if you are interested in finding out more listen to our show on Monday 1 June at 10 AM. After all this work, it's bound to be great.

Assegaai Trails

"Genuine Farm Road. Hold onto your dentures". Thought you would like this one mom :)

From beach to bush. Each photosoc trip I go on I seem to get more hooked on seeing South Africa and taking photo's. Bit worrying actually because now I am tossing between doing design or photojourn. Both look incredible! Anyway, this comfortable, rustic little camp is at the very bottom of these cliffs (below). I was the only one who woke up for the sunrise and managed to catch the light on the rock face which gave them this golden glow. Apparently at full moon the cliffs glow white in the moonlight. Sadly, full moon was the previous weekend. Despite only being surrounded by two shade cloth walls and a tin roof fo cover 'Rock Bottom' camp is quite comfortable considering the howling wind was determined to knock us off our feet and the cold was ready to see our bones turn to ice. For once we all appreciated smokers...if it wasnt for the single smoker on our trip we would have not had matches. City folk. We also forgot the salad bowl and salt. But made do by tossing the salad in a bread packet and eating Salt and Vinegar chips with our wors rolls. Good times- was nice to be back to the roots of nature.


The environment was typical Eastern Cape flora. The river is bone dry and it is dust and rock everywhere. Mind you we still found things to photograph- as a photographer should. The aloes created plenty of interesting patterns and silhouettes for us to play with and the cactii made for interesting close ups. I particularly liked the orange and white lichens which grow on the rocks further up the cliff. They make nice colourfull patterns.

As can be expected in the bush there is always some 'mean and nasty' lurking around a corner, just waiting to catch you in its golden trap. These Golden Orb-web spiders were everywhere. They are impossible to see when one is walking into the light. So the ladies decided to put the tall guys upfront as web detectors. This little bugger was cleverly positioned above a rock that we had to climb over. Luckilly they spotted him before walking head first into his trap.


Catch the fly........Eat the fly......I got the biggest fright while taking this photo. Your vision is narrowed alot while looking through the view finder and while I wad peering at this guy the fly flew into the web causing the spider to lauch forward. Of course everything is closer with zoom so this sent me reeling, took quite a while for my heart to return to normal.

At night we all huddled around the fire keeping warm. One of the guys on the trip knows a ton about cameras and photography so took the time to teach us some stuff and to give some advice on the best cameras to buy. Bonus... I learnt how to play poker... as usual its an advantage to being a beginner because you can just pretend you have no clue whats going on when in actual fact you are sitting on the best hand EVER! hahaha.


"Whistle while in residence". Day two took us to some old ruins near the cliff. This sign was on the side of the toilet building. You can just picture the old farmer's breath steaming in the cold winter air as he whistles....

Razvan has been on all the trips with us. He's a lovely, natural, funny Romanian. This time he took a liking to the ducks and seemed to be pretty talented at finding them. These trips are great because you get to meet so many different people who each have a facinating story to tell or something to teach you. Once again, AN AMAZING TRIP :)

KLEINEMONDE 2009

Cafe Bloom, Midlands Meander. 2009.

Maybe she's born with it...Pennington Beach, 2009.

The Three Sisters. Whinstone Farm, KZN.

Autumn Alure. Midmar Dam, Howick, KZN.

Dandylion. Whinstone Farm -Curry's Post, KZN.

Puppy love. Deanne and Savanah.

Summer Lovin'. 2008.

Love in Motion. David Acres and Sharon Coughlan.

Musical genius? Priceless. Midlands Forest Lodge 'Music in the Mountains'.