I shot all of these photos through the window of the plane. I am placing them here not neccessarily because they are awesome photos but more as a record of what life looks like up high and from the seat of an Emirates aircraft.
Natures abstract painting.. Sunset
Flying away from the moon
The alps from on high
Dubai from the sky
Dubai Airport
Plane landing at Dubai
On the runway
incoming plane, to land in Dubai
Guy McLaren was in England for four days this year. It’s not much time but I got to a few places. Here are some photos I took while in England.
Whitehall London
Tower Bridge
London Underground
Thames Beach, a day in the sun.
Historic Southampton
Southampton Pyramid
Romsey Station
Pall Mall and the sports car
Grey, white and blue
London eye
Farmhouse in Hampshire
Stately home, hampshire
behind the pub
River boats
High street in Hampshire
Bridge and waterfront property
So do I, but I don't advertise it on shop fronts
Telephone and bigben
Anarchy at Buckingham palace
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace
Czar in action
This is Czar, Czar came to live with us under false pretences. Czar’s family broke up. Mom (Bunny) and Dad (Doos) got divorced, Doos moved to America and Bunny moved to a townhouse complex. Czar went to live with a family (unknown people) that kept him outside when they were out. They went on holiday and left the security company to feed him.
Czar is a neurotic animal, He suddenly locks up in fear and will not climb the stairs but the worst is Czars fear of lightning. Czar panics and during a storm he escaped from the new home and the SPCA called Bunny, You see Czar is chipped.
She asked if we could look after Czar until the new family came home from their holiday. That was two years ago. Czar destroyed my lounge curtains in the first week, We were out when a storm hit. He was left indoors with the other children, Likkerish, Freddy and Diamond. I was pissed at Bunny as I had not been warned by her about this particular issue.
Majestic and beautiful
I should have sent Czar away then, but I felt sorry for the quivering lump, and tried to work around his fears. When we go out we tie the curtains up in stormy weather, We keep him out of the bedrooms. I have never seen a dog moult like Czar does.
Alert
Last year during storm season we went on holiday and got housesitters in, For the sake of this story, we will call them dumb and fucking dumb. They were given instructions and yet I got home to 3 sets of ripped curtains.
I considered finding Czar a new home, but once again he was reprieved. On Friday we popped out to the shops, Czar was left outside for the half an hour. He escaped from the back garden when some lightening came up, Broke into the house in my daughters bedroom shredding the curtains in the process.
Relaxed
Czar needs more attention than we can give. He needs a home where he can lie at the feet of some one all day long. He needs a home where there is always someone home. Czar is gentle, he is calm and good with animals and children. He is a damned fine watch dog, He just however is an indoors dog, not a farm dog. Czar has woken me on 3 occassions when the bad guys were still on the driveway. I would not recommend babies and toddlers being around him, because he shows an unnatural fear of the demon toddlers that we seem to have visit us.
If you can give Czar a home, please call us at 013 745 8337.
I was checking out Shauns post 25 sunsets and figured I could get close to 25 sunset photos. In my digging I found 20. There are one or two Sunsets and sunrises I remember taking that I need to find still. I may add them later. I may add them as another post later. And you can find a link to Shauns post at the bottom of the page.
Boy in Tree st Lucia
Fire in the sky Nelspruit
Kruger Park sunset
Stormy sunset near Sabie
West End
and another sunset
Stormy sunset
and another sunset
Through the plantation
Yet another sunset
White River Sunset
Umbrella thorn- Barberton road
Clouds of fire
West End Flags
Fiery skies over Mataffin kop
Millies at Machadodorp
Sunrise on the way to Belfast
Industrial Plant on the highveld
Walking the dog with Mattafin kop in the background
St Lucia Sunset
Every One of these images was captured by me in the last 3 years.
Liane Heyl and Eben Smith were in Nelspruit today. Entertainment was enjoyed by all. I got them both to pose naked. Just joking I never even asked, maybe I should have Boeboe from Vetkoek paleis has turned into one gorgeous lady. If I wasn’t so happily married I may have , ahh hell who am I kidding, she is way to classy for the likes of a photographer from Nelspruit.
I did however get them both to advertise blue bull steaks. That was a bit of a coup I thought.
Liane Heyl selling Blou Bul steaks
Eben Smith Selling Blue bull steaks
The black mamba is not named for his colour, He is named for the colour of his open mouth. Factually if you see the open mouth up close you are in deep trouble. These snakes live in holes in the ground but don’t be surprised to find him up a tree.
Black mamba standing
The black mamba is a grey charcoal coloured snake with a coffin shaped head. Many rumours abound of Mambas being aggressive and actually chasing humans. The truth is that mambas move very quickly. Most snakes move lethargically but the mamba moves in short sharp bursts. It is the fastest moving snake in Africa.
black mamba evading predator
The first reaction of these snakes like most others is to depart the scene when danger threatens. These snakes consider humans as predators rather than prey and will attempt to flee. However if trapped will defend themselves aggressively. They will strike repeatedly and tales of Mambas killing lion and giraffe are known to exist.
black mamba on the ground
When struck by a Black mamba you will have been injected with a potent neurotoxic venom. The venom attacks the central nervous system shutting down the heart and lungs. The bite is fatal to humans if not treated with anti-venom. Attacks that occured before the advent of anti-venom carried an almost 100% fatality rate. Fatalities have become far more rare with the medical treatment available today.
black mamba coffin shaped head
They definitely occur in the Mpumalanga region and most parts of Sub Saharan Africa. They hunt by day and will retreat to their burrows, rock crevices and insect mounts by night. They are territorial and will return to the same lair every night.
What does the Black Mamba eat?
During the day they actively hunt their prey of small mammals, birds and lizards.
Mambas are related to the cobras (Elapids), as can be seen during their threat display, when they stretch a slightly smaller hood while gaping their mouth.
Black mambas are fast, nervous, lethally venomous, and when threatened, highly aggressive.
African myths exaggerate the capabilities of the Black Mamba to legendary proportions. For these reasons, the black mamba is widely considered the world’s deadliest snake.
Black mambas are Africa’s longest venomous snake, reaching up to 4.5 meters but 2.5 meters is the average length.
Black mambas are among the fastest snakes in the world, slithering at speeds of up to 20 kilometers per hour.
Black mamba up a tree
The Mozambique spitting cobra could be mistaken for a black mamba by the layman. They are very similar in colour but the head shape is different. The black mamba has a very distinctive coffin shaped head, whereas the Mozambique spitting cobra has a rounder snout. Colouration on the Mozambican spitting cobra can vary from olive, through browns and slate grey. Look for the salmon or yellow underbelly and the black bars across the neck area.
Mozambique Spitting cobra at rest
The Mozambique spitting cobra likes water and will be found in most of subsaharan Africa, from Kwazulu Natal through to the Mpumalanga Lowveld and Mozambique and even in Namibia. This is the most common cobra in the area.
Mozambican Spitting cobra defensive rear of hood
There is only one snake considered more dangerous than the Mozamique spitting cobra and that is the Mamba. The Snake will always try and avoid confrontation but when threatened is very aggressive. The snake is capable of spitting it’s venom and generally will spit before any physical attack. It’s bite causes local tissue destruction. The venom when spat into the eyes can cause blindness.
Mozambique spitting cobra hooded front view
This cobra’s diet mainly consists of amphibians, other snakes, birds, eggs, small mammals, and even insects occasionally.
Mozambique spitting cobra spitting
The Mozambique spitting cobra is considered nervous and highly strung, but as in all things every snake is an individual. When they feel threatened they can rear as much as two thirds of their body. They spit in defense from the reared up position and spread hood. Venom can be spat 2 - 3 meters with great accuracy.
Mozambique spitting cobra open mouth
The spitting cobra does not often actually bite despite its aggressive behaviour, and also shares the same habit of feigning death to avoid further molestation.
The average length of adults is between approximately 1 meter but speciments up to 1,4 meters have been spotted.
The Mozambique spitting cobra will lay an average of 15 eggs, but up to 22 have been found, hatchlings measure approximately 24 cm.
On Saturday a crocodile captured in the wild was given a biopsy to check for disease in wild crocodiles. I was there to capture images on “film”. The 4 m crocodile had been given enough drugs to sedate a 3m crocodile by the capture team.
harvesting the crocodile steak
closing up after surgery, superglue works a treat
By the time the biopsy was done a local anaesthetic was needed as the croc was semi awake. The blindfold and the local kept him calm while the cutting was taking place. Thereafter we unloaded him after treating his wounds and moved him into the translocation camp.
Local canoeists on the river in the Schoemanskloof have been complaining about a few crocs in the river so they are being moved to other homes. Once we had her in the camp we were able to take a few photos up close and personal under the watchful eyes of the experts.
Here are a few shots for you to look at. Soon I will be processing many more and putting them on the Mpumalanga Photography website.
I went out today and shot some snakes. In the action I got a Mozambican spitting cobra in full spit. I know that this particular shot is sought after by snake photographers and consider myself very lucky to have gotten this shot.
Spitting Cobra spitting
Tomorrow I will add a gallery of snakes to Mpumalanga Photography
Christmas is coming and here are a few gift ideas. I know everybody is starting to worry about Christmas and thinking what will I get for the mother in law, What about my sister? Well here are a few ideas that I have come up with.
I could talk about bath time goodies, perfume, ties and socks, biltong slicers and so many other ordinary gifts. I however want to look at something with a difference.
Kidnap your sisters kids and shoot them. I know I would be enormously grateful… no I am kidding. You could however have some portraits done and printed on canvas. But here is the thing rather than studio portraits get the photographer to come to you and shoot the children in their natural habitat. Children in their natural habitat are always more photogenic than in a well lit studio being made to pose like this and like that.
The great thing is with modern technology, these portraits can be turned into works of art. Your children playing in the garden can be turned into a feaux water colour or even an oil painting. Photographs can be printed on various materials from satin paper to Studio canvas.
Other ideas for gifts could include a picture of the classic or exotic car that your brother in law owns. Maybe a photo you took in the game reserve, or on the biking adventure.
I have seen prints anywhere from the standard Jumbo size right up to an A1 photograph, thats a full 900mm x 600mm hanging on walls. Memories are captured and retained. What Grannie doesn’t want a group photo of the children to hang on her wall?
