Road trip 2016 | Jozini | Part II

Days 4 & 5 – Jozini

We left Mbabane at sunrise and headed south-east towards Jozini via Big Bend. When trying to buy a coffee in Manzini my smoking companion (with all due respect to him; not the “smoking hot” variety) got us thrown out at a petrol station. With panic in his eyes the station manager apparently didn’t feel comfortable with the idea of a burning cigarette a mere five meters from his petrol pumps.

Without coffee and grumbling tummies we left Manzini in a huff. The road from there to the Lavumisa border post is dreary at best but we kept at it and pulled in for a long overdue coffee and breakfast at the Nisela Restaurant. Signs of the drought were everywhere to see and none more so than at the pool in front of the restaurant’s deck. It normally is home to a couple of crocodiles but it was now bone dry.

The border crossing at Golela was uneventful. The Swazi border police are very trusting as they didn’t check the back of my panel van on entry or exit. Not that there was anything illegal in there. Due to our hasty planning we didn’t know whether there was a grocery store at Jozini and decided to do our shopping for necessary supplies at Pongola. With that out of the way we soon headed up the Lebombo mountain range and Jozini dam came into full view. It was the first time I had been on this fascinating road, snaking over the mountain and into Jozini gorge where the dam wall is situated. Traffic in town was chaotic due to Easter weekend and to our dismay we saw a Spar. Typical.

Jozini
Jozini dam at 40% capacity. Seen from Jozini Tiger Lodge.

Our destination was 10 kilometers east and down river of the Jozini dam wall at Pongola River Company. The detailed directions and Mr H’s navigational skills got us quite close to the tented camp but the dirt road suddenly vanished into sand and bush. Due to the Caddy’s abysmal off-road capabilities I was not going to try my luck going any further. The GPS showed that we were very near though, which prompted Mr H to search by foot. Twenty minutes later he arrived with the camp manager who led us then back to camp. We had somehow missed the correct turn off a hundred meters before from where we stopped.

Pongola river
“Flying Fish” was the only successful fishing being done. (Phone photo)

 

Fishing
Mr H attempting to fly fish some tiger fish.

I was blown away by the camp’s setting. It is on the Pongola River’s edge underneath beautiful sycamore fig trees. After unpacking, a fishing expedition in kayaks was in store for the afternoon. Although we didn’t manage to catch a single fish the experience was totally worth it. The water was surprisingly clear and it fascinated me to see how the local natives depend on the river either by washing, swimming, fishing or mining river sand.

Pongola River
A tranquil Pongola River at night.

We drifted downstream for about three kilometers. It always feels further though as it took us the whole afternoon to cover that distance. We were grateful to be driven back to camp. We opted for the self-catering option which is not a problem as there was a fire and we had tender meat and more than enough beer in the cooler. It irked Mr. H that he hadn’t yet caught a fish on the trip and he was soon off fishing. We were assured that there weren’t any crocodiles within two kilometers from the camp and that there were also no hippos.

Road trip
Dead tree with reflection.

With Mr H fishing and clouds rolling in overhead from the east it was the perfect opportunity for some night time photography. I don’t know what it was but the colours on these photos turned out just incredible. It is definitely some of my favourite photographs I’ve ever taken. Apart from one massive strike on my watch the fishing didn’t improve.

Dead tree
The dead amongst the living.

The next morning was a relaxing affair. To wake up in a tent next to the river was blissful. Coffee brewed on the fire and I could hear the chatter upstream of women doing their washing. Few things beat a hot shower under open skies and checking the loo for snakes. After brunch we had to get going and pull ourselves away from this amazing little paradise for we were on our way to St Lucia.

Dam wall
The impressive 80 meter high Jozini dam wall.

The road out was much easier than in. We stopped for a few photos at Jozini dam wall and then headed south on the N2. It was time to see the ocean.

Road trip 2016 | PART I

There comes a time when you need to hit the road. Hard. Take some time off. Escape from the slog of everyday life. Experience new scenery, company, food and more scenery. A road trip isn’t necessarily about where you’re going but more about just going. Anywhere. And with whom you are going.

On short notice a friend suggested we do a road trip. It sounded like an excellent idea at the time and it turned out to be just that. I didn’t really mind where to as long as I could point my camera at some new interesting, refreshing and dramatic landscapes I was in for the ride.

It was a week before Easter weekend and we hadn’t made a single reservation but my partner in crime, Mr. H came through strong and managed to find us sleeping place for every night bar the last night. This is just a summary of where we did what and some of my favourite photos from the trip.

Day 1 Road trip

Starting off in White River we made our way to the Kruger National Park’s Numbi Gate. Maybe it was the drought, maybe it was the time of day but our day through the park was quite uneventful. Apart from a pack of wild dogs in the shade and a pride of lions 300 meters across the river from where we were we didn’t see much action. This was more than made up for though by excellent music and ice cold refreshments in the car. We did exit at Crocodile Bridge next to Komatipoort where Mr. H wanted to do some tiger fishing in the Komati River. A strong wind picked up which would bring miserable weather the next day.

Road trip
A trickle of water flowing past me at the low level bridge in Komatipoort.

Filling up with some very “cheap” R9.96/liter diesel we made our way to the Buffalo Bar in Hectorspruit for sundowners before driving the short hop to Inkuba Game Lodge. The neat and spacious self-catering tented camp was a real treat after the long day on the road. It’s excellent value for money too at R350/person/night.

Day 2 Road trip

After coffee and rusks the next morning we headed for the Jeppes Reef Swaziland border post. Entry was no problem even though my panel van’s tail was dragging due to our “refreshment” cache that was replenished at Komatipoort. We made sure we had plenty of stock for at least the next few days through Swaziland. The weather was getting worse and we hit the mist and rain as we headed up the pass just before Pigg’s Peak.

Mr. H hadn’t been to the impressive Maguga Dam before so we headed down the Komati River valley. A spur of the moment idea for some fishing led to an unexpected journey into the very empty dam and it turned out to be a great afternoon of fun. To walk inside the eerie landscape of the dam where it normally would be submerged under thirty meters of water was quite surreal and made for some excellent long exposure photos.

Road trip
Inside an empty Maguga Dam. The water level rose slightly before we arrived as can be seen from the parched mud underneath the water’s surface.

 

Jetty
A lonesome jetty inside Maguga Dam.

Another bonus was that we were out of the rain and wind which was prevalent at the higher altitudes. After climbing the steep wall back up to the car we headed to Malolotja Nature Reserve, a short 15 minute drive from the dam.

It’s been about eight years since I had last been there and it still looked pretty much the same. It is an amazing place. It is pristine Swaziland in all its glory. It was freezing cold and our first priority was a fire in our cottage. An early seven kilometer hike the next morning delivered some breathtaking landscapes with clouds still swirling in the valleys.

Landscape
Stunning landscapes at Malolotja.

 

Brunsvigias
The incredible Brunsvigias. Unfortunately it was not in bloom.

An absolute must here is the canopy tour. One of only six in Southern Africa, it is located in a steep gorge in the park. Safety is paramount, and the system has been built to the highest civil engineering standards. Guides are trained professionals and this breath taking experience can be enjoyed by people of all ages. There are eleven zip lines zig zagging across the gorge as well as a suspension bridge. Watch Mr. H in action on one of them.

Malolotja
The exit point for the canopy tour.

Time was tight as our next stop for the day was Sibebe Rock, close to Mbabane. “Sibebe Rock”, an 800-meter-high monolith in, is the second largest exposed granite pluton in the world (after Ayers Rock in central Australia). After a quick beer in Mbabane and finding our accommodation for the evening we made our way to Sibebe. Dusk was a mere two hours away and we really wanted to climb it. Apparently there is a difficult direct route up but we couldn’t find the starting point so we instead started from the tourist point which approaches a long way from the north. We tried our best and climbed the height but in the end we had to admit defeat and watch the top of the rock from two kilometers away as the sun was setting behind the mountains. The hike was very scenic and easy to follow with yellow markers painted on rock all along the way.

Hike
Taking a breather halfway up to the top. Stunning vistas.

 

Sibebe Rock.
Sibebe Rock as seen from below at dusk. Swaziland’s only local beer is named after it.

 

Back at Bombaso’s Backpackers we met up with a few Americans working in Swaziland. We were spent though as we had hiked 17 kilometers during the day including a tough ascent. We had to be up early the next morning to make our way to Jozini via Big Bend. The tigers were waiting…

 

 

 

 

 

 

Favourite 7 | 2015

It’s hard to believe that another year has come and gone. What’s even more remarkable is that we’ve passed this decade’s halfway mark. 2015 has definitely been one crazy year.

Terrorists stepped up their game with the Charlie Hebdo and Paris attacks as well as the downing of a Russian airliner over Egypt. A shocking story that had the “it could happen to me” factor was the Germanwings crash in the Alps.

Photography technology relentlessly advanced with the improvement of mirrorless and micro four thirds cameras, touted to replace DSLRs in the not too distant future. Front in the queue was Sony’s A7 mirrorless, lighter and smaller than a DSLR but with image quality and autofocus speed being reported just as good as high end DSLRs.

Photography-wise it’s been a massive step for me in the right direction this year. I got my own website going, had my first wedding, engagement, portrait and family shoots, worked on building my portfolio (which is a never-ending endeavour) and acquired the necessary gear to take professional photos. I also completed the MatadorU Fundamentals of Travel Photography course which helped me a lot to pay more attention to the finer details of settings and what’s in the viewfinder before pressing the shutter release button. I also attended a flash photography workshop with Andrew Schoeman which opened up a whole new set of opportunities and creativity in that field.

From day to day it sometimes feels as if I’m standing still as a photographer but it always fascinates me to see the improvement when I look back at older photos. The only way to learn is also just to take on new challenges that might fall outside of your comfort zone. It’s not until you’ve tried it and seen the mistakes you make that you can learn from it and move on.

I want to thank the customers who made use of my service this year. The experience I gained has been invaluable. To choose my favourite seven photos I took in 2015 was not easy. My main criteria were feel good factor and effort involved to capture the photo. Feel free to leave a comment.

Blyde River Canyon, Eksteen Jacobsz, Landscape
Blyde River Canyon, Mpumalanga | 2015/03/15

A quick Sunday trip from White River. I waited in vain for the sun to break through the clouds but instead got this moody atmosphere. With the help from MatadorU’s mentors I was able to get the most out of this photo through editing in Lightroom.

 

solitary tree, eksteen jacobsz, landscape, veld
R38 between Carolina and Badplaas | 2015/06/29

One bitter cold winter morning with a fowl north westerly howling along the grasslands. I almost didn’t stop due to the unpleasant weather but this solitary tree really stood out against the stark landscape.

Margate, Sunrise, Sea, Long exposure
Manaba Beach, Margate | 2015/03/31

Early bird catches the worm. I found this spot at dawn to be ready for sunrise at 6am. I hoped for sunlight to paint the clouds red before sunrise but it unfortunately never materialised.

Wedding, Blue gum trees, Flash
Edrich & Shinhye at Pretoria Country Club | 2015/10/17

An old friend of mine from primary school days, Edrich,  had a very unique traditional Korean wedding ceremony and I was fortunate to be their photographer. Their striking outfits were complimented by the picturesque venue. This was the first time I tried out my remote control flash.

Storm, Pano, Landscape
Lowveld storm, Primkop Dam, White River | 2015/11/26

I was fortunate to live here for almost two years. As I sat on the porch this storm moved from left to right. At first I wasn’t too interested in it but then suddenly it evolved into this majestic mushroom-like storm cell. Just before the rain hit I was able to take the shots for the panorama as a 24mm lens could not possibly have captured the entire scene.

Band Photography
Adele Fouche, Saarkie @ Tasaky, White River | 2015/12/03

Rock’n’Roll…cool. Pretty girls playing rock’n’roll…the best. A friend invited me to check Saarkie out and I was pleasantly surprised. The biggest challenge was to isolate the subject from the poor lighting and background. Usually I’d use no flash but by bouncing my flash I was able to achieve the desired lighting. This was also the first time I went into the unknown territory of ISO 12800! The velvet/creamy texture is achieved by removing the high ISO’s grain in post editing.

 

Horses, sunset, favourite
Tweefontein farm, Estancia | 2015/12/26

This one snuck in through the backdoor. Maybe sentimental value played a small part. The grass isn’t this short due to the horses being excellent lawnmowers. The current drought in South Africa is very prevalent on the Mpumalanga highveld. After a much needed and blessed rain storm the remaining clouds were painted red by the setting sun.

 

Have a happy New Years and a prosperous 2016.

 

EJ

Mpumalanga School Trials Gala – 2015/10/03

Swim, Gala, B&W

2015/10/07

Swim, Gala, B&W
ISO 400, 260mm, f/9, 1/1600s

Last weekend I attended the Mpumalanga School Trials Gala that was held at Van Riebeeck Park, Nelspruit. Swimming is quite an interesting and difficult subject to photograph. The water and subject constantly changes shape and position thus creating interesting reflections, splashes and light bends. Focusing is a challenge due to the swimmer’s continuous movement and the camera sometimes hunting the water droplets.

It was therefore a fun-filled morning experimenting with new techniques. Blue is a beautiful colour but I tried something different by going for the chrome look. I can definitely recommend shooting swimmers as a way to get a much better understanding of how your camera works. Just make sure the dial is not on AUTO. The question to ask is whether to shoot in Aperture, Shutter or Manual Mode. The rule of thumb for sports photography is Shutter Speed Priority but nothing stops you from also trying Aperture or Manual mode. The advantage with Shutter Priority is that your shutter speed is set and the camera then decides what your Aperture should be once you’ve dialed in the ISO number. Here’s a cheat sheet to better understand the relationship between ISO, Aperture and Shutter speed.

Swim, Gala, B&W
ISO 400, 260mm, f/9, 1/1250s

 You’ll need a telephoto lens to get close to the action, preferably more than 100mm. To freeze the action you need a shutter speed of at least 1/1000th of a second or faster. With an aperture of f/9 to get an adequate depth of field on the subject the ISO inevitably has to go up to get a good exposure. You could go the other way though and convey motion by slowing the shutter speed considerably. You can then bring the ISO down for a better quality picture but a deeper depth of field (higher f-stop) would be required to maintain a balanced exposure on your histogram. I found it beneficial to focus slightly ahead of the subject before pressing the shutter as this ensures the focus point is on and not behind the swimmer by the time you actually do press the shutter.

 

Swim, Gala, B&W
ISO 400, 135mm, f/8, 1/1600s

EJ