Page 7 - Cape-Camera-April-2022

Cape Camera April 2022

“We also visited Lüderitz and enjoyed the eerie experience of “From there we moved on to the rather neglected Sossusvlei
the abandoned Kolmanskop and Elizabeth Bay mining villages. Dune lodge, driving the 60km into Sossusvlei every day, photo-
Here it was more challenging to take good photos but thanks to graphing wet dunes and graphic shapes and everything pho-
the expertise and experience of Kim I think we managed a few togenic! Gemsbok and springbok were aplenty, feasting on the
good compositions of this much photographed area. A high- newly sprouted grasses; and a chance sighting of a single Sable
light for me was an encounter with a brown hyena while pho- antelope along the road to Sossus Vlei will stick in my memory
tographing on my own in the abandoned plant at Elizabeth Bay forever!
mine. I was safe but my heart rate certainly went up a notch. On
my walk back to the cars I also enjoyed meeting a curious jackal
who allowed me to take a few photos before trotting away.
“Sossusvlei, the Dune Road, and the Dead Vlei were also superb
in yielding up incredible photographic experiences. Again, we
were treated to rain in the desert which added to the drama of
the dunes and hopefully to some winning images. We were up
early every morning to catch the dawn light and also photo-
graphed well into the evening to catch the warm afterglow that
one experiences in the blue hour after the sun has set.

Photograph by Kim Stevens
“The group split up from here and Doug and I continued on to
Swakopmund with Anna and were comfortably installed in the
famed Hansa hotel. We took a private trip to Sandwich harbour
with a wonderful conservationist operator and experienced de-
scending the roaring dunes and the flora and fauna contained
therein! As the weather was very foggy, he graciously offered to
repeat the tour two days later. Such is the hospitality and good-
naturedness of the Namibians!
Photograph by Lesley Parolis
“We then started the 2500 km homeward journey via Spit-
“This trip was also memorable for the camaraderie and shared skoppe, Windhoek and Fish River canyon.
experiences of the group of photographic friends that made “I appreciated the opportunity to try out my newly converted
the trip with us. Without their experience and knowledge of the infra-red mirrorless camera and to collect images that I may use
area it would have been far less successful and much less fun. I in presentation later this year at the PSSA conference.
am now quite adept at changing a tyre! Thank you Neels for the The most valuable and exciting lesson I learned during this time
opportunity to practice on your numerous flat tyres, four in all! in Namibia was that photographing by the light of the western
“We can’t wait to go back to Namibia. Our thanks to all who horizon twenty minutes after sunset makes the landscape and
made this trip a reality and especially to Anna and her daughter thus the images literally glow!”
Svenja for making Wolwedans possible.” Jacoba’s Story:
Kim’s Story: “Since we visited Namibia for the first time in 2017, we fell in love
“I was very lucky to accompany Hougaard Malan on a last with the country and have been back every year since, except
minute self-drive tour to Namibia in February despite having in 2020 when Covid-19 prevented us from visiting which was a
booked this March trip with some CTPS photographic friends. It huge disappointment. We were planning to visit the northern
felt very self-indulgent to embark on a second trip to Namibia in parts of Namibia this year, but then Anna who lived in Namibia
just two months but given the experience, I would jump at the for many years undertook to show us some of her favourite
chance to go on a third, if offered! places in Namibia. A group of us went along, but we compiled
“I enjoyed visiting Aus and Luderitz en-route to Wolwedans our own itinerary and travelled on our own, only meeting up as
with people who had not travelled to Namibia before and expe- a group in certain places.
riencing the vistas anew through their excitement and wonder! “Our first stop was Norotshama on the Orange River and from
I took the opportunity to perfect a few Kolmanskop composi- there we travelled to Lüderitz. Due to serious flooding earlier
tions and found some new ones in the forgotten houses far this year, the road between Aussenkehr and Rosh Pinah was
from the ones on the tourist route! It is always a challenge to washed away in certain areas and it was officially closed as it
find areas without footprints in the early mornings as is waiting was still being repaired. Luckily, we only had one spot where
it out in the afternoon for the light to soften. One evening, I was we were quite nervous getting through, but all went well. From
completely alone in this abandoned town and even began to Rosh Pinah to Aus the usually dry and arid landscape started to
feel a little uneasy with the restless spirits that roam there! change to lush green.
“We then drove the D707, the most scenic route in Namibia to- “We stayed three days In Lüderitz where we spent time photo-
ward Wolwedans. There followed three amazing days of light, graphing at Kolmanskop at different times of the day. On our
weather and spectacular landscapes hosted by a dedicated and last day, we visited Elizabeth Bay, an abandoned diamond town
gracious team at the lodge! and processing plant, which are mostly in ruin.

Cape Town Photographic Society 6