A photographer's life

Christmas presents

2011-12-04T21:22:00.000+02:00

What a wonderful privilege I had this week - staying over in the wonderful Nieu Bethesda. But one of the most wonderful opportunities was to witness the arrival of Santa (Father Christma) in the local township. The great moments of anticipation as the kids waited for the red-coated, grey bearded man to make his appearance.
The atmosphere was loaded with happiness, energy and the wonderful overexcitement of kids - waiting for someone to bring them something small, yet something beyond the ordinary. You won't believe the difference a packet of sweets can make!
Afterwards there were happy faces everywhere...

I realized once again that every day we've got something to look forward to, we choose the wonderful anticipation, be it for the sun to rise, colleagues to see, something to do...
We can look forward to something, or we can look up to it...
It's up to us.
Just remember, we are still children at heart! We have the right to look forward to every day with eager anticipation!

Welcome to Shangri-la

2011-11-27T22:13:00.000+02:00

Time has stood still for a while. And therefore I am so privileged to be blogging again. Over the past week, I had one of the experiences of a lifetime, sharing in the knowledge of Bruce Copley & Associates. Bruce's website is at http://www.aahalearning.com/, and one of his associates, Michelle, has a website at: www.creativitygym.co.za.

Now this blog will suit as a memory to some of the lessons I have learnt, but also to share some of the pictures of the event with my fellow delegates. You see, like in the words of Henry David Thoreu, we "went to the woods because we wanted to live deliberately, we wanted to live deep and suck out the marrow of life..." all under the guidance of a wonderful teacher. And all at a wonderful place called Shangri-la.

Anyone who has ever experienced a session with Bruce will know to expect the unexpected...

You see, we all have to learn to look at life from a new perspective, a new point of view, a new self. Too often we look at our surroundings from an old paradigm, but a small change in angle can make such a tremendous difference...

And very often we have to learn that we are not the only inhabitants of this wonderful planet. There are others who see things from a different point of view. As I looked at the wonderful trees, I wondered what it would look like if you were an ant. Just think, from a bit above an ant's point of few, grass looks like this:

As humans I think we often need to stand back in awe at the everyday miracles we tend to miss! You see, we often don't realize how small we are, until, - behold - what can you find in everyday places?
The footprints of God:

And yes, on our way through life, with our fellow travellers, there are moments of fear...(the photo below does not show how steep the downhill is, but it is all reflected in Marsha's eyes:

But once you go through the barriers of fear, there is always the gift of wonder!

Is it not true that once we appreciate the wonders out there, we really appreciate our own presence and power in the web of life?

Is it not then that we know that we are all composers of and dancers through a gift we often forget to unwrap, a gift we all have, a gift called life?

So next time that someone brings you something seemingly meaningless,

Just go on your knees, be grateful, and see how meaning presents itself:

Now, I do hope that this blog will give you something to reflect on...and yes, the story will continue...

Until we talk again, remember to have a grateful heart, a conscious mind and a loving soul.

Scenes, routes and memories.

2011-01-04T22:10:00.002+02:00

It's a great time for all kinds of resolutions. But sometimes we forget that although looking forward is wonderful, the same can be said of looking back.
It all depends, I assume, what you focus on.
While on Christmas holidays, I asked my brother's son to play in the same river we played in when we were kids.
Suddenly it was there: The same muddy smell, the same grassy patches, the same sense of nature that I experienced while I was a kid. They all enveloped me once again while standing on the side with the camera.

And is it not these quiet scenes we remember from our journey through life that often means the most?

Take time today to enjoy the wonderful wealth of memories, turning into experience, becoming the lunchbox we share in the school of life.

Wishing you a fabulous new year!

Stop signs

2010-10-21T05:40:00.001+02:00

Sometimes we get so occupied in "the flow" of life's demands, that we forget about the tremendous power of just "stopping" every now and then. It's much better to take a break than to be forced by circumstances (deteriorating health, destroyed relationships etc) to take a break. Sometimes it's just taking some time to be quiet, to reflect, and yes, to think.

We tend to be rushed by he rush, hurried by the hurry and ruled by habits.
Sometimes changing the habits can assist us in not getting involved in the rush, the hurry and the general urgency of "life's" demands.
In order to focus on what is important and not be caught up in what is urgent, we need to stop.
So, when stopping seems impossible - it's time to stop.

Interesting things...

2010-10-20T22:27:00.001+02:00

Sometimes we throw stuff out. Sometimes we keep it.

Scrapyard or scrapbook...

The decision is mostly based on our perception.

In the era of digital photography, there is so much more "stuff." It has become an art to decide what to keep and why.
Focus is not only finding something to focus on, but also determining what to keep out of the frame. And that is one of the most difficult choices (in life and in photography) - to decide what we really want, and not to be tempted by the world of marketing and advertising, but rather to stay focused on what we have framed/dreamed/envisioned and what will eventually be remembered as "the bigger picture."

Shoes

2010-09-13T21:39:00.000+02:00

Forrest Gump changed the way we look at shoes forever.
As I was taking the picture, I thought about the miracle of shoes. You know, it's not only about the physical shoes...it's also about the footprints they leave and the footsteps we follow...
Stepping into someone's shoes - or wearing another's moccassins.
It's all about progress and empathy.
And maybe the two goes hand in hand. The older I get, the more sensitive I become to others...
And it's when I open my eyes that I realize my own shoes, the worn tattered ones. The memories and moments I have experienced - fit me best. They're mine, to loathe or be proud of.
It all depends on my interpretation.
My story.
And my choice of story reveals my character.
Forrest's mama said that you could tell a lot about people by looking at their shoes...
My shoes tell the tales of where I've been and where I am going - and that says a lot about who I am.
And sometimes, just sometimes, I walk barefoot.

Being

2010-05-05T21:51:00.000+02:00

Interesting that we call ourselves human "beings," not "beens" or "becomings."
It's all about the power of the moment - it all happens so fast. Great moments are captured at dazzling speeds. 1/125 of a second gives you great "exposure" on a sunny morning -
We measure in hours, days and minutes.
We live in fractions of seconds.
Being.
Like the person on this picture.

We knocked on his door. Early on a Sunday morning.
He did not expect us, but he enjoyed the surprise: "Ah a bunch of Photographers - Come on in!"
Nothing was posed - this is how it was - no masks, no preparation, no make-up.
Just humans being - being human - human beings.
We need more of all of the above!

Some moments

2010-04-29T22:21:00.000+02:00

Some moments are just to good to be missed.
They make you smile whenever you remember them, and if you've captured them, it's always worth the revisit...
You see, Pieter is a real gentleman.
When Nico gets married, Pieter offers to help me with the keys to the venue.
So dressed in his Saturday-best, he arrives to do key-duties.
But, as I said, he is a gentleman.
And when he sees the bride is in need of help, he willingly assists.
I just love the moment.

It makes me smile.
We need more of those.

Characters

2010-04-27T22:34:00.000+02:00

Some people never let you down when it comes to photo-opportunities.
They are the true characters of the world -
They stand out because of who they are...what they stand for, how they live.
No, I'm not talking about the "outstanding" businessmen, the glitzeratti or the famous jetsetters.
I'm talking about the people one gets to meet when you drive into the rural areas of South Africa.

People who love the countryside, breathe the fresh air, live in the present.
Some are poor in monetary terms.
But so often, when I interact with them, I find that they are wealthy in many ways.
And I always return home a wiser person.

In the moment

2010-04-25T08:10:00.000+02:00

In life, we often measure life in years, days and hours. In photography moments are captured in "parts of a second" (splitseconds). One is often astounded by the amount of things that can happen "in a moment." When the Mitchells got married, the rain came down.
Heavily.
Especially after the sermon, when we were supposed to take the pictures.
We literally had only the moments.

And the moments were great.
We had to rush around, find the scenes and get the pictures.
Some would call it frustrating.
They called it adventurous.
And when it comes to moments, our choice of interpretation makes all the difference.

To see the world...

2010-04-13T23:19:00.001+02:00

Don't know why I've been thinking of poetry the past few days.
On the other hand, I think it's better than thinking of politics ...
As I was browsing through some of my older photographs, this one caught my eye.

It reminded me of the words "to see the world in a grain of sand". Sometimes the world is in a flower, a tree, a bird's flight. So often when we capture moments at shutter speeds of 1/250th of a second - we realize the speed at which daily miracles happen. Maybe we should keep our shutters of perception open to everyday wonders all the time...

They're always happening.

If we only take the time to see them.

Music makers and Dreamers of dreams

2010-04-12T20:01:00.000+02:00

Dad used to recite part of the the poem by Arthur O'Shaugnessy, it goes like this:

We are the music-makers,

And we are the dreamers of dreams,
Wandering by lone sea-breakers,
And sitting by desolate streams.
World-losers and world-forsakers,
Upon whom the pale moon gleams;
Yet we are the movers and shakers,
Of the world forever, it seems.

As a photographer, I love the pictures that celebrates life, energy, wonder. There are enough media to show us the bad things, it's up to us to feed our minds with the things that energize us.

So when last did you look at a picture for the sheer joy it brought?

When last were you a picture of joy?

We're all cameras, composing a great picture of life.

Indeed we are the picture makers and we are the dreamers of dreams...

Why?

2010-03-08T23:10:00.000+02:00

Why do we take photographs?

To teach?

To remember?

To enjoy?

To try and take a precious moment in time with us?

I take photographs because it's fun. It's fun to look back and realize what effort went into the "creation" of the story. And yes, it includes all of the above...

It's about savouring the effort, the process and the result.

Probably the same things we need to do, in order to appreciate life.

Make time for the moments, for it's the moments that make up time.

In love

2010-01-24T22:03:00.000+02:00

It was Helgo Shomer who reminded me last week about the fact that when we are in love, we view the world differently.
As I was taking pictures of this couple today, their sense of fun and interaction reminded me once again that we have a choice to be in love with life, or to take it for granted.

People who are in love with life celebrate the challenges and the victories, people who fall out of love with life are blinded by the obstacles and the defeats.
Nature, like a camera lens, is neutral.
It's the eye and heart of the beholder that makes it good or bad.
Do you still look at life through the lens of love, laughter and living?

A girl and a horse

2010-01-22T05:47:00.002+02:00

Mostly photographers look for eye contact - still, sometimes it's all about the moment.

As she walked away, I pressed the shutter - some will say: "Not a great photograph," because of the rules. Others will realize it's about enjoying the moment.

We need to do it more often - Moments are made to enjoy.

They're our gifts.

That's why it's called: The Present.

Fun people

2010-01-21T21:42:00.000+02:00

As I was taking pictures of this family, it was just fantastic to see them interact. There was a consistent sense of fun and good-natured humour.

So often we fail to just "be in the moment" or "go with the flow." Actually that's when we really can be our true selves. Still we make it difficult, we try to look professional, sophisticated or fancy. When it's actually easy to be all three.
If we just be who we are...

It's so much easier than we think, because it comes naturally.

If we let it.

Where people still matter

2009-11-15T21:44:00.007+02:00

This weekend, my family and I had the wonderful opportunity to spend time in the Kalahari. Although the weekend was short due to the long distance, it felt like a holiday. Mainly because of the friendly people, the creative encounters and the early mornings. (Jeepers - on Saturday we were out and about just after 04:30).
Maybe we should remember that weekends are mini-holidays, especially if we take more time to appreciate and less time to criticize, more time to reflect and less time to rush, more time to be and less time to become...more time at the oasis and less time in the desert...

In the end, it's about the landscapes of the soul, those unchartered panoramas of peace, we visit within ourselves, is it not?

And when we visit those panoramas, we find the great pictures, and call them memories...

2009-11-03T22:16:00.000+02:00

Anienie looked back at the camera.
She was having so much fun - with so little -
All we need is sand, sun, water - and the eyes of a child...

2009-11-02T21:59:00.003+02:00

There is one gift that distinguishes geniuses from others...
We all have it, but very few use it.
It's the gift of natural curiosity, the willingness to learn, to experiment, and to keep on pushing the limits, because we know there is more to learn.As my son looked through a window, I hoped that he would treasure this gift, finding the windows of hope always opening as he keeps on living the quest for truth, love and happiness.
Godspeed, dear traveller.

2009-10-28T21:41:00.003+02:00

A friend of mine got married and asked me to take the pictures. Every time I see a bride, I realize that we need to keep our Fairy Tales alive. Our life stories may take us on many roads, but it's not our external lives that makes Fairy Tales last...It's our hopes, dreams and beliefs.
No one can steal them, they help define us.
Like they define the beauty that one sees when one sees a bride with her eyes fixed on the future, her heart full of love and her thoughts filled with happiness.
The camera needs only to record, the fairy tale is already happening.

2009-10-28T21:22:00.002+02:00

My cousin's matric farewell. I was taking the picture. I thought it would be lovely if she stood on a railroad track with the others just looking at her.
Then it happened.
As all had struck there poses, she momentarily lost her balance...
What a wonderful moment.
Maybe not at the time the picture was taken, but when one looks back, is that not what it's all about.
Unexpected moments, providing us with something to smile about.
Remember the moment is spontaneous, the interpretation afterwards is choice.
Little can be done about chance, but a great deal can be done about choice.

Girl Photographing a Dog

2009-08-13T22:23:00.001+02:00

Girl Photographing a Dog, originally uploaded by National Media Museum.

As I was doing research for some training on Social Networking, I came across this little picture. What fun it must have been to take it. Imagine the planning, the dressing up, the setting up...
And yes, more than anything else...
The sharing of a fabulous moment with others...
Too often we share our problems, ailments and complaints. We talk about the news and the recession.
Let's also rave about great moments.
Photography is painting with light, maybe we should take more light into our lives as well...
Share a great memory today.
It's part of the ingredients of what is called a great life!

2009-08-06T23:14:00.001+02:00

It was early morning.
There is nothing like early mornings.
Everything is fresh, the colors keep on changing, there's expectation in the air.
Anien, my daughter was running on a dune with a friend.
"Sunchasing."

Too often the break of dawn brings the newspapers and newsbulletins. Mostly negative.
Sunchasing is about the positive stuff.
Loving the break of a new day.
Looking forward to gifts bestowed by the day:
Moments - turning into seconds, minutes and hours.
Moments to run towards the sun, passionately pursuing the firelights of our purpose.

2009-08-06T17:00:00.002+02:00

I knew that the picture was there. The moon was shining beautifully over the sea.
As I watched the scene, I realized there was no foreground interest. A big log was lying about 200 meters away.
It took a little help, sweat and effort from a friend. And then the composition could be made.
The result was this:
Then last Sunday there was a sermon on VISION. If you have a vision, you can work towards it, you can create it. Disney saw Disneyland before it was there...

So yes, if you see the picture before you create it, you'll be able to find the materials you need. It all makes sense. And yes, all it takes is effort, sweat and a friend or two.

So in photography, as in life, we need to:
Know what we want to achieve (Vision).
Focus on our vision. (Usually through goals)
Find what's needed to compose the final picture. (What's left out of the frame and what is kept)
Go out and do it.
And yes, have fun along the way.

2009-05-11T21:10:00.003+02:00

Wonderful place, the web.
I received a comment from someone about a picture. It was a picture of the farm where I grew up.
I love taking pictures on the road to the farm

As I replied to the comment, a bit of a digital conversation ensued... And here's the fun part. Turns out we are neighbours (her parents now reside on the farm next to the one where I grew up).
It made me think of the old saying, "A stranger is just a friend you have to meet," but what a strange world it has become, - meeting your neighbours in cyberspace.
Maybe there are too many strangers and too little friends these days.
Strange.
Friends or strangers? Who decides?
You do.

2009-03-02T23:16:00.004+02:00

Let's learn from the kids.
They live in the moment...
Happy or sad.
They know the present is the greatest gift we have...
That's why it's called the present...

Life for kids is full of color, sepia (the past) brings great memories and the future is filled with dreams...

Let's live, dream and remember things that make us better!

2009-02-24T07:17:00.003+02:00

I was driving through a small town called Koffiefontein. These guys were having fun, playing with their self-made push-and-go car. I took some pictures and went on a drive through the town.

On my way back, I found only this guy...

Yes. The wheels had come off.
Suddenly he was on his own.
Is that not true sometimes? When the wheels come off in the drama of life, we suddenly find ourselves feeling alone?
Well, take note that it's mostly a "feeling" and not a fact. And even if it seems like a fact, it's a very subjective fact, which makes it no fact at all!
But what if it is a fact?
Well, make sure you spend the time well, make sure you use the winter of life to prepare for the spring that's coming.
Spring always follows winter.
And if it seems to be happening too slow, don't just sit there, start pushing the car!

2009-02-19T04:52:00.000+02:00

Energy...

Is it not fascinating how some people just have it?
My friend, Hendrik, a life coach, (See the link to Craffie's Coaching), talks a lot about energy.
The energy that makes us walk upright, smile sincerely, breathe deeply, laugh loudly and live passionately.

Last year during the December holidays, I was asked to take pictures of a group of young people. They were making calenders for their parents. When they arrived, they had all the fun stuff! Winter clothes, summer clothes, hats - the whole lot! They were having a ball. Because they had the main thing: Energy.
Energy is an interesting thing, the more you have, the more you give - and the more you give, the more you get!

Please feel free to write in the comments field about something or someone that energizes you...

And then smile, pull back your shoulders, breathe deeply and take in the energy.
It's free.

2009-02-18T07:35:00.003+02:00

Two years ago my son's pre-primary school had a Visitor's day for grandparents. As I was taking pictures, I was drawn to the beauty of hands. Old hands and young hands were working together, painting together and being together. It reminded me...

My grandma used to have hands filled with blue veins, which she used to knit and create. My mom had gentle, comforting hands. My dad had strong healing hands. When I think of these hands, none of them being on earth anymore, I realize that we have to use our hands to make the world a better place.

And how do we do it?
Well, reach out to the many miracles that surround you. Touch a tree, caress a flower, hold a hand.

If you have a story about hands which meant a lot to you, please feel free to share it in the comments field below.
Reach out.
Love.
Live.
Lend a hand.

2009-02-12T05:31:00.000+02:00

What if your body left?
What would remain behind?

We call it legacy.
It matters more than we think...
I think.
If you can remember someone whose made a difference in your life, please write it down in the comments field.
Share the legacy.

2009-02-11T05:04:00.002+02:00

Low light. No tripod.
It was easy to realize that the evening was ruined.
Still, we had a great walk on the beach. My wife and the kids did not worry about the lack of light. They were on holiday. They had their feet in the water. They were not worried about blurry pictures as I was.

So there we were - the same scene, but different feelings.
I think that life's the same. It's the framing that matters.
Remember the old poem -
Two men looked through prison bars,
One saw mud, the other saw stars...

So what's your frame like today?

2009-02-10T05:58:00.002+02:00

I was reading Martha Beck's Steering by Starlight. Realized again how we complicate our own worlds. So often we come under stress because of all the stories we keep in our heads.
Clutter is bad. Simple is good.
Same goes for photos.

Just for today - clear all the stories out of your mind.
Appreciate the moment.
Click the shutter.
Enjoy the picture.
It's yours.

2009-02-09T10:43:00.004+02:00

Ask any photographer about the nature of light, and learn about the light of nature.

Every season brings its own glorious light. There's the yellow-brown of autumn leaves, the fresh pink blossomy arrival of spring, the white of frost in winter and the luscious green of summer grass. Every season brings the gift of color. And so often we forget that the seasons in life bring color too.

Sometimes life seems cruel and unkind, yet every winter predicts a new spring. Somehow we need the dark cold nights of winter to appreciate spring even more.
Whatever the season - appreciate the light!

2009-02-03T23:13:00.002+02:00

So it was the first day of school.
And yes, there were fears, uncertainty and a fair bit of worrying.
Still, they were having fun.

And I thought about my life and work.
I often have fears, uncertainties and worries.
It doesn't matter....

As long as I have fun.

Have fun today. Every day is the first day in the school of life.
Every day is the first day of the rest of your life. ( I think I heard it in a movie - but it's only now beginning to make sense!)

Think about it...

Then live it.

2009-01-09T11:38:00.005+02:00

A brother and sister. She tickled him. He was tired. It was late on a hot December afternoon. He could not walk properly, but she did not mind. When necessary, she carried him. The words of the song came to mind: He ain't heavy, he's my brother.

And then it happened, I had captured the moment above, but my finger was still on the shutter, and I am glad, because the next moment they fell over...

Is is not great to know that life always has more great moments in store?
Keep watching out for them.
Celebrate them.
Treasure them.
Enjoy remembering them.
They're yours.
No one can take them away.

2009-01-05T09:22:00.004+02:00

Where did the time go? Well, that's probably one of the questions one also asks at your eightieth birthday.
For me, suddenly there is a new year and the previous post was a month ago.
Does not feel like it!
Hopefully this year there will be more opportunities to share some moments. Like we had at christmas. Grandma bought my kids kites and there was a photo opportunity!
I really battled to find good pictures.
All the time I knew the pictures were there. It was for me to position myself right in order to find them. Sprawling on the ground and changing lenses, I just did not seem to find what I knew was there.
Don't you sometimes feel that life is like that as well. There seems to be more out there, but it seems to just remain out of reach.
Maybe that's what makes life such a wonderful experience, the fact that we are always striving, always on a quest, looking for more...
And knowing that we'll find it, because, like the seeds of an apple, what we're looking for is already within us!
I don't know who thought about it in the first place, but is it not great that we can count the amount of seeds in an apple, but not the amount of apples in the seed...
May 2009 be a year of growth!
Make your dreams soar like kites, keep the string tight and pray for wind!

2008-11-08T19:32:00.002+02:00

It's been a while.
That's all I can say. As I look at how time flies, I realize how fleeting life is. During the past week I attended a conference in Mpumalanga (a province in South Africa). It was incredible to see how many people had cameras. Compare that to 10 years ago --- when film and development were expensive and few pictures were taken.
The scary part is that more pictures often lead to more clutter - and what do we do with our record shots? I remember as a child we used to watch slideshows with an old-fashioned projector that often screeched to a halt when a slide jammed the mechanism because it was slightly skew. Treasured moments.
Treasured because slides were precious and rare.
These day it's so easy to capture a moment - making it much more difficult to treasure.
When I look at how quickly time flies, I realize the importance of taking time to treasure. But it's not easy...so often I feel like a tourist in my own life - pausing at the "designated moments," and then hurrying on to the next destination -and when I think about it, I realize that I have to get off the beaten track sometimes.
In order to live, rather than merely passing by -
Before passing on.

2008-09-26T12:16:00.002+02:00

It was a misty autumn day. The road was wet and the air fresh. It was just one of those days which makes one appreciate the true wonder of being alive. As I stepped out of the car to take pictures, I was hit by the freshness of being outside. And I realized how we spend our time in front of screens: Windscreens, computer screens, tv screens... We are the screenagers. Sometimes we need to "unscreen". Because we don't live a virtual life. We live a real life.
Nothing can replace the incredible realness of reality. Think about it.

Then go ahead.
Live.

2008-09-22T22:34:00.004+02:00

He was playing in front of the camera. Jumping up and down, smiling and friendly. His sister was shy. Eventually she decided that it had to be fun. He just seemed to be so happy. So she joined. His hand was comforting, holding hers to reassure her.

I learnt from him that if one really enjoys what one does, others cannot stay away too long. People want to share in the fun that passionate people have. I think it's called the law of attraction in popular literature -
There are always those daring to take chances, who seize the opportunities, those who are not afraid of change or new things, they are the pioneers, but they turn from pioneers into leaders when they hold the hands of the uncertain, often scared followers.
Whenever I work with real leaders, I realize it's about more than pioneering your vision, it's about caring for your people, giving them the greatest gift of all -
Faith in their potential and a helping hand when needed.

2008-09-20T11:14:00.002+02:00

Just a quick Saturday morning blog -
One should always try new things, and I am connecting my Photoshop Express trains to this ...
And yes, I don't know whether it will work - but we often don't do things because we don't believe they will work - so hold your breath and watch with me...

2008-09-16T20:10:00.003+02:00

This weekend we had a photowalk in Paul Roux. The weather seemed to be heading for "rotten", but we had to push through.
What a privilege when the light eventually appeared.
Some clouds acted as natural diffusers and, in general, we had a great time taking pictures of the kids who walked along.

The great thing about the weather was that those who seriously wanted to be there, were there - is it not true that sometimes we have hurdles for one reason: to find out how seriously we really want something?
Next time you see a hurdle, enjoy its presence, it is an opportunity to test your commitment and willingness to achieve what's on the other side of the hurdle!

2008-09-04T19:28:00.002+02:00

They said there was nothing to photograph. They said it was a boring country road. They said it could not work on a misty morning.

But I went out.

And I took this picture...

Because they are merely voices in my mind. They are critics without reason. They are voices of reason in a world of dreams...

They are needed sometimes.

But sometimes we need to listen to the voice of unreason.

Because all breakthroughs are made by unreasonable people - people who hear other voices, voices that come from deep inside, from forgotten selves - voices that tell them to keep going when it does not make logical sense.

The voices that actually matter - because they are not "theirs", they are "ours".

2008-08-27T17:10:00.003+02:00

The light was harsh. It wasn't the perfect time for taking pictures. I could have said no. There were "thousands" of legitimate reasons not to do it.
As I walked back to the car after the session, I was concerned about what the results would be.
And then, when I opened the pictures on the computer, I found that sometimes we have to ignore the excuses and just do what we want to do -

There will always be excuses, and there will always be opportunities - it's up to us to weigh them ... it's up to us to take action despite the odds.
And then be surprised!

2008-08-19T05:32:00.001+02:00

Sometimes all we need are the words. Every day we tell ourselves stories. It never stops. The story runs in our heads whenever we interpret something. Whenever we judge or appreciate, we tell ourselves a story that's worthy of judgement or appreciation...
Stories give birth to words, words to thoughts and thoughts to actions... That's not always the sequence though, sometimes thoughts give birth to stories, stories to words... and so it changes, it doesn't matter.
As long as we remember to take charge of our stories by taking charge of our words...Like trees on the water, sometimes we need to reflect on our stories, often to find ourselves in our reflections...

2008-08-18T06:05:00.000+02:00

A few years ago, I was assigned to do an article on the power of history. As I walked through a small cemetery with my family, my son kept on asking questions about war and the reason why people kill each other.

This weekend, while watching the movie, Life is Beautiful again, my son asked the same question.
And again, I had no answer.
Wherever I travel with my camera, I want to celebrate life. And so often I find that it's something humankind - (is there still some "kind"-ness or "human"-ity in humans) has not been good at. It's just so sad that so often human beings become the sacrifice in other people's ideologies and powerplays.
And when I think of my son's sincere questions, I want to hug him and tell him the world is not such a bad place.
And then I wonder if I will be lying.
It' s not easy.

2008-08-08T23:34:00.002+02:00

Frames are fascinating. They can often make or break a picture. And as human beings we often talk about have a "frame of reference" or a "framework" etc.

So often people "frame" themselves as victims, forgetting that we have a "frame of mind" with which we approach life.

As a photographer, I am consistently looking for frames. One tries to remain aware of the different frames that can be used, like in this picture:

And I have learnt that if I go out with the right frame of mind, the right pictures often appear. So how's your "frames" with which you view life? They are more important than one may think!

2008-08-07T21:34:00.000+02:00

There was a hole in the fence.

The farmer would not like it.

It assisted me with the composition of the photograph.

Someone's frustration is someone else's opportunity.

Just look at your frustrations through the eyes of the opportunist.

2008-08-06T21:31:00.000+02:00

Just a normal park.

During the day the kids come to play.

But early in the morning...

It can be eery...

Romantic...

It depends on the mind of the person looking!

2008-08-05T21:28:00.000+02:00

This picture is not about the photography...

It's about the thought that came to my mind while taking the picture...

A prayer, I read somewhere...

"O Lord, the ocean is so wide, and my boat is so small..."

We've all got small boats.

The ocean is wide.

Know where your power comes from.

2008-08-04T21:23:00.000+02:00

A landscape photographer's greatest friend?

The sun...

It's the sun that provides the paint - we only have to find the palette.

And sometimes the sun seems to be nasty...hiding behind the clouds when we need it...

Not appearing.

And then, when it does show, it's magnificent.

But to create that magnificence, it needs the clouds.

So I had to learn to love the clouds as well - they help me create better pictures in the end.

2008-08-01T21:19:00.000+02:00

When "Camera Raw" was introduced, I immediately started using it.

There was the promise of the "power of Raw" - you would be able to do so much more with

your pictures.

Still, they seemed dull. The camera had done everything before, now I had to work.

And I had to learn new things!

Yikes!

Now those new things are habits - it was worth all the effort!

The more effort you put in, the greater it becomes...

And the greater it becomes, the less the effort seems to be...

2008-07-31T21:16:00.000+02:00

He was just an old man, on his way to work.

To some it was exactly that - an old man, going to work.

As a photographer, you suddenly see the beauty of it.

Not merely an old man going to work.

A great moment in life.

Magic comes in little parcels called moments.

Appreciate them.

2008-07-30T21:12:00.000+02:00

One weekend, while on a photosafari, I took the delegates to stables close by.

We thought the horses would make great pictures.

Somehow, many great pictures were not of the horses.

There were lots of other beautiful things...

So remember, when you're at the stables, don't look only at the horses!

2008-07-29T21:08:00.000+02:00

I had the whole frame composed.

Then, as I was about to press the shutter, someone walked into the picture.

Darn.

Or so I thought.

Luckily, I pressed the shutter.

When I looked at the picture later, I found it was better with the person.

I learnt again - big opportunities are often hidden in those "darn" moments.

So remember, event if the moment seems bad, seize it - it's yours.

Carpe Diem.

2008-07-28T21:04:00.000+02:00

For 27 years, Nelson Mandela was in prison to "fight" for his cause:

Freedom.

A few years ago we had elections in South Africa.

The posters against the lampposts reflected the whole community.

As a kid was walking past, I took this picture.

I wondered whether he knew that someone had "sacrificed" in order for him to be free.

Wherever you are today, celebrate the fact that you are free.

And be grateful.

Someone made a sacrifice for your freedom.

Make it worthwhile.

2008-07-25T20:58:00.000+02:00

I was taking pictures for someone's family album...

Here is one of the girls...

She was comfortable in front of the camera.

So comfortable, it was almost unnatural. (Can it be?)

Then, after the session was over, I followed her to the stables nearby.

When she was "modeling" it was great, but when I caught her "naturally" it was even better.

Nothing beats the beauty of people being who they are.

Go ahead,

Be Real.

It's beautiful.

2008-07-24T20:48:00.000+02:00

I have taken hundreds of shots of this tree.

I love it.

It's a place I used to play at as a child.

And every picture is different. It changes with the seasons, the weather, the time of day.

It keeps on changing. Therefore it remains interesting.

And because I'm appreciating the beauty of change, I keep finding great shots.

So, remember, look at life, people and events with fresh eyes.

And you will find beauty.

All the time.

"Seek and you shall find!"

2008-07-23T20:42:00.000+02:00

She was camera shy.

I had to take the pictures. I just let it go, children love to get involved in the world.

So I waited.

And then, she started playing with leaves and acorns. She opened up to the camera.

We all need to open up to the camera of life.

In the words of the poet:

"To see the world in a grain of sand again."

Go ahead, play.

2008-07-22T20:29:00.001+02:00

My camera was stolen.

It happened so fast, I could not believe it.

Worse still, I felt as if I had lost a friend.

My eye just connected with the viewfinder so well,

my hands new instinctively where the buttons were.

Now she was gone.

After the short term insurance paid out, I got a new one.

Not the same.

Things just did not "gel" as they used to. I was blaming the new camera.

Until I read the manual.

Here is the first picture I took after reading the manual.

And I learnt, cameras, like human beings, have all the potential. It's the owner's duty to unleash it.

So, go ahead, unleash your potential.

2008-07-21T22:53:00.000+02:00

Sometimes all you need is a chicken.
The light was working beautifully.
The green door and window were balanced so well. It was a great picture by most standards. Colour, balance, composition.
And then the chicken walked in.
Perfect.
It turned an ordinary house into a home.
Sometimes all it takes is a chicken.
Or, put differently...
Little things can make a big difference.

2008-07-18T11:37:00.000+02:00

So often kids play "imaginative" games. My son sometimes believes he is a T-Rex. He goes into the world of millions of years ago. He is in another world. Because he uses the biggest power available to human beings:

Imagination.

As a photographer, a teacher, a trainer and a dad, I am often astounded by the power of imagination. Kids use it so much more than adults. Maybe we (adults) need to take some time between work and chores to give our minds time to play.

"An Imagination workout"

Who knows, it may change the world!

2008-07-17T11:23:00.002+02:00

I think it's Virginia Woolf who once, in one of her novels, asked: "What is beauty in its hothouse variety?"

When I took some pictures of Loraine Kriek, the previous year's rag queen, one of the top academic achievers and the leader of the student's council, I again realized that beauty lies in confidence, friendliness and humility. Have these, add a smile, and no matter how old you are, how rich you are or how you are physically built, you will be beautiful.

Remember, God does not create disasters, He creates beauty. Appreciate yours.

And smile!

2008-07-16T22:49:00.001+02:00

A great opportunity! We could go and see steamtrains in action.

And take pictures!

All because someone had realized that these trains needed to be taken care of, else they would be destroyed. At Sandstone Estates, near Ficksburg in South Africa, these trains are kept and often used for specific events. As the trains whistled and huffed past us, I realized that we have a uge obligation to play our part in conserving things that really matter.

Things which evokes nostalgia.

Things like steamtrains.

Maybe we need to understand that sometimes the pictures are not enough! It's the conservation of and the caring for "real things" that matter!

So, what are we doing about our heritage?

It matters.

If we appreciate where we come from, what shaped us and who we are, then we can face the future with confidence.

It's after all where the railway track of life is taking us!

2008-07-15T22:22:00.001+02:00

I promised my family that I would be taking a walk with them. And then, while walking, the light just started to gain magic qualities. Clouds moved in. I took out my camera.

And I stayed, while they walked on... The last rays of sunlight touched two old willows.

I was hurried to take the shot. My family was walking away...

One seems to be caught up between choices almost all the time.

Finding the balance is hellishly hard to do!

Yes, I did catch up with them, and they did forgive me for keeping only part of my promise.

And I was reminded again that we are striving to be happy and to keep others happy, but it's not as easy as it seems.

We all make choices, sometimes right, sometimes wrong, and sometimes we don't even know whether we are right or wrong.

Just remember, no one has a 100% success rate. So if you succeed be grateful, if you fail, learn from it.

Never have regrets, rather have memories.

Regrets hurt. Memories teach.

The choice is yours.

2008-07-14T22:14:00.000+02:00

Just after work, I went to take some pictures at a local school. Grey College. One thing that stood out was the respect and pride of the kids. They all got up and greeted as I walked along. And it was not about me, I realized, it was about them.

Respecting people you don't know (and do know), makes you a better person.

No wonder the school has produced so many great South African sportsmen. Pride and respect are the foundations of greatness.

2008-07-13T22:06:00.001+02:00

It was cold and misty. And I did not even know whether there would be enough light. Still, I was out there "hoping" for some pictures. Against all odds. Who, but a completely insane photographer would be out there on a morning like this?

Well, it seems I was not the only one...

As they jogged past, I turned and took the picture. And I thought about the fact that maybe, just maybe, the so-called insane ones have the most fun in life.

So follow your heart.

Do something with the insane ones - it turns miserable moments into magic!

2008-07-12T21:21:00.000+02:00

So often, as a photographer, one wants the perfect moment and the perfect light. Then you also look for the right equipment etc...

I am often reminded that life is not always about all the "perfect" tools, perfect composition and perfect light.

This picture was taken without thinking of the "artistic" side. Because the art was in the moment, in the person. You see, it's my son - an angel falling asleep...and so beautiful. He had a great day...

And having great days is what life's about... No one lives a perfect life, but great moments are all around us... and to make them one's own does not require skill or education...

Only appreciation.

2008-07-06T21:04:00.000+02:00

Ever wondered about reflection? Well, when you think about it, it's all about taking the time to stand still. As a photographer I always find reflections fascinating. They happen all the time! In life, it's difficult to make time and take time to reflect.

Jim Collins says there are windows and mirrors. When there is a crisis, some people look through the window and find someone to blame. Greatness is about looking in the mirror, and then reflecting on what can be done, as the buck stops with the great leader...

Reflect on it...

2008-07-02T22:27:00.000+02:00

The other day, I went onto some websites. The "searchword" was art. I must honestly say, it was disturbing to see how many "dark and depressing" things there were. And I thought to myself, have we lost the art of appreciating real, simple beauty? My dad used to say that we needed more "bad art" against our walls, more "bad music" in our homes. Then he explained what he meant. ' We need more pictures drawn by our own kids against the walls. Watercolor blots from pre-schoolers, songs from dads in showers, you know, the stuff of life." So today I share this picture.

It's one of my friends and his wife. Just walking. Just loving.

Just living.

Do we need more?

2008-06-30T08:39:00.000+02:00

As I drove to Vosburg, a little town in the Karoo, I still felt "a bit hurried". It seems to come with modern life. You know, the busy-ness of business. After walking through the town during the afternoon, before my presentation, I just started switching off. The pace of the town, if it can be called a pace, was just so slow. So present. So real.

And because I slowed down, the day spent there felt like a long holiday...

So when I drove back, I had time to watch the clouds. I took the time to stop. It's my time anyway, is it not?

And I found this...

So, where are the small times of your mind?

Do you visit them often?

If not, make time, it's worth it, every second of it.

Like life.

2008-06-26T16:00:00.000+02:00

This week we were on holiday. Family camp. This meant no-camera-dad-please. Or so I think. So, I packed them away. On Tuesday morning I went fishing with my son. Long walk. No fish.

Bonding time...

And I learnt the value of an empty frame...

After an hour I realised that we had to go back. We had prior arrangements. When I told him, he was angry, really angry. So, here we were. Finding time together to have fun and now, suddenly, I was on the verge of family war.

Then I remembered what Stephen Covey teaches.

"Seek first to understand, then to be understood."

So I kept quiet. Long. Just walking in the water with him. Present and supportive but waiting. You cannot peacefully negotiate with a six-year old.
Then he turned.

"Let's go, dad, nothing here."

We walked back together. In peace. Father and son. No cameras, no business. Just us.

That matters.

And yes, there will be conflict. People are complicated, but I hope that I will remember to keep listening without any presuppositions or argument. (You know, just listening, not re-loading :-)).

Yes, sometimes it helps to have nothing in the frame...

2008-06-19T18:47:00.000+02:00

The difference between winners and losers?

That’s a question that’s so often been podered and discussed. Winners seem to have it so easy, but maybe it’s because we only notice them when they start winning! No one notices them when they are trying “just one more time,” where others have given up…
And we all have the potential to “try one more time…” We have had it since we were kids.
Just look at my son and his friend:

We told them the museum was closed. It was after 17:00 on a Sunday afternoon. But they still wanted to check. We need to be more like kids, (a bit disobedient :-) and not give up if there seems to be a glimpse of a chance...

Never let anyone tell you not to try. If it’s worth trying, keep on trying… if it’s not worth trying, find something that is worth trying.

* A great book on the power of effort as well as the power of knowing when to quit is Seth Godin’s The Dip.

2008-06-18T21:15:00.000+02:00

Fascinating.

Just think about it. Who has been your most serious, most devastating critic in life?

Probably you.

As I was out taking pictures one morning, there was a guard. I don't know what he was taking care of, but it made me think. If there's a guard, there must be something dangerous. And if there is no guard, you are not protected from danger.

.
Many years ago, when I was studying English Literature, I learnt that whenever knights/heroes went on a quest, there was always a guard, trying to keep them from entering the realm of the unknown. Once you got past the guards, you suddenly found guides. Sometimes these guides were magicians, like Merlin.
So what am I trying to say?
Well, in our minds the guard is our so-called Inner Critic. When you want to do something great, the guard will come with questions such as: "Who do you think you are, to try and achieve this?"
And so often that little voice inside our heads is enough to make us decide not to go on.
What a pity.
There are greatness awaiting us if we can get past the guard. There are guides you will find when you enter the realm of Potential and Possibility...
So, what are you doing? Listening to the guard or looking for the guide?
It's up to you....

Ps. My friend Charles Cock gave me the wonderful book, Synchronicity - The Inner Path of Leadership, by Joseph Jaworski. In the book, Jaworski shows how when you start doing great things, great people come along to make it happen...
Guides, I call them!
So, beat the guards and find the guides!

2008-06-17T11:34:00.000+02:00

In the book Good to Great, Jim Collins distinguishes between good and great leaders. And yes, we are all leaders. We all lead lives, don’t we?
Well, Collins also comes to the conclusion that great leaders have a sense of humility, but they are also proud. Because they are proud, they aspire to greatness, and because they are humble, they understand that greatness is not dependant on themselves only.
Is it not like sunflowers?

Ever notice that sunflowers are like great leaders. They look up at the sun, they smile, they live, they bring their colour into our world.
But...
The moment their heads get too big, they droop.
And that is the balance we need to find, a balance which is so well explained by the National Geographic photographer, Dewitt Jones, when he says we need to be the best for the world, it’s so much more important than being the best in the world...

2008-06-17T11:29:00.000+02:00

When I think of the great gift of life that we have, I wonder why there are so many people out there, suffering from depression, hurting because of what they perceive life to be, and crying because there’s too much sadness.
Why?
Why are even kids breaking down?
The psychologist I asked just smiled. “ I don’t have all the answers. But if I can make one recommendation, we need more sun, more sand, more exercise." More of what comes naturally and less of what is bought. The free stuff nature gives, that is the great stuff.
And I looked at a picture I took of a little girl a few weeks before.

There she was, wind in her hair, rays of sunlight playing above her as she scooped some sand into a bucket. All the natural elements were playing with her. They want to play with each of us. Why is it that we find it so difficult to go out and play. Why is it that we so often trade the great opportunities in life for mere good opportunities?

2008-06-17T11:14:00.000+02:00

Whenever I see the picture above, I remind myself that we can take a break any time. The boy who was playing the part of Gabriel at the school's nativity play was supposed to announce that Mary was going to have a baby. As the audience turned to him, he was taking a break! We do not want to wake up in an ICU unit somewhere, having survived our first heart attack.
We don’t want the cardiologist to be the first person to tell us to slow down.
Like Gabriel at that nativity play, we need to realize that it’s our right to take a break, even if everything seems really important, even if everybody says it’s crucial – yes, finish the game, but don’t start the next game immediately. You cannot recuperate from 50 weeks’ stress by spending two weeks away. It’s the little breaks, some even five minutes only, which give us the power to keep using ourselves up in living, not in dying.
Take it, you deserve it!

2008-06-17T11:04:00.000+02:00

These pictures were taken on the road to our farm.

Whenever I travel on this road to the farm, I am reminded of a specific weekend.
My dad was 78 years old and suffering from diabetes. After my mother had passed away, he stayed on the farm alone. With time came the regular ailments that haunts one during old age. Dad’s generation however have been a tremendously strong generation, often standing with legs stretched on both sides of the grave they escaped the grim reaper’s sword through sheer determination.
That weekend, it was different.
On Sunday afternoon we were supposed to go back home. My wife and I decided to stay a bit longer. It was just gut feel. Dad looked really really tired.
Dad always told us that he wanted to be “thoroughly used up” when he died. It was from a quote by Bernard Shaw,which he had read long before. Well, he looked really "used up" on that Sunday afternoon.
On Monday morning I went to his room early. He was lying on his bed. As I entered, he pulled himself upright against the cushions. His eyes were tired but there were still sparkle in them. “Dad, we’ve come to say goodbye,” I said.
“I’ll come and say goodbye at the back door.”
“But dad, you can hardly walk...”
“I won’t say goodbye to my grandchildren from a bed. I don’t want them to remember an ill old man. No, I’m coming to the door.”
“But dad...”
“Simon!!...” he called. As if from nowhere Simon was there. He knew what dad wanted. Like a trained nurse the strong, sinewy farm worker put his arm gently under dad’s arms and lifted him from the bed. Dad thought he was walking. His legs moved forward, but Simon kept him ever so slightly in the air. And then a moment I’ll never forget.
Simon looked down at dad. Whether it was encouragement or mere conversation, I don’t know. But as he looked at dad, he commented: “The old man is getting strong.” And at that moment I realized that being strong and being thoroughly used up is exactly the same thing. As dad arrived at the back door, courtesy of Simon’s strong arms, he waved to the kids. Then he asked Simon to assist him in going to the rainfall indicator. As he turned, we drove away.
That was the last time I saw my dad alive.
That night my brother knocked on our bedroom window. As I woke up and heard him, I had one question. “Is it dad?”“Yes,” he replied. “Dad has passed away.”He was used up, I thought. What a legacy.
Every time I travel the road to the farm, I remember the motto. It becomes a responsibility. My responsibility. To be thoroughly used up when I die. To laugh as much as I can, to appreciate as much as I can, to live as fully as I can. And to take breaks as often as I can.
An more about breaks next time... :-)

2008-06-17T10:59:00.000+02:00

Simon used to work on our farm for 27 years. He was my dad’s right hand through thick and thin. One morning, as I was walking on the farm, Simon was herding the cattle away from the milk shed. I took this picture.

The picture did not quite appeal to me. But for some reason it found it’s way onto a portfolio which I sent to a local newspaper. Imagine my surprise when it was put on the front page. But even more, imagine Simon’s surprise! After being a farm labourer for 27 years, here he was. Front page. When he told me about the experience, he could not stop smiling. And he did not want to tell me everything as he was a “bit shy”. So I only understood the power of the picture after talking to his mother who told me that the locals hadha: “put Simon on their shoulders and ran through the streets with him.” Now I never got paid for that picture. I am an amateur you see. But I am so glad, because there is no compensation that can compete with the benefit I got out of making someone’s day. Try it, it’s worth more than gold. Especially if that someone is someone who has been with the family through the most difficult times, on the journey of life.

A journey which took me on the road to the farm so many times...

2008-06-17T10:53:00.000+02:00

There is a town called Upington, 600 kilometres away from my hometown. As part of my job, I often have to go there. It can probably be rated as the “most empty” 600km in South Africa. There is nothing, and as you drive along, there is more and more nothing...:-)
Especially if you’re a photographer.
But,
When there are thunderstorms, all of a sudden things change.

The sky is painted with pink and purple hues. The landscape turns into yellow expectation and the camera finds it’s way out of the glove compartment. Because there is drama.
Is life not like that?
Is it not the drama of life that makes it worth living? Is it not true that eagles fly higher because they chase the thunderstorms? Unlike ostriches that hide their heads in the sand when crises come, eagles approach those crises with zest and ensure that those thunderstorms make them fly higher than any other birds. Some birds never fly high, they don’t grow through the drama, the effort and the wonder of being challenged by circumstance and then challenging those circumstances! So next time the storm clouds of life come thundering over the horizon, look them square in the eye, face them and grow. That’s the stuff life is made of. And when you grow, you have so much more to give...
Well, speaking of giving...
Next blog will have more on that :-)

2008-06-17T10:35:00.000+02:00

These days one of the skills that we really need to have is something called appreciation... Appreciating what we have, appreciating every moment.
Like these two boys...

They were out there. Fishing. For two and a half hours, I watched them. They were just fishing. And they did not catch a thing. Yet they were enjoying every moment of it! Because they were living in the moment. Kids live in the present. The future may be a promise, from the past we may select memories as gifts, but there is no gift such as the present. Is that not why we call it the present?

But it’s a gift we often find so difficult to open.
Just have a look at us. We type away on keyboards while talking on our mobile phones. We seem to be listening to people, but when text messages arrive, we move into other conversations, away from where we are. Sometimes when we are at work, we think about our families, and too often when we are with our families, we think about work. We never seem to be where we are. Our minds are often drifting in an attention deficit world.
Unlike these boys. They are where they are, they are who they are, and they never complain that life seems to be passing them by. We were all there once, maybe it’s a place we can visit again?

And talking about visits...
More on the next post :-)

2008-06-17T10:24:00.000+02:00

My first memory of an attempt at art is about having to draw a mother’s day card. I was in pre-primary school. As I was drawing, I looked at the cards that the other kids were creating. I could clearly see their subjects. They were drawing families with cars, dogs and cats. As I looked down at what I had been drawing, I saw abstract shapeless lines. Had my teacher been clever, I could have become rich as an abstract artist. Unfortunately, she was more of a realist than I was (and am). Despite my inability to draw properly, I must say that I have learnt the art of appreciating art. I appreciate music.
And I appreciate the fact that we were all created in the image of a Creator, therefore, we are all creative!

And yes, it’s not difficult to become an artist once you can appreciate beauty. The above is just a normal picture of people hanging clothes on a washing line. I asked Photoshop to frame it and turn it into an oil painting. Easy. All we need is the time to be appreciative...Being able to see the moment for what it is...

2008-06-17T10:17:00.000+02:00

My dad had a philosophy he picked up from some book, and he used to share it with us so often. I quote dad, although I know he was not the original author, but I still hear his voice so clearly: ”When opportunity knocks, you must jump, and you never know when opportunity is knocking, so you must keep on jumping!” Well, I saw it so clearly one morning when I went out to take some pictures on our farm. As the sun was getting higher, it was throwing beautiful shafts of light over the road. Yet, there was nothing to photograph. So here I was, looking through the viewfinder, trying to compose something out of the opportunity. Still, I lacked a subject. Something to complete the picture. And then, as if from nowhere, the herdboys were bringing the sheep in my direction!
I got this shot.

Had I not been there, I would never have had the opportunity.
There are so many reasons I could have missed the shot... A famous saying by Abraham Lincoln goes something like this: “ I shall study and prepare, so that when the time come, I shall be ready.” In Henry V, Shakespeare has Henry say: “All things are ready, if our minds be so”. Are you ready for great opportunities? Are you ready to have greatness come into your life? Well, if not, when will you be? You need to understand that readiness is not an art, it’s an opportunity. Not all of us are artists in the perceived sense of the word, yet, opportunity comes to those who appreciate and prepare, not to those who procrastinate and criticize. It’s all about art, I think, though I am no great artist myself...

Next time, more on that...

2008-06-17T10:00:00.000+02:00

In a previous post, I shared my son's zest for life, but sometimes ...

You see, he who takes his color into the world often becomes afraid. When the waves hit the beach with the power of high tide, when the thunder roars, and the wind howlingly gusts around him, he wants to be where it is safe. He wants to be with his mother. There he can feel safe.
If one reads what John Maxwell says about fear, one of our biggest fears is the fear of failure. So many people never chase their passion because they are afraid they might fail. So often we don’t take the risk of living the life we are supposed to live, and then take the bigger risk, the risk of living a mediocre life.
My son taught me that we often need to go to safe havens. These may be places where you can be quiet, or places where you can be with people who really have faith in you. People who make you feel better about who you are. People who make you more creative because they believe in you even when you have doubts.
Make time in your diary.
Call it haven time. It’s the most precious time you can have, it’s the time you should never negotiate away in a world where time has become the currency of caring. This should be your time. Your time to grow in a safe place while looking at the onslaught of life with courage. Like a boy, sitting on his mother’s hip. He knows he is connected to the most powerful force in the world. The power of care. The power of care goes much farther though. When you care about what you do, it creates opportunity.

2008-06-17T09:45:00.000+02:00

Just look at my daughter:

This picture was taken one morning after her mother had left to go to teach. Well, you can see what I had to cope with...
And, yes, I did what every good dad would do. I went outside and took pictures...

No, jokes aside.

Why is it that we don’t realize that we are emotional beings, and not only rational robots? We’re not robots, we’re not minds only. We have the miracle of emotion, the foundation of passion. In his books on Emotional Intelligence, Daniel Coleman teaches us that we need to get in contact with our emotions again. We need to identify and treasure them, rather than suppress them all the time. Here is the interesting thing. In a world where IQ is professed to be everything, the results of our IQ tests are kept secret...
So what does than mean?
It means that your IQ is directly equivalent to your self-esteem. If you think you did well on the test, you may feel more clever than you are, therefore act more clever than you are and then become more clever than you are...
Unfortunately, schools are ridden with dangerous weapons called “red pens”. They become the ultimate tool in colourful criticism! So in most instances, we are afraid that we might not have done so well in the tests, and therefore a reverse cycle takes place. We often feel as if we did not do well, therefore we do not do that well...
And in a strange way, an unknown test result, a big secret, determines how clever we think we are. Yet, if we look at the miracle of our lives, we will see that each of us have natural intelligences, not necessarily in all the fields they teach at school. Thank Heavens, Howard Gardner identified multiple intelligences, today we know that brilliance is not often being really clever in all subjects, it may be, and often is, more a question of making the most of your natural gifts.
But so often we find people are not in touch with these, we feel the threat of failure as it grabs our emotions...and maybe we need to find out how to handle that...
A possible clue lies in our fears and how we oftentimes do not face them in the right way.

So next time, I revisit a picture of my son...

2008-06-17T09:36:00.000+02:00

All I had to do was take my camera and go. Nature provided the rest. As the sun started painting, the waves started rejoicing against the rocks, and I felt as if I was attending a majestic dance. There were just not enough memory in my camera to capture The music and the dance that seemed to last forever...

Nature wants to give so much, and so often, like that memory stick, we seem to be unable to receive.

Why is it that, so often, we keep on shutting our minds from the opportunities that nature offers?

Why is it that sometimes we become disconnected from the joy that life offers?

Well, some more next time...

2008-06-17T09:24:00.000+02:00

So what if you are passionate about something that you don’t seem to be able to achieve? What if every time you start working towards your dream, the world seems to conspire against you? Well, let me share with you the following story. When I was a young boy growing up on a farm, there were many kids attending the farm schools in the area. They often had to run several miles to single classroom farm schools. Yet, they made the most of it. Often, in order to make the road seem shorter, they would roll a tyre in front of them. The tyre took their minds away from the difficulty of running long distances.

And I asked them to teach me. Now, understand, I am not a very sporty person. I am clumsy, have low muscle tone and am often in Thought-world rather than reality. I call it my Happy-Place. It’s in the world, but away from it. I build castles there. I watch clouds and I see pictures. And I don’t need any drugs. Imagination is such a healthy drug...but back to my story.
So when I asked one of the kids to teach me how to roll a tyre, I went through a great learning experience.
First I learnt that whenever you pick up a tyre to run, there always seems to be dirty water, mud and some really "goo-ee" stuff in those tyres. That usually falls on your feet. If you still want to keep on going, the problems do not seem to stop. Firstly, the tyre goes in all directions, it wobbles, it wants to fall over... but... when it starts gaining momentum, it turns into a wonderful force. Suddenly there is so little effort required to make it go! It just needs a slap of your hand every now and then. And you run like mad to keep up with it! But you become so involved that you forget that you are running...
And so are big dreams. Whenever you start chasing after them, there always seem to be obstacles. Like the dirty water in the tyre, there is always someone who wants to throw water over the flames of passion that comes with big dreams. Many people then stop chasing their dreams. What a pity. What a pity we often don’t go further than the wobble. Because, if we persist, the dream becomes like the tyre. It starts gaining momentum, and suddenly it becomes a pulling force.
It makes you forget about the effort. It just keeps you running in its direction. Never getting tired (or should I say tyred?) –because it becomes a force of the universe, taking you to new heights, new hope and new perspective. And the universe has so much to offer...
(More about that next time...)

2008-06-17T09:16:00.000+02:00

On a hot December Saturday, a local toy-store was having a "Picture session with Barbie". Well, there was no way my daughter was going to bail out of a session with her favourite “person” in the world. So off we went. Just before we left, I snapped this picture as she was sitting on grandma’s bed, waiting for us to finish what we were busy with.

Well, the picture session with Barbie was a nightmare. (For me anyhow). Just imagine: Thousands of kids, ( I know I am exaggerating, but it really felt like that),milling about in a toy-store. Some were complaining that they wanted toys which they would never have seen, had they not come to the store, but which were strategically placed to pick purses as we waited in the queue for our turn to have her picture taken. The picture with Barbie showed a tired Barbie with an even more tired Anienie on her lap. And I learnt another great lesson.

It’s not always the big events that make the difference.
Life happens in small moments.

Little moments are often so much greater that the “big” moments we often eagerly await. It’s no use to look forward to the end of the year so much that you forget that you can have fun in the present. So often, professionals chase their pension and not their passion. (As motivational speaker Denis Waitley says)
For amateurs it’s the other way around, we chase passion. We follow our hearts, moment by moment, second by second, because time is the stuff life is made of, we cannot afford to waste it, can we?

2008-06-17T09:10:00.000+02:00

This is my son.
At the time I took this picture he was three years old. He had, (and still has), the zest, passion and enthusiasm we associate with three-year olds. And I don’t know why they always find the expression thereof six o’clock on a Sunday Morning when the parents just want to have some peace, some slumber...
But in his world, that’s not allowed. He’s not yet under the "bad" influence of what can be called the profession of living. Unlike us adults who have become so accustomed to the world providing colour into our lives – you know, 55 channels on the television, then there is music, radio, media, etc ... He understands that it’s not the noise that matters, not what we receive that motivate us. Rather it’s about taking our colour into life. Like kids do. With passion.
In this picture, Benno is in colour, the rest is black and white. The inverse would have made for a sad photo. Imagine he was colourless in a colourful world...I am glad it wasn’t necessary. There’s too much of that in the world already...
Well, I often do presentations with these photos. And sometimes my kids attend.
So it was obvious that I had to put my daughter’s picture in as well...
That will be next time :-)

2008-06-17T08:50:00.004+02:00

Hello friend,
Welcome to this, a picnic spot on your journey through life.
I am so glad you came along. So glad to meet you. So glad to spend some time with you.
So often we hurry past these little spots. I know.
I’ve done it too.
Until I was forced to pause.
By passion.
Now there’s a concept, paused by passion.
Want to hear more? Well, take a seat. Let me introduce myself. My name is Igno van Niekerk. I am on a quest. I look for the picnic spots of life. And then I invite fellow travellers, like you, to share a mug of life’s finest coffee with me.
Life’s coffee? Why, I am glad you ask. It’s stories you see. Stories and pictures. Blended and percolated. The aromatic caffeine of plot which fills your cup and awakens you to the invisible treasures so many travellers never find.
Why don’t they find these treasures if they are scattered all over the road of life?
Too many questions, I know.
So let’s see.
In a world governed by the race for material goods, where money often becomes the prize in a mad but dispassionate race, there is something I would love to share.
It’s an attitude to life. Something which cannot be bought, and, for which, one cannot be paid. It has to do with the fact that one does it for the love of it. Let me start at the beginning. I see, I’m confusing you a little. Here, here’s your coffee, drink with me, while I tell you my story.
For more than 20 years, I have been an amateur photographer. Getting up on cold winter mornings when others prefer the soft silk of the duvet and the treasured few more minutes granted by the “snooze button.”
So why do it?
Why do it when no one pays you, why spend time crawling through thorny bushes in the dark early hours of the morning, rushing to catch the right light, when there is not a single cent’s worth in it.
Well, I have learnt some great things from being an unpaid painter with light. The first thing I learnt was that if I am looking for beauty, for greatness and for awesome things, I merely have to get up and go find them.
Like that early morning at Zebra Lodge, North of Pretoria, in my beloved country, South Africa.
After a late night, I could have stayed in bed, but there was the inner voice that calls the amateur. Come, see what you can enjoy...
And then, after driving around a while, it suddenly happened. On a dam I had passed in the early hours, the sun was choreographing a scene which I could capture. It was just there. And I found it. Because I was there. I believed it would be there, and there it was...

So where does passion come from?
Well, I can merely find clues, and maybe make a few suggestions. Let’s take a trip down memory lane...
A trip to our own childhood days.
Remember when you were young, when the road of life opened up ahead of you, as you were walking along?

Well, we'll talk about that next time! :-)