Regardless of how much I try and avoid this process, I always land up doing some reflection at this time of year.  Because I spend so many hours photographing and editing photographs, I thought it would be appropriate to reflect on the year gone past and select an image a month to tell the story of my year – not an easy task to limit myself to only one image a month, but here goes…..

The year started off with me doing what I love most – travelling, taking photographs and spending time with Cormac.

We were visiting friends in Port Elizabeth, before travelling north into Mozambique for a few weeks of bliss. In what I have termed the year of the Sea, it is appropriate that on the 1st day of 2011, we went to Sardinia Bay in Port Elizabeth.

Sardinia - Port Elizabeth

I didn’t take any photos in February, so I cheated a bit and have used one from the travels in Mozambique. We did spend a lot of time there and came back almost in Feb, so I think it counts.

We travelled around without a specific plan and did things as the mood took us. The tourists had all left, and Mozambique was almost exclusively ours to savour and enjoy. And, oh boy, we did just that!

Mozambique

By this time, we were toying with the idea of moving from Johannesburg to the coast. We travelled to Durban regularly to determine if this was potentially where we wanted to be. Within a short time, Cormac and I agreed that this is where we wanted to live. I had only ever been to Durban on holiday, mostly as a young child. It was exciting for me to explore this city and look at it as a potential home.

Durban beach

In April, we drove to Port Elizabeth again. This time we were after the world famous annual sea migration – the sardine run. We spent days out at sea and many hours enjoying the sea life. Visiting our friends Petra and Rainer was again a highlight.

Port Elizabeth

In May, my birthday month, we gave a personalised photo course and spend the day teaching and guiding at one of our favorite haunts, the Magaliesberg area. Its always a great opportunity to have fun with the camera.

Plants in the skies

By June we were well in the process of moving to Durban. Our original plan of only moving in September was brought forward to July with serendipitous events taking place and the Universe providing us with the perfect home. I spent time with my family in anticipation of moving away from them. The first time I have done so other that when I backpacked in Europe for 9 months in 2002/2003.

Miss Gabi has some fun

On 1 July, we moved into our spacious home in Durban. Every day felt like an adventure, discovering new coffee shops, streets and spending time in and around the sea. An uncommonly cold winter and gale force winds created havoc. The Phoenix broke her moorings in extreme weather and became stranded in Salt Rock, Ballito. We just had to go and see and take some photos.

The Phoenix

During our explorations of Durban and surrounds, we came across some old and derelict trains at the Inchanga station. It doesn’t take much for me to loose myself and spend hours taking photographs. The peeling paint and faded letters and numbers created amazing textures that had me enthralled for a long time.

Number 14123

In September we were up in Johannesburg again. In fact we have been back every month since moving to Durban. Work and family commitments have necessitated a monthly visit. One of my favorite places to take photographs of children is at the Field and Study Centre in Parkmore. On this particular day, I photographed the lovely reflections of the trees in the river.

Upside down trees in the river

One of the benefits of having commuted between Johannesburg and Durban on a monthly basis has been the greater appreciation of the landscape along this route. Most of the trip is done through the Orange Free State. If you time it correctly, you may be fortunate enough to experience incredible thunder storms in the perfect late afternoon light.

The perfect light

November month is birthday month for Cormac. I arranged a few days at the Buddhist retreat in Ixopo. We were forced to relax when our time there was highlighted by rainy, misty days, providing the perfect accompaniment to a moody, eerie forest.

Fern life

And finally, the last month of the year saw us returning to my beloved Sodwana Bay. This is were I did my first sea dives, where I first snorkeled with whale shark and where I fell in love with the sea and all its creatures. It did not disappoint. Again the whale sharks visited us and the sea life is just as abundant and amazing as ever. However, a new favorite is the microlight flight over the Bay and Lake Sibhayi. Taking photographs from above, with limited movement and the wind blowing in your face is a challenge I look forward to doing over and over again.

Nguni cows relax on the banks of Lake Sibhayi

I estimate that I took at least 10 000 photographs this year. Probably more. These include photographs taken for clients at weddings, family photo shoots, travel photos and personal ones. My predominant thought about this is that I enjoyed taking each and every single one of those photographs.

My life as a photographer forces me to travel, to meet people and to challenge myself creatively, technically and professionally every day of my life.

My conclusion – I live the perfect life.

Here are a few photos taken from the microlight flight.

Marlaine’s mom lives at the John Conradie House, which is one of the homes belonging to TAFTA (The Association for the Aged). It is a registered non-profit organisation dedicated to the alleviation of distress and the promotion of the welfare and happiness of aged person living in the Durban area.

6 years ago, Marlaine hosted a Christmas lunch for her Mom and 30 of her Moms friends at the home. A year later, the number grew to 40. That year, heartbroken because the other people in the home were looking in and asking why they had not been invited, Marlaine decided to host a Christmas lunch for everyone at the home.

Now this may sound like an easy task, but let me assure you that its not. Marlaine and Paul do not have the financial means to sponsor the event themselves. Sponsorship and donations as well as help from friends is required to make this event possible.

This year, Marlaine managed to raise enough money and donations so that every resident at the home (over 200) received a goodie bag full of coffee, sugar, tea, sweets, shampoo, body lotions, deodorant, to name just a few of the items. Goodie bags were also delivered to residents in assisted living and frail care who are too old or ill to attend the lunch.

The day started early for everyone involved at the event. The food had already been cooked and prepared (by Marlaine and some friends) and had to be collected and delivered to the venue. Fresh bread rolls had to be bought. Decorations set up. Tables put in place and decorated. Goodie bags put on every chair for every resident. The dining room decorated. The music system and speakers put in place for the entertainment. And Father Christmas was waiting in the wings to arrive on his Harley Davidson and make a grand entrance.

The official starting time was 12pm, but the residents were peering into the dining room from the early hours. Their anticipation was palpable and could be felt by everyone. With final checks done and redone to make sure everything was in place and nothing had been forgotten, each resident was welcomed in by Marlaine and Paul and handed a drink to take with them to their table.

The music got everyone clapping and smiling in no time. Each resident had a lucky draw number and throughout the afternoon numbers were called for “lucky dips”. Everyone got a chance. Father Christmas arrived and served the food as his little elves furiously dished up to get over 200 plates out there. The people were hungry!!

In no time, the food was gobbled up. Many could not finish the very generous portions on their plate. Dessert was next, accompanied by the melodic tunes from the bagpipes of Stacey Grundy. People sang along, they clapped and some even ventured up from their seats and danced.

With tummies full and happy smiles, many residents made their way to their rooms clutching their Christmas gifts. A few, however, were having too much fun and took full advantage of the entertainment until it was time for us to pack up and leave at 4pm.

The special gifts we received were the many warm hugs and kisses, incredible smiles of joy and many kind words given openly by these wonderful people. We were invited back. And were asked not to wait until next Christmas until we do.

To Marlaine, thank you for the opportunity to photograph and be part of such an incredible event. You are one very incredible and kind lady!

It was taken at the Lion Park just outside Johannesburg. It’s a lovely place to visit, even though it’s not quite the same experience as visiting one of the big National Parks in South Africa, like the Kruger National Park. However, its a great outing for adults and children alike. If ever you are in Johannesburg, be sure to visit.

Lion Cubs at the Lion Park

Most years have twelve full moons that occur approximately monthly. In addition to those twelve full lunar cycles, each solar calendar year contains roughly eleven days more than the lunar year of 12 lunations. The extra days accumulate, so every two or three years there is an extra full moon.

White Hut with Blue Moon (2004)

I now live in Durban, KwaZulu Natal, and commute frequently to Johannesburg and back. Yesterday, I stopped at the same petrol station and photographed the white hut, this time with no moon. The different angle, year, time of day and circumstances creates two totally different photographs.

In the age of digital photography where an image is a dime a dozen, this is a great reminder that every photograph taken is unique. Uniquely seen, uniquely experienced, uniquely taken at a unique point in time.

White Hut (2011)

Once I got over the shock of the cold and the fact that it rained non- stop, I took out the camera and went looking for photographs.

This day had presented some beautiful, mystical, surreal images to me. Suddenly an image appeared in the distance and walked straight towards me adding a crucial life element amongst all the swirling mist.

Wow…….

In the mist

From a photography point of view, it can get tedious waiting for those sunny days. So I took some photos yesterday, rain and all.

I love the bright African colours on this dustbin and the reflection on the puddle in front makes it doubly bright.

Just goes to show, that even on a rainy day there is always a little bit of African sunshine around!

Bright colours

I will post a photo of the finished product once its up, but here is the image selected.

Rome

I wonder if the owner of these knew how she much was sharing on this day though!

Dirty laundry

Photo taken in Spain a few years ago, it puts a big smile on my face every time!

How much is that doggie in the window?