The challenges of Africa

First I wanted to say, it has been too long since my last post. I thought I would be sharing a post with all of you at least twice a week, but the realities of working in a developing country have greatly come into play.  I think it took me about 5 days to sort out the unlocked black berry that I brought with me. I will share details in a separate post. It was another week before I discovered that you could buy a modem, that looks like a flash drive,  put a sim card in it, load it with air time and instantly be on line anywhere there is cell phone service. This actually covers the vast majority of Kenya, even the remote area’s. This is a huge development since my last visit to Kenya two years ago. However,  it  can become expensive quite quickly, so I am using my black berry for  Face Book, Twitter, and one of my email accounts (but not my main email as I can’t yet figure out how to get mac. Mail on the Black Berry). I have been on Twitter,  and Facebook almost everyday, and I  encourage you to follow me on both for news on events as they are happening.

.Now add in multiple miscommunications, and extreme disorganization. You never quite know what the plan is, even though you  may have had a conversation about it 10 mins ago,  and where you think you are going and where you actually arrive can be quite different. This is the real Africa, off the beaten path.

I have been in a different place about every 3 days, and just returned from 5 days in the bush, and have a little time to post this and work on the next. Nimechoka ( I am tired in swahili)

While in Nairobi, 2 weeks ago,  I was invited to the Elephant orphanage and to see the feeding which starts at 11:00. I know many photographers that would have turned down the opportunity because by 11:00 the light is getting very harsh in Africa, but don’t miss and experience because the light is bad. It is though my lens that I have had some of the greatest moments in my life. So go, shoot, be in the moment and if you don’t get a great images from it, it is only pixels, but the experience maybe priceless. Watching these baby elephants play in the mud was great.  Knowing the light was not going to be the best, I actually decided to take my 500, which I had to hand hold, and I was planning to shoot tight and then possibly create a sepia series using Nik Silver effect and Color Effects to create the look that you see in my Wild on earth gallery. However, the sun really brought out the color of the beautiful red  earth of Africa.

Eyes to the soul

Mudd Play

African Earth

Also, don’t forget to be so caught up in the moment that you missing seeing other interesting things going on around you. When I looked up from the elephants I noticed this beautiful woman in the crown and a ranger on his Iphone! Talk about contrast.