The Sign of the Cross

At the tender age of seven I was a Catholic for two weeks after commencing standard one at Christian Brothers College in Welkom. CBC was an excellent boys school and was run by the Catholic Irish brothers to whom I will forever be indebted. School started with religious instruction where the Catholics went to a large class and not knowing what to do I simply followed the masses but was soon found out and sent back to the non-Catholic class. I might have been exposed by my clumsy execution of the sign of the cross but it was probably when asking my parents those awkward and difficult questions that I discovered who I was not and that I was actually part of the minority group with the strange name of Protestants.

In the hilarious British film comedy "Nuns on the Run" where two fleeing bank robbers disguise themselves as nuns, the large nun demonstrates the sign of the cross to his ignorant accomplice by following the memory aid "spectacles, testicles, wallet and watch". Recently this mnemonic took on a whole different meaning if one takes it quite literally!

NUNS ON THE RUN poster

SPECTACLES

Do you have the vision?

Do you see where you want to be?

Cape Town - Rayban Wayfarers

TESTACLES

Do you have the b@lls?

Do you have what it takes to endure?

Spot the Fly on the ball

WALLET

Are you willing to pay the price?

Are you willing to put your money where your mouth is?

Digging Deep

WATCH

Do you have the time and patience to see it through?

Are you willing to finish the journey?

DIE - German for Tuesday
written Tuesday 16th December 2014

The Lord works in mysterious ways and He will speak through any form He chooses! This is one incredible journey we are on and it could be the disappointing story of the immaculate deception or the totally outrageous story of the immaculate redemption!

Two Weddings and a Farewell

Due to a series of fortunate events I had the privilege to photograph two weddings of friends and the matric farewell of a colleague's son. Once I had agreed to commit myself I knew there was no option to back out and started to prepare in earnest. Fortunately I had help from some friends who are experienced wedding photographers and then of course the wonderful web was full of very helpful videos and other resources. Despite a wealth of information and advice there is no substitute for first hand experience!

Chris and Zandra had an intimate wedding and Zandra who loves purple had a right royal time whilst Chris relished the day. 

Cornel and Armandt were married at the beautiful Barbersbaai and had to deal with wind and rain however their unforgettable day was blessed with a stunning rainbow.

Boeta and his date Anja who were both immaculately dressed for the farewell had great afternoon light at the Bethlehem Railway station and were very relaxed in front of the camera.

As someone who enjoys the technical side of photography and who is prone to tweaking or shall we say fiddling with equipment, one thing I soon found out and that is that there is no time to faff with your camera. Thank goodness for the forgiving latitude of current digital sensors including my Nikon D610 however there is no remedy for camera shake and poor focus technique. With a pair of Nikon flashes, some newly acquired Yongnuo radio flash transmitters and an octabox there was scope for different lighting options. Before the one shoot whilst trying out the flash with radio trigger in the octabox I had inadvertently forgotten to tighten the flash properly and suddenly the flash went crashing down some stairs with batteries flying everywhere. Thankfully the Nikon SB900 still worked faultlessly and a lesson was learnt.

Two weddings and a farewell isn't a great deal of photography however I take my hat off to any professional wedding photographer. One needs a cool head, steady hands and fast feet to catch those special moments but that rush when one sees an image or two that works back home on the screen is hugely satisfying. 

Hitting the Wall

After a glorious day yesterday I hit the Wall today. We are holidaying here in the beautiful Drakensberg Gardens Resort and yesterday I enjoyed a beautiful bike ride with my daughter Kelly on some rented bikes. 

Kelly sketching in a beautiful setting. Nikon V1 6,7-13mm lens

 Woke up this morning to some blustery conditions and decided to try one of the resort's mountain bike trails. After selecting a bike with disc brakes I went looking for the trails and the easier family route alongside the river sounded just fine. It was downhill and I had a strong breeze behind me, the river beside me and boy was I having fun. There was a little stormpipe crossing up ahead and I unknowingly cut the corner, went flying over the handlebars and heard a loud thud as my forehead hit the soft riversand. I was lying in the ditch with the bike entangled around me and as I opened my eyes everything was sort of whitish and blurry (like a badly overexposed and out of focus photo). I scurried for my cellphone, retrieved it from my camera bag but then couldn't find it.

After sometime looking for my cellphone, trying to adjust the white point slider in my head to fix this bright view of the world and lotsa prayer (didn't want to die in a ditch on a beginner's trail) I soon realised I could see better again. I bravely mounted my hired blue Nomad Bike and found my way to the tar road and with sheer determination and grit cycled uphill to return safely in the arms of my loving and caring wife (who is currently pampering me and nursing me back to good health)

Self portrait in a river pool - who knows what lies around the bend. Nikon V1 6,7-13mm

I have a new found respect for my brother Grant, a keen cyclist and my cycling colleagues at work. Thank God He answers prayers and knows us better than we know ourselves. Morals of the story - mind your head ( wear a helmet in future), one can always bounce back after hitting the Wall and lastly never underestimate the beginner's section!

1 flew over the Cuckoo's Nest

This is just a short story about my one year experience with the Nikon 1 series which is the company's first mirrorless interchangeable-lens compact camera. In the classic and controversial film "One flew over the cuckoo's nest" Randle McMurphy played by Jack Nicholson entered the mental institution and challenged the controlling and rigid order of the day. Similarly the Nikon 1 offered a refreshing new take on spontaneous photography but alas as in the film the rebellious star ended up losing his mind quite literally after being cut down to size by the head nurse Ratched. The film scooped an amazing five Oscars but unfortunately the Nikon 1 while not exactly a box office flop didn't quite do the same.

My two slightly used Nikon 1 cameras

I received a Nikon J1 with 10mm lens as a birthday gift from my brother and was over the moon. It felt solid and well built yet compact and within minutes of opening my gift I was shooting away. I had recommended the camera to my brother who was looking for a camera for his daughter and she was delighted with her pink J1. Ironically I never personally considered the 1 series as most of the internet reviews including DPREVIEW weren't favourable especially regarding the small 1 inch sensor.

Myself and son Jude Nikon J1 1/125 s at f/4.5  ISO 100  Aperture Priority 10mm lens

One of the first shots taken the day I received my Nikon J1 and perfect for a great father and son family shot as captured by a friend. The super quiet electronic shutter and the high frame rate were great features to be explored. I walked to work and tried some street photography and using the high speed frame rate even managed to capture a Cartier-Bresson decisive moment (except it doesn't quite hold any water!)

Bethlehem   Nikon J1 1/50 s at f/8.0 ISO 400 Shutterspeed Priority 10mm lens

Bethlehem   Nikon J1 1/800 s at f/3.5 ISO 100 Exposure mode Auto High Speed 10mm lens

The next step in my 1 series journey was acquiring the 18,5mm f1,8 lens. Even though it is a fast lens the anticipated shallow depth of field is no where near it's equivalent 50mm focal length in 35mm format due to the smallish 1inch sensor. This lens is a real gem and still small enough on a J1/V1 to carry in a big pocket. The J1 became a regular accompaniment to the workplace which is a hospital theatre. On one occasion I took a small cheap white umbrella and used a secondary Nikon SB800 flash attached to a drip stand to shoot some nursing colleagues. The soft light was beautiful but the 1/60th shutter speed on the J1 is a bit slow nevertheless we made some great memories.

Theatre Sisters   Nikon J1 1/60 s at f/5.6 ISO 100 Aperture priority 18,5mm lens Nik Processing

After a few months with the Nikon J1 it had become a constant companion but the the Nikon V1 with it's higher flash sync of 1/250th plus the fact it uses a much bigger battery the same size as my Nikon D600 made the V1 more enticing. The Nikon 1 series was launched late 2011 and two years later it did not appear to be a commercial success in South Africa and it seems in many parts of the world. I managed to pick up a secondhand Nikon V1 with 10-30mm, 30-110mm and SBN5 flash for a much lower than original launch price and the fun continued. The small SBN5 flash with its swivelling head was a great idea and although Nikon's amazing wireless CLS flash system is not utilised in the 1 series it was possible to use the fully tiltable flash to trigger other flashes.

Ronnie Recovered    Nikon V1 1/160 s at f/5.0 ISO 100 Manual mode 30-110mm lens at 80mm equivalent 

The 1 series smallish sensor size and subsequent noise at higher ISO has been heavily criticised and yes it is no low light marvel but for casual shots it is still usable. I photographed my two mates who happened to be positioned beneath two loving birds in church and was quite surprised at the quality at ISO 3200.

Danie and Johan      Nikon V1 1/40 s at f/5.3 ISO 3200 Shutter Speed Priority 30-110mm @ 90mm equivalent 

Fellow photographers are not always the easiest or most willing to be photographed and that is the convenience of a small compact camera where one can steal a shot or three without being too intrusive! Here I photographed Glen Green in his green Landy the day I received the J1, Lawrance Brennon whilst visiting him in Underberg and Bill Burger outside his home in Bethlehem. These photographs are probably cheeky and maybe even sneaky but great keepsakes. 

Glen Green   Nikon J1 1/125 s at f/4.5 ISO 100 Aperture priority  10mm lens cropped

Lawrance Brennon   Nikon J1  1/50 s at f/2.8  ISO 400 Aperture Priority  10mm lens

Bill Burger   Nikon V1  1/160 s at f/4.0 ISO 500 30-110mm lens @123mm equivalent

The high frame rate and excellent auto focus is great for photographing children as it often takes many shots to get that one with a beautiful smile.

Beautiful niece Sanchia     Nikon V1 ISO 100 1/1000 s at f/2.0 18,5mm lens 

While recently visiting in Rosendal a street parade ended up in the township and there were images everywhere. The speedy and fairly unobtrusive V1 allowed for some interesting shots like these two ladies with a cat above them.

Rosendal   Nikon V1 1/50 s at f/3.8  ISO 720 30-110mm lens 81mm equivalent

My father in law Mike and mechanic friend Les in his workshop in Johannesburg and an impromptu photograph of two great characters.

Mike and Les     Nikon V1 1/100 s at f/2.0 ISO 800 18,5mm lens 

Driving in the centre of Johannesburg as a passenger I was able to photograph freely and when I saw this lady crossing I had the V1 on its high frame rate and out of nine frames this image emerged.

Johannesburg Central       Nikon V1  1/500 s at f/2.8 ISO 110 18,5mm lens

As an anaesthetist witnessing numerous babies being born by Caesarean section in theatre I have been able to photograph and experiment with a few camera setups. Recently I had the J1 and V1 placed on small table top tripods in theatre were they weren't that obvious nor able to capture any inappropriate images. I was using the Nikon D600 as my primary camera and had a helpful nurse press the Nikon ML3 infrared remote to trigger the J1 and V1 as I asked her too. The delivery happens so quickly and it worked out quite well to have more than one angle. This facility on the J1 and V1, which has an infra red sensor on the back too is most useful as is the quiet shutter of the 1 series in this setting. Below are three closely taken images of the birth with two from the J1/V1 captured at the same moment.

Caesarean birth      J1 1/125 s at f/3.5 ISO 200 10mm lens
V1 1/200 s at f/3.5 ISO 400 18,5mm lens
D600 1/160 s at f/5.6 ISO 800 16-35mm lens @ 16mm cropped

After a year I can emphatically state that these two small cameras have been such a pleasure and have added another dimension to my photography. Nikon probably missed the mark in the marketing, the pricing and the crazy additions of two useless modes motion snapshot and smart photo selector on the mode dial. Despite these oversights bordering on lunacy these cameras offer new creative opportunities and I would say are one of the best kept secrets out there. Let's hope Nikon produces the 1 that we want and not the 1 that never flew!

Dear Nikon - We are not the crazy ones!

Need to Breathe

Need to Breathe

That clingy barrier of religious Glad Wrap

Separating us from them

The function of which is to preserve the insiders

Seal us from the perceived threat of the outsiders

Made see through for all the world to see

Made impervious for all the world not to smell, touch or taste

Easy to apply and wrap around

Difficult to remove often requiring a leading edge

Freely available at all leading religious franchises

Ready perforated for rapid covering of large numbers

Plastic perfection endorsed by respected organisations

Need to Breathe

Need to Breathe

Oh Lord rip this suffocating veil from our face

Expose us for all the world to see

Shatter our rigid, frigid facade of religion

Revive us oh God

Blow us away with your Goodness

Breathe on us and inspire us

Fill us to overflowing

Release your Spirit on All Flesh

The new NEEDTOBREATHE album Rivers in the Wasteland is just phenomenal. I enjoyed their music before however this new album is musically just so richer but it is the inspirational lyrics that are just out of this world. Today a random phrase "the Glad Wrap of religion" just popped up and I started writing a few words and the next moment I had the idea to quite literally wrap the sticky cling wrap around my head. My obliging wife photographed while I breathed through a tiny hole and fortunately this didn't last long as that stifling sensation is rather unpleasant. Used the Nikon V1 with 30-110mm lens with sbn5 flash and a homemade softbox with two Nikon sb26 flashes in slave mode. Had fun with Nik software especially Analog Efex Pro. 

New Beginnings

 Recently a friend and wedding photographer Glen Green sent me a link to birth photography. I was unaware of this new field and was under the impression that not too many mothers or fathers would want recollections of what is a rather private experience. It was so encouraging to see the beautiful work out there on the internet and in particular the inspiring work of Marysol Blomerus who also happens to be in Cape Town.The majority of the images I viewed were of natural births however there were many photographs of Caesarean sections too.

In my career as an anaesthetist one is involved with many Caesarean sections and these occasions are certainly very emotional times. As a passionate photographer I could not resist photographing these eventful moments putting aside the intrusiveness and the potential abuse of my position. The contrasty and tricky lighting conditions in theatre were also an intriguing technical photographic challenge. Over the years I have managed to capture a number of images and many have appreciated the record of that day.

The delivery of a newborn at Caesarean section is followed shortly by the presentation of the newest family member to the parents which is similar to that uplifting moment when Simba is presented in the Lion King. The presentation is over pretty soon as the paediatrician is eagerly awaiting to examine and tend to the baby if necessary. The time from delivery until the mother meets her new baby is only a few minutes and there is plenty of activity and a huge rush of emotions.

The majority of Caesarean sections are rather straightforward and routine however every now and then something unexpected does happen. This newborn grabbed the surgical retractor on his way out and it had to be pried from his hand!

The next step is the moment baby meets Mom and Dad where words or images cannot always describe the intimacy and intensity of emotions witnessed. Having seen the great work and service offered out there by the birth photographers it is clear that a well timed image can convey to some extent the beauty of that special birthday. 

In the last year I have intentionally been photographing most Caesarean sections I have been involved with and have been experimenting with a few different setups. What caught me pleasantly by surprise was the fact that unbeknown to me birth photography had become a well established genre with an International Association of Professional Birth Photographers too. The saying "bloom where you are planted" or "blom waar jy geplant is" in Afrikaans has become such a life truth of late. In the theatre tearoom there was a quilt made by the different theatre sisters which served as a tablecloth and the one block with the message "blom waar jy geplant is" always stood out. Little did I realise that your passion could be intertwined with your work/career. We are so prone to compartmentalise our lives into rigid boxes however what an amazing time we are living in right now where those walls are coming tumbling down!

Beware of the Dog/Pasop vir die Hond

In my home town of Bethlehem and the surrounding Free State there are many "Beware of the Dog/Pasop vir die Hond" signs. They are presumably a crime deterrent and may have some legal protection in the event of a dog bite. Many of these signs have been up on their respective gates for some time and although the majority have been bought ready made there are some interesting original home made ones too. These signs on their unique gates with their particular dogs they warn about make for a fascinating interplay and a great series with a local flavour. 

Bethlehem, Nikon V1 30-110mm lens ISO 1600
Beware of Upright Dog

Recently while driving around the old railway houses I saw a rather weathered "Beware of the Dog" sign and stopped to photograph it. This was embarrasingly from the car and I reversed a small bit to align the gate posts with the house pillars behind. Then surprisingly a dog appeared from the stoep and walked over to the gate as if it was a lazy Sunday afternoon which it happened to be. He was inquisitive and suddenly jumped up against the gate making for a great photo. The Nikon V1 shoots at 10fps (can even do 60fps!) and thankfully I nabbed the curious dog in great pose.                  

                    

Bethlehem Hasselblad SWC Iford FP4 film
Scraggly dog investigating photographer - early attempt

Bethlehem Mamiya 7 150mm Fuji Acros
First photographs of dogs doing their thing

Clarens Hasselblad SWC Kodak TMY film
The irony and the beautiful gate

Apart from the opening photograph all the images are in black and white and all except one were taken on b&w film. The advantage is not clearly visible when viewed on the internet however film has it's unique quality. Digital capture is clearly so much easier and the chances of obtaining the subject, the dogs in this case in a unique pose are so much higher. This ongoing series has been a fun departure from chasing more serious landscape images. It has also opened the streets and though these images wouldn't be considered typical of street photography they have been hugely entertaining.

Reitz Mamiya 7 43mm Kodak TMax film
The shadow dog with a spade announcing the owner's retirement

Bethlehem Mamiya 7 43mm Kodak TMY film
Unhappy spaniels up the street

Bethlehem Mamiya 7 43mm Kodak TMY film
An alert dog with some flare

Bethlehem Mamiya 7 43mm Kodak TMY film
Boerboel with cardboard sign in English, Afrikaans and Sotho

Bethlehem Mamiya 7 43mm Kodak TMY film
Aggressive Boerboel making his intentions known

Bethlehem Mamiya 7 43mm Kodak TMY film
Large dog taking his role to new heights

When one starts looking there are so many gate variations and the dogs all have their own personality. The majority of dogs took their commission rather earnestly regardless of how shabby the gate or property appeared. The faithfulness of these loyal animals never ceased to impress me and this was irrespective of their circumstances. Although I never crossed the dividing line I am sure I would have borne the consequences. This man made boundary with it's access point to another unknown world is certainly fascinating and the gatekeepers are there to maintain that privacy. One wonders how many people we let into our inner sanctuary?

Bethlehem Nikon D600 16-35mm lens
Angry Bull Terrier up close

Bethlehem Hasselblad Xpan 30mm stitch Fuji Acros
Ossewa Wiele with large Boerboel

Frankfort Mamiya 7 43mm Kodak TMY film
Friendly Bull Terrier

Bethlehem Mamiya 7 43mm Kodak TMY film
Big Boerboel doing the sign justice

Frankfort Mamiya 7 43mm Kodak TMY film
Haven't seen that camera around here before

Reitz Mamiya 7 43mm Kodak TMax film
Faithful terrier with owner on stoep in wheelchair

Tweeling Mamiya 43mm Kodak TMY film
Timid and looking for company

Paul Roux Mamiya 7 43mm Kodak TMY film
Really old and friendly dog

Frankfort Mamiya 7 43mm Kodak TMY film
Wide Awake Sentry

Paul Roux Mamiya 7 43mm Kodak TMY film
Friendly fellow with Huge sign

Bethlehem Mamiya 7 43mm Kodak TMY film
Barking Mad Black Pair

No animals including photographers were harmed in any of these photographs.

Every Dog has it's Day as does Every Photographer too!