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Photography

Video: The Elusive Bottlenose Dolphins of the Ganges (Ganga) River

In February 2015 I went on the Unforgettable India tour with Intrepid Travel. I won the tour at the 4th anniversary of Toronto Travel Massive, a travel community I’ve been a part of since May 2013. Part of the tour took us on a 2 hour drive from Varanasi where our group climbed into boats and “set sail” down river for a leisurely and calming 4.5 hours to where we would camp for the night.

When we awoke in the morning we saw the elusive bottlenose dolphins of the Ganges River. I had no idea there were dolphins in the Ganges so it was a wonderful surprise. We climbed into the boats once more and as we rowed to our departure point we saw several more of the dolphins. Here is our closest encounter with them.

Discovering Cape Town Through its Street Art in Woodstock

The first time I visited Cape Town, South Africa in December 2012 I heard about a street art tour in Woodstock while staying at The Backpack. Unfortunately I didn’t find time on my schedule for a visit.

Over the last 2 years I’ve seen some of the amazing street art pop up on my Instagram feed by some of my Cape Town Instagrammer friends. Fast forward to my 4th visit to the Mother City this past November (2014) and I just had to get there and see it for myself.

While you can certainly visit Woodstock yourself as I did, I highly recommend taking a street art tour especially if it’s your first time to the city to learn more about the history and the art. You can plan for a visit to the nearby Old Biscuit Mill and make a day of it in this interesting neighbourhood.

Here are some of my favourite murals in Woodstock that I captured with my iPhone.

Woodstock Street Art, a Cape Town, South Africa neighbourhood.
Woodstock Street Art, a Cape Town, South Africa neighbourhood.

 

Save Our Rhinos - Woodstock Street Art, a Cape Town, South Africa neighbourhood.
Save Our Rhinos – Woodstock Street Art, a Cape Town, South Africa neighbourhood.

 

When I was in Senegal, I took Djembe (African drumming) lessons. I learned from a master Djembefola that the djembe was used to communicate between villages in Senegal and West Africa where it is said the djembe originated. It would signal illness, death and celebrations such as marriage and birth. This is my ode to the tradition and a way to celebrate the upcoming birth of the woman’s baby.

Woodstock Street Art, a Cape Town, South Africa neighbourhood.
Woodstock Street Art, a Cape Town, South Africa neighbourhood.

 

Street Art in the Woodstock area of Cape Town, South Africa.
Street Art in the Woodstock area of Cape Town, South Africa.

 

Street Art in the Woodstock area of Cape Town, South Africa.
Street Art in the Woodstock area of Cape Town, South Africa.
Street Art in the Woodstock area of Cape Town, South Africa.
Street Art in the Woodstock area of Cape Town, South Africa.

 

Street Art in the Woodstock area of Cape Town, South Africa.
Street Art in the Woodstock area of Cape Town, South Africa.
Street Art in the Woodstock area of Cape Town, South Africa.
Street Art in the Woodstock area of Cape Town, South Africa.

 

Street Art in the Woodstock area of Cape Town, South Africa.
Street Art in the Woodstock area of Cape Town, South Africa.

 

Street Art in the Woodstock area of Cape Town, South Africa.
Street Art in the Woodstock area of Cape Town, South Africa.

 

 

5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Take Your Next Photo

5 Tips to Take Your Travel Photography to the Next Level

“You don’t just take a photograph, you make it.”

I believe that it doesn’t matter what the tool is or how expensive your gear is. Yes a dSLR (& mirrorless/micro 4/3) coupled with some good lenses has advantages, but I believe that no matter the tool the key to good photography is knowing the basics of photography such as light and composition and knowing how to ‘see’. I have taken many fantastic images with my iPhone and have had them printed and published both online and in print.

This image below was chosen to be a part of a nature and landscape mobile photography exhibit in September 2014 that included photographers from around the world. The curator printed this image to about 20″ wide and it looked amazing on the wall.

St. James Beach - Cape Town, South Africa.
St. James Beach – Cape Town, South Africa.

 

There is truth to the old saying “practice makes perfect”, but to take your photography to the next level, ask yourself these 5 key questions before you take that photo.

1. What is the main focal point of this shot? Keep it simple and focus on one main subject.

ARees5Keys1_BeachHuts

ARees5Keys1_CatMedina

2. What light is available? Learn to see the light and use the available light – from natural light such as ‘open shade’ and window light to candles, street lamps or the glow from an electronic device. Move your subject or yourself and see how the light falls differently. Often times if the light isn’t right, I don’t take the shot.

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3. What angle is best? Try a different perspective than you’re used to. Get low, look up, tilt the camera, experiment and have fun.

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ARees5Keys3_BathUK

4. Am I close enough? Fill the frame, but leave some space for cropping. Consider how people might view your photo. Images appear smaller on smartphones and Instagram uses a square format.

Don’t use the zoom on the smartphone camera to get closer, use your feet. The quality of the image is reduced when using the zoom feature on a smartphone.

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ARees5Keys4_TheatreAngels

5. Is there anything distracting in the background? Take a quick look around. Avoid cluttered backgrounds. A small change in movement or positioning your subject in a portrait can get rid of that tree or pole that is coming out of someone’s head or a busy background.

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The heART of a Woman Project Mobile Photographers on Table Mountain #thoawSA

These tips can make a difference. To learn more about mobile photography including key elements such as composition, I highly recommend iPhone photography school and this article about a 365 photo project. I have no affiliation with them whatsoever, I just enjoy their easy to read and understand articles.

Until next time –

Andrea… and my wandering iPhone

Photo Essay: My Travel Hero, Dementia & Serendipity

I came across this quote in one of my social media feeds today and it made me think of my Gran, especially as I am about to embark a trip to South Africa and on the 2nd anniversary of her passing.

“When an old many dies, a library burns to the ground” – African Proverb

I cherish that day I spent with my Gran in 2002 before her dementia really took hold. We visited all her ‘familiar’ places – her church, the hospital where she worked (where I was born) and our old apartment.

 

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Gran at her church in Toronto, 2002.

 

I photographed her that day though I didn’t share the photos, except to a few family members until I showed a slideshow at her funeral in May 2012.

This is the second time I’m sharing them in a public manner. I’m a private person when it comes to the personal things in my life, but today I want to honour her. I want to tell the world exactly who is my travel inspiration is.

 

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Gran at her home with a Bible in hand as I so often would find her, 2002

 

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Gran 2002, a quiet moment. I often wondered what she thought during her battle with dementia

 

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Gran 2002 as she was getting into my car.

 

I asked her more about our family history and attempted to fill out a family tree book, but it was already too late as she had already forgotten a lot. I photographed her when I could through the years and she was even in my photography studio 3 times by herself and with our family.

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She could always make me laugh. Gran, 2003

 

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Gran 2003. I took this portrait in my studio. It was enlarged and hung in her home and was used as the portrait at her funeral in 2012.

 

I have often said I come by my zest for life, adventurous spirit, strength, independence and love of travel honestly, as she was all those things. She took me on the first trip that I remember. I can still recall those bright city lights  as we descended into the Los Angeles airport at night when I was 5 years old.

She left Burma (Myanmar) for Canada as a divorced single mother with 2 children and eighty dollars to her name. She and my dad and uncle lived in Northern India for 10 months in hopes of getting their visa to Canada. She went around the world at 66 years old for 3 months and her final
trip was to England to visit her sister when she was 80, she travelled a lot between those trips and even kayaked across a lake solo, in her late 70s!

In February 2012, she wasn’t speaking anymore and wasn’t giving eye contact, she’d stare off into the distance as the photo below illustrates and often look down or through you. I visited her just before a solo trip to Europe that I embarked on in March 2012. I wondered if I’d be coming home early from that trip.

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Gran February 2012 – my final portrait of her. | Dementia

 

I told her of all my plans and she started to look up at me. I then asked…

“do you want to go on a trip with me? as by this time she was looking right at me.

She very clearly said, “where?”

I answered “Europe”, she nodded her head.

Those were the last words I heard her speak. She passed away May 12, 2012.

Our hands a few days before she passed away.
Our hands a few days before she passed away.

 

On May 12, 2014 my dad & I will be in Cape Town, South Africa and I have arranged a ‘tour’ with Uthando, a responsible tourism company to take us to Khayelitsha. Uthando was the organization that first introduced me to the eKhaya eKasi in Dec. 2012 and continues to bring travellers there and supports many other wonderful and worthwhile development projects in the townships.

I requested that we visit Thokazani brothers, a wonderful youth and men’s singing group that sing traditional songs, NOAH – a home for the elderly that I’ve long wanted to visit and we will end the ‘tour’ at eKhaya eKasi.

We will be dropped off and I will begin phase 2 of The heART of a Woman Project South Africa

I think it is very befitting and serendipitous that it worked out that I’ll be spending time at NOAH and with the elderly of Khayelitsha on the 2 year anniversary of her passing and will then be at eKhaya eKasi. I know I learned much of my compassion from her.

Today I want to send a thank you out into the universe and in the spirit of gratefulness that I had my Gran for as long as I did and to thank her for teaching me to how to live and how to love.

“You will find that people that you really love may leave you outwardly, but they never leave you inwardly. Death has not won for love is forever.” – Bishop TD Jakes.

Travel with Purpose: How an iPhone Empowered 9 Women in South Africa

HOW AN IPHONE EMPOWERED 9 WOMEN IN SOUTH AFRICA

I first travelled to Cape Town in December 2012. I visited 3 inspiring development projects in Khayelitsha while on tour with James Fernie and his responsible tourism company, Uthando South Africa. It was our first stop at eKhaya eKasi Art & Education Centre that made the most impact. I wrote about that experience in Finding Ubuntu in Cape Town, South Africa. 

The view from the eKhaya eKasi rooftop - December 10, 2012
The view from the eKhaya eKasi rooftop – December 10, 2012
eKhaya eKasi centre - Khayelitsha, South Africa
eKhaya eKasi centre – Khayelitsha, South Africa

The Women’s Skills Development (WSD) program teaches residents, mostly unemployed mothers, skills in beadwork and printing t-shirts for local businesses as well as crafts. eKhaya eKasi’s model of education and empowerment through the arts inspired me, and as a professional photographer, woman and mother, it spoke to me. I learned of the many issues women in the townships are faced with such as domestic violence, unemployment, HIV/AIDS and alcoholism and formulated ideas of how I could help with photography.

After a conversation with the centre’s director when I returned home to Canada, I began to research to find out more about the centre. I noticed that the photography section of their online shop was empty so I brainstormed ideas of how best to serve them using my photography experience of 10 years.

It wasn’t until May 2013 when a contest, G Project by G Adventures and Planeterra, made an open call for ideas that could make a difference, asking “what will you do today for tomorrow?” that I gave it more serious thought and put together a plan.  The heART of a Woman Project (thoaw) was born.  I entered the contest, and though I didn’t win, I committed myself to see the project to fruition. I knew that even if I travelled there with my own 2 iPhones and my own money, it would make a difference. I believe in the idea that anyone could make a difference and Lao Tzu’s philosophy “a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

I had always lugged around my DSLR on my travels,  but I felt it was cumbersome. When the iPhone was released in Canada in July 2008, I jumped right in. I was 5 years into my photography business, slowly burning out and losing passion for photography.

With the iPhone, the camera that is always with me, I began to photograph daily life. Instead of photographing only poses and occasions like birthdays and holidays, I captured moments and ‘ordinary days’. I employed everything I knew about photography but experimented even more. The iPhone restored my passion for photography again, and I was more creative than ever.

iPhone photography
My son in Aug. 2008, taken with an iPhone 3G… he’s dancing, a framed print in my home.

In March 2011, during a milestone birthday trip to London and Paris, my DSLR remained in my hotel room the entire time. I loved the results with my iPhone 4 and the Hipstamatic app, even from a moving bus and through windows. After I returned home, I put together a photo book of that trip that I made in iPhoto. When I received it, I excitedly raced through the photos in the book and KNEW that mobile photography had arrived.

I have since upgraded to an iPhone 4s and 5s and created another photo book after my travels to Senegal and South Africa in December 2012. With the advances in technology and apps, I knew the potential of the iPhone and how so much could be achieved with just one device. From creating the image to post-processing to sharing on social media to printing through apps that specialize in mobile camera photo products. The learning curve is easier, the phone is mobile and unobtrusive and the costs affordable with used donated devices. People are always upgrading their iPhones. I know this because 2 of mine are now in Khayelitsha!

With the help of fiscal donors through crowdfunding on Indiegogo, some sponsors, travel and mobile photography bloggers spreading the word and 11 donated used iPhones, I returned to eKhaya eKasi. I taught an 11-day workshop in photography and social media (Instagram, Twitter and Facebook) to 9 unemployed women, mostly mothers, from Khayelitsha, South Africa, a township just 40 minutes from the Cape Town city centre from November 15-29, 2013. The women also learned basic computer skills and used Google for the first time.

For 2 days the women photographed life in Khayelitsha through their eyes. I went through all the images (3000+) and post-processed 1 from each woman. I had 200 postcards printed for each woman and presented the postcards to them at the end of the 11 days together so they could begin sales immediately. The purpose of the project was multi-dimensional. One of the primary goals was to pass on my skills in photography to the women so they could generate some income through postcard sales at eKhaya eKasi as they already had a foundation for tourism at the centre. The other goal and perhaps the most important one was so the women would have access to the Internet and social media so they may share what they do and bring attention to the centre and their work. Through sharing the events at the centre they could encourage more visitors and thus potential sales not only of postcards but all their products and services. The last goal was to offer a way for the women to tell their stories in their own photos and words. Really, the possibilities are endless if they continue to develop their skills. 

Postcards and prints are available in our shop online. Profits from each purchase support the women’s path to sustainable income as they are paid their price. The remainder is reinvested into Project South Africa. The goal is for the women and the program to be completely self-sustainable not only in photography, post-processing and producing products but also financially as well as they run their own small businesses.

Esther & Veliswa learning ‘pinching’
Yolanda Nkatula and Aviwe Dalingozi photograph the mural on a shipping container, home to Mama Blessing Hair Salon in Khayelitsha.

Veliswa Wowo, a married mother of 4 and a founding member of The Heart of a Woman Project in South Africa photographs live chickens in Khayelitsha.
The series 1.0 postcards – The heART of a Woman Project #thoawSA

 

Esther & Veliswa learning 'pinching'
Esther & Veliswa learning ‘pinching.’
photographing in Khayelitsha, South Africa
The ladies photographing in Khayelitsha, South Africa
photographing in Khayelitsha, South Africa
Yolanda photographing in Khayelitsha, South Africa
photographing in Khayelitsha, South Africa
Retsepile photographing in Khayelitsha, South Africa

On November 30th, we received the postcards from the printer at our braai (barbecue) and sales began immediately. One woman shared that she was able to give her son some money so he could take the train to look for a job, another shared she gave some to her grandmother, and another said she was able to buy shoes. The postcards are continuing to sell at eKhaya eKasi where they welcome tourists.

Signed postcards to donors and buyers
Signed postcards to donors and buyers
The series 1.0 postcards - The heART of a Woman Project #thoawSA
The series 1.0 postcards – The heART of a Woman Project #thoawSA
Aviwe and her postcards
Aviwe and her postcards

There were so many memorable moments during my time with the women – touring Cape Town, the beautiful sunset we experienced on Signal Hill as we looked out to the ocean and Robben Island, the ride up to Table Mountain, the drive around the Cape Peninsula, seeing the movie Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom together, walking around the township and the braai.

The heART of a Woman Project Mobile Photographers on Signal Hill #thoawSA
The heART of a Woman Project Mobile Photographers on Signal Hill #thoawSA

Some of the moments that will stay with me for a long time were the “in between times”, the meals together and just driving around in the combi (van) as we travelled from place to place.

I really tried to be mindful of my experience and take it all in. I felt privileged to be with the ladies of #thoawSA and to be immersed in such a way.

 Aviwe, Esther & Yolanda travelling in the combi (van).

Aviwe, Esther & Yolanda travelling in the combi (van).

One of the moments I remember was when we were going back to the centre after 2 days of documenting township life, the energy felt high even though we had spent much of the time photographing in light rain. As the kwaito music played, some of the women danced in their seats while others chatted away in isiXhosa. Their smiles could light a room, and the laughter that filled the van was infectious. At times I had no idea what they were laughing about, but I laughed along with them. I remember looking out the window and as the flurry of activity flew by me – the people, the homes, the colourful shops, the playful children and the cows that roamed, I recall feeling grateful.

I felt grateful to be experiencing it cozily in between the 9 women that joined me in the back of the van and on this journey. I felt proud of what we had accomplished in such a short time together. I could sense that this was something special. In some ways, it felt like just an ordinary day, though I know that all of my days with them were extraordinary ones and part of a time I will not soon forget.

The heART of a Woman Project Mobile Photographers on Table Mountain #thoawSA
The heART of a Woman Project Mobile Photographers on Table Mountain #thoawSA

You can follow me at @wanderingiphone on twitter & Instagram and follow our hashtag #thoawSA to see tweets & photos of the project in South Africa.

I’ve been a professional photographer since 2003 and am the founder of The heART of a Woman Project (thoaw). THOAW is committed to providing education, on-going guidance and support to Project heART South Africa (thoawSA) to help the women achieve sustainability to support themselves, their children and their community at eKhaya eKasi which serves over 400 residents.

 

 

Capture The Color Contest 2013

So there’s a photography contest for travel bloggers that I recently learned of. It’s the 2nd year running and the wonderful Steph Spencer behind the geektastic blog A Nerd At Large nominated me to enter, thanks, Steph.

The idea behind Capture the Colour is that participants enter a photograph for each of the five colour categories. Entrants then nominate five other bloggers to participate.

Here are my ‘wandering iPhone’ photos taken during some recent trips. I almost made it a Paris theme.

B L U E

While wondering the medina of Chefchaouen, Morocco in August 2013 on a trip with my niece on her first trip abroad, we stumbled upon this cat sitting peacefully. I couldn’t resist capturing this  and was secretly hoping the cat wouldn’t run away before I got the shot.

Cat in Chefchaouen, Morocco

Cat in Chefchaouen, Morocco

R E D

This past August while in Paris, I got to check “driving a Vespa in Paris” off my life list. I rented a classic vespa and drove it to Versailles and back and all around Paris! What a thrill. Here’s “my baby” parked on a street in the Opera area of Paris before I headed into a restaurant for dinner. Had some serious helmet hair that day, but well worth it!

iMy Vespa in Paris

My Vespa in Paris

G R E E N

I took my 17 year old niece on her first trip abroad this past August. Taking a trip together after her high school graduation was something we have talked about since she was a young
girl. When I asked her where she most wanted to go she said Paris! So I planned a trip for us to go from Paris to Morocco by train. What an adventure it was.

Here is a moment I captured of my niece from the Peace Monument taking her first real look of the Eiffel Tower at night.

CTC13 Green

Enjoying the view in Paris

Y E L L O W

Every year for the past 3 years I’ve had the chance to visit Paris with someone different and dear to me. It’s also been a tradition to have a crepe from the stand by the carousel and to sit on a nearby bench admiring the Eiffel tower and the children enjoying their ride.  Each year I’ve tried to find new ways of capturing the scene. This is my 2013 capture with the slow shutter app on my iPhone 4s.

Le Carrousel de la Tour Eiffel

Le Carrousel de la Tour Eiffel

W H I T E

One of my favourite things to photograph are silhouettes. I noticed the light coming through the infamous clock in Musée d’Orsay on my first visit to the museum in March 2012. I waited for people to appear in front of it and I may or may not have nudged my friend (on the right) to walk towards it so I could capture what I envisioned.

Silhouettes against time in Musee D'orsay

Silhouettes against time in Musee D’orsay

 Nominations:

Vanessa from Turnipseed Travel 

Shivya from Shooting Star

Melissa from The Mellyboo Project

Mary from Calculated Traveller

Meruschka from Mzansigirl