2016

They say 2016 will be year of change.  I didn’t expect much, but by the end of the year I had to admit…. a lot has changed.

Not much going on in January, not much snow either …  we did’t even get to ski, definitely time for a photo holiday !

February

We left for Iceland, a 2 week combined C4 – Captur Earth Photo Tour with Hougaard Malan, the landscape master photographer,  to at last get better at landscape photography. Now I am no great fan of landscapes, or cold, but it was Jürgs 50th birthday and he desperately wanted an aurora for his birthday. So as I asked him : warm (meaning Myanmar) or cold birthday trip ( meaning Iceland) ? He took about 30 seconds to decide. Believe it or not, he did get an aurora for his birthday, the best one of the whole trip.

And I have to admit, Iceland was sensational and landscapes aren’t so bad after all ! Read the story in a previous blog if you are interested.

March

I got a message I made it in the Top 20 of the Mala Mala Photo Competion with 2 photos. Winning would mean a few free nights there and I just love the place ! But that was it, didn’t win, so I will have to pay for my next Mala Mala trip once again, too bad ! Will have to try again !

Check out the winner and other finalists here

April

My 50th birthday, we went to Mana Pools, Zimbabwe on a C4 trip with Shem Compion and our South African friends Lilla & Lance, we made some more friends, spectacular photos and had a splendid time. Mana Pools in green season is a very special and very muddy experience in a very green Garden of Eden. Walking with wild dogs and elephants is an experience that humbles you, and makes you feel very small (especially a few feet in front of an elephant). The story in one of my previous blogs. We even added a 3 day stay at Mala Mala after the Zim experience. But all the luxury, and even finally finding lion cubs, couldn’t compete with our camping trip and natures beauty, that was just the best !

Mai

I did a blog story for Mala Mala about our little trip and finally finding lion cubs.

You can read it here

June

Jürg got a little bit famous after his USA photo, well to be exact, the photo with him in it, posing like Indiana Jones on the cliffs overlooking the scenery at Dead Horse Point got published. So proud of my supermodel.

 

My little elephant playing in the sand did pretty well too. Will be in the Mala Mala calendar, and got quite a few likes in th Africa Geographic competition. Best was when I got  an e-mail from Margott Raggett, this photo was in the Top 100 selection of amateur photos , the top 10 would be published in the book “Remembering Elephants”, amongst photos of all the top wildlife photographers. So honoured to be selected, even if I didn’t make the top 10 and the book. This book is a must have !

 

July

We did a short trip tot he Farne Islands in GB to photograph puffins. These iconic little birds are everybodies darling, they are so cute ! We spent hours on the cliffs trying to get them in flight, but they are great, whatever they do ! Read the blog story for the full trip story.

August

We couldn’t just run away on holiday both of us turning 50 this year, so we had a smashing party in August to celebrate with our friends. Great food, a great band and everybody dressed up according to our theme: the SIXTIES ! What else did you expect !

September

That was all the holiday we got for this year. I quit my job after 25 years. As expected my boss didn’t have the decency to even say thank you or shake my hand after 25 years. Who cares, I am now starting my own practise:  A2 Physio, with my partner Alfonso and really looking forward to that. It is so good to be my own boss, and to be free ! We are going to make a sucses of it !

Click on the green text, check out our practise:  A2 Physio

Starting in September ment the rest oft he year was spent working, working hard. But soon it will be 2017 and then we ‘re off to Thailand for a FUNKY SAILOR sailing trip. Can’t wait !

As for now :

a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all our dear friends.

So all the changes for 2016:

I do like landscape photography, I have even bought a bloody expensive new tripod to do better….

I do like the cold, all the snow and ice and the special light is great for  photography

I did turn 50 and am now old 🙁

I quit my job and am now my own boss, and working like hell ( this must change, I need more holidays )

and to give myself a treat I even ordered a new car !

By the way, my motto for 2017 :

Thank you to all my dearest friends for making this a very special year !