Christian Sperka Photography | Blog & Site

2018-08-30

INKANYISO CRÈCHE UPDATE

I had finally time to deliver the first batch of goodies to the crèche.

The kids and their volunteer teacher Lungy Philile were delighted about their new tables, crayons, paper, educational toys, balls, large trash container and plastic boxes to store everything in. They especially loved the 11 baby animal posters with names in isiZulu and in English.

I also delivered a nice food hamper for Lungy as a thank you for her volunteer work with the children.

Next I am planning to get them a large white board, pens, more educational games and some outside play equipment (eg swings).

I will keep you updated.

Thanks again for all the generous donations many of you have sent which enable me to help!

About the crèche:

With the help of some guests’ donations Thanda Safari has built this little school house. It is now run by a community committee without the help of any public funds. A volunteer teacher is looking after the – up to 30 – two to four year old kids. This crèche is located in one of the poorest areas of Zululand.

2018-08-09

Ten days in pictures …

One picture per day …

For the last ten days I hosted a private photography safari guest on Thanda Safari. The lady from Switzerland had booked nine nights of private photo drives and photo lessons. These are a few of the best pictures which I took during her stay. We had a great time!

I hope you like my summary for these 10 days.

For many more pictures please subscribe to my Instagram channel (ChristianSperkaPhotography).

Monday – Day 1 | A beautiful Thanda Safari sunset | Canon 1D Mark IV – f4 – 500mm L

Tuesday – Day 2 | A speed run after a Wildebeest resulting in a kill | Canon 1D Mark IV – f3.5-5.6 – 28- 300mm

Wednesday – Day 3 | The Green Mamba 1 at Thanda’s largest waterhole | iPhone 7 Plus

Thursday – Day 4 | Lion cubs relaxing in the warm morning sun | Canon 1D Mark IV – f3.5-5.6 – 28- 300mm

Friday – Day 5 | An Elephant her crossing the Mduna River | Canon 1D Mark IV – f3.5-5.6 – 28-300mm L

Saturday – Day 6 | A wet Brown-hooded Kingfisher at the kuMasinga hide on Mkuze Game Reserve | Canon 1D Mark – f4 – 500mm L

Sunday – Day 7 | Vervet Monkey on a rainy day | Canon 1D Mark IV – f4 – 500mm L

Monday – Day 8 | Little Elephant and her mum walking towards my vehicle | Canon 1D Mark IV – f3.5-5.6 – 28-300mm

Tuesday – Day 9 | Angry dad! A male Lion telling a youngster to keep his distance | Canon 1D Mark IV – f3.5-5.6 – 28-300mm L

Wednesday – Day 10 | A lazy Cheetah male in the early morning | Canon 1D Mark IV – f4 – 500mm L

Extra | One of my favorite shots: A Knob-thorn tree and a Giraffe in the morning light | Canon 1D Mark IV – f3.5-5.6 – 28-300mm L

http://www.sperka.com

#christiansperkaphotography @christiansperkaphotography

2018-07-29

This week in pictures …

One picture per day …

Monday: White-fronted Bee-Eater | Canon 1 D Mark IV – f4 – 500mm L

Tuesday: Giraffe Males fighting | Canon 1 D Mark IV – f4 – 500mm L

Wednesday: Elephant Male on a sunny day | iPhone 7 Plus

Thursday: Sunset @ Thanda | iPhone 7 Plus

Friday: Lion family walking | Canon 1 D Mark IV – f3.5-5.6 – 28-300mm L

Saturday: Marsh Owl | Canon 1 D Mark IV – f3.5-5.6 – 28-300mm L

Sunday: Male Lion under a full moon | Canon 1 D Mark IV – f3.5-5.6 – 28-300mm L

Extra: Sunrise @ Thanda Canon 1 D Mark IV – f3.5-5.6 – 28-300mm L

I hope your like my weekly summary. For many more pictures please subscribe to my Instagram channel (ChristianSperkaPhotography).

http://www.sperka.com

#christiansperkaphotography @christiansperkaphotography

2018-07-23

This week in pictures …

Luxury – Surfing – Cleopatra – Gourmets – Giants – Tsessebe – Dung – Flowers – Giraffe

One picture per day …

Sunday: Pure luxury on the Indian Ocean – The Oysterbox Hotel in Umhlanga – https://www.oysterboxhotel.com/ | iPhone 7 Plus

Monday: A rooms with a view – Watching surfers from my room at The Oysterbox | Canon 1 D Mark IV – f4 – 500mm L

Tuesday: What a nose 🙂 – Cleopatra Mountain in the Drakensberg | Canon 1 D Mark IV – f4 – 500mm L

Wednesday: A gourmet’s delight – Cleopatra Mountain Farmhouse – https://www.cleopatramountain.com/ | iPhone 7 Plus

Thursday: Egyptian Geese in front of the Giants Castle mountain chain | Canon 1 D Mark IV – f4 – 500mm L

Friday: Running Tsesebe at iSimangaliso Wetland Park | Canon 1 D Mark IV – f4 – 500mm L

Saturday: Dung Beetles at work | iPhone 7 Plus

Sunday: A Scarlet-chested Sunbird feeding on a Sausage Tree flower at Pakamisa – http://www.pakamisa.co.za/ | Canon 1 D Mark IV – f4 – 500mm L

Extra: Resting Giraffe at Pakamisa – http://www.pakamisa.co.za/ | Canon 1 D Mark IV – f4 – 500mm L

I hope your like my weekly summary. For many more pictures please subscribe to my Instagram channel (ChristianSperkaPhotography).

http://www.sperka.com

#christiansperkaphotography @christiansperkaphotography

2018-07-16

This week in pictures …

Elephant – Baobab – Sunset – Airport – Lion – Rhinos – Barbet – Bushbuck – Oysterbox

One picture per day …

Sunday: An old Elephant bull in musth – he has been there before and was therefore quite calm – good for us watching him … | Canon 1 D Mark IV – f2.8 – 300mm L

Monday: The only Baobab tree at Thanda – in my front garden … | iPhone 7 Plus

Tuesday: Sunset at Thanda’s larget dam … | Canon 1 D Mark IV – f2.8 – 70-200mm L

Wednesday: A Weaver trying to share my lunch at Durban airport | iPhone 7 Plus

Thursday: A Lion male in morning light … | Canon 1 D Mark IV – f2.8 – 300mm L

Friday: Approaching Rhinos … | Canon 1 D Mark IV – f2.8 – 70-200mm L

Friday (2): A Crested Barbet posing for a photo shoot … | Canon 1 D Mark IV – f4 – 500mm L

Saturday: Weather change sky … | iPhone 7 Plus

Sunday: Bushbuck at iSimangaliso … | Canon 1 D Mark IV – f4 500ml L

Extra: Sunrise at The Oysterbox Hotel | iPhone 7 Plus

I hope your like my weekly summary. For many more pictures please subscribe to my Instagram channel (ChristianSperkaPhotography).

PS: Based on recent requests I have added some camera information.

http://www.sperka.com

#christiansperkaphotography @christiansperkaphotography

2018-07-092018-07-09

Bird ID help welcome …

I am currently sorting through hundreds of my bird pictures which I took since 2002. Most of them I was able to ID positively.

But there are quite a few for which I either cannot find an ID at all or which I am not able to give a clear ID (multiple options).

If you would like to try to ID some of them for me then have a look at my bird ID page. I have uploaded the first 26 images, more to come soon 🙂

Click here to view the page https://sperka.info/id/

Thanks for the help from all the birders!

2018-07-082018-07-09

This week in pictures …

Arrival – Surroundings – Big – Majestic – Snakes – Creche – Ultraviolet– Crazy

One picture per day …

Sunday: New game arrival at Thanda – A Waterbuck jumping into the new home … | Canon 1 D Mark IV – f2.8 – 70-200mm L

Monday: One of the two new Cheetah brothers getting used to the new surroundings … | Canon 1 D Mark IV – f3.5-5.6 – 28-300mm L

Tuesday: A little Elephant letting me know that he is big already … | Canon 1 D Mark IV – f3.5-5.6 – 28-300L

Wednesday: Majestic look into the sunset … | Canon 1 Ds Mark III – f2.8 – 300mm L

Thursday: My last snake awareness class for this year – 10 classes with a total of over 100 people – Done! | iPhone 7 Plus and Canon 1 D Mark IV – f3.5-5.6 – 300mm L and f4.0 – 500mm L

Shopping for my little creche project … More info at https://sperka.info/2018/06/14/please-read-this-message/ | iPhone 7 Plus

Saturday: Before my Rhino Talk the boys in the guest group showed me this Scorpion with an ultraviolet torch … | iPhone 7 Plus

Sunday: The craziest sighting so far this year – am mouse with no fear! | iPhone 7 Plus

Extra: Stepping out of my room into a glorious morning … | iPhone 7 Plus

I hope your like my weekly summary. For many more pictures please subscribe to my Instagram channel (ChristianSperkaPhotography).

PS: Based on recent requests I have added some camera information.

http://www.sperka.com

#christiansperkaphotography @christiansperkaphotography

2018-07-06

The first goodies …

INKANYISO CRÈCHE UPDATE

The first batch of goodies is ready for delivery to the crèche. I will make a visit soon after the school holidays are finished.

They will get tables, crayons, paper, some educational toys, balls, a large trash container and plastic boxes to store everything in. Thanks to Michelle from Outtheredesign I got nice INKANYISO CRÈCHE labels on everything. Michelle and I have also created 11 baby animal posters with names in isiZulu and in English.

Thanks to the generosity of so many of you I will be able to continue to help with some more things for them for a while. My next project is some ‘outside playground setup’ and more educational toys. I will keep you updated.

If you want more information about my little crèche project go to https://sperka.info/2018/06/14/please-read-this-message/

Thanks for all the help – Have a good weekend!

2018-07-03

Ulwazi 2019 – a very special way to experience the South African wilderness

A perfect way to experience the South African wilderness ‘hands-on’ is to spend a few weeks on Thanda as a volunteer.

Thanda Safari’s volunteer organization is called ULWAZI. They have just released their program dates for 2019: https://ulwaziresearch.com/dates-rates/

For more general information go to https://ulwaziresearch.com/ or send an email to ulwazi@thanda.co.za.

PS: My oldest niece and two of her friends participated in the program last year and loved it!

PPS: And I provide free photography lessons to all volunteers 🙂

2018-07-01