I am spending a few days off at Pakamisa Private Game Reserve – one of my favorite places. While on horseback safari photo shoot I took these two shots of a baby Giraffe and an adult male. I like them a lot 🙂
Pakamisa Giraffes
A look back!
It is custom to have a look at the previous year when the new one has just started.
For me it has been a good year. I enjoy my life and work in the South African bush as much as when I moved here in 2012. Since then I have led over 1,000 game drives, I have had over 1,600 Big Five sightings, I taught over 900 people my way of motion/wildlife photography and I have written over 900 blog posts.
Today I would like to share with you some of my favorite pictures of 2016: One wildlife picture per month and a bonus scenery picture 🙂 – Thank you for following my blog!
I hope you will enjoy my photographer’s picks for 2016 and I hope that all of us will have a good 2017!
HAPPY NEW YEAR
I wish all of you a HAPPY NEW YEAR 2017
… with my favorite scenery image of 2016: The sky over Thanda Safari on 30 December 2016!
Stay tuned for a blog message about my wildlife sightings between Christmas and New Year … coming soon …
Ngikufisela uKhisimusi oMuhle noNyaka oMusha o Nempumelelo
I wish all my friends around the world a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2017!
With my very best wishes from South Africa – Christian
PS: The holiday greetings above are in isiZulu!
A helicopter!
No big story – just one of my favorite pictures – Thanda’s dominant male Lion watching a helicopter!
2 Month Old
During yesterday morning’s game drive we spotted the newest additions to the Thanda South Pride of Lions (seen for the first time, ever). The mother must have introduced the two cubs (+/- 2 month old) very recently to the Pride. The two youngster were very shy at their first vehicle encounter and went into thick bush to wait for the ‘large unknown animal’ to disappear. I was able to take two images before they moved off. Very soon they will get used to the vehicles, observing their mum’s reaction – or lack thereof – to our game viewers. I am sure there will be great sightings to come!
Pakamisa’s 20 Years Celebration
I really enjoyed being part of this celebration, helping preparing the event and then taking pictures during the evening. Thanks to Isabella and Anthony for their friendship and for having me on Pakamisa so often. The 20 year anniversary celebration was my 30th stay at this magnificent place 🙂
PS: Most of the songs which Lana and Victor performed could have been requested by me. So many of my favorites – from Verdi’s Traviata, over Pucchini’s Turandot, past Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera all the way to Frank Sinatra’s My Way 🙂
In 1996, I arrived with some of my horses from Spain with the Lodge opening to the public in 2001. This year we celebrate Pakamisa’s 20 year Anniversary.
Last month we had a special celebration with guests from the Pongola area. As a great surprise Lana English & Victor Siljeur, two superb classical singers, performed beautiful opera arias and musical pieces for an enchanted audience.
From a mountainous Austria …
… to the Rolling Hills of Zululand
From a reception with a presentation …
… to a festive dinner with classical music
Lana English & Victor Siljeur performing opera arias and musical favourites
Isabella Stepski and Lana English, friends since many years
Pakamisa’s El Prado restaurant was the perfect venue for this unique 63 guests celebration
Pictures by Christian Sperka Photography
A Dazzle of Zebras …
I have just uploaded 103 Plains Zebra images taken between 2002 and 2016. Have a look at http://www.sperka.biz/sg14
This is another new species gallery available online at http://www.sperka.biz/sg
Please contact me at info@sperka.com in case you are interested in publishing any of these images or if you would like to license any image for printing (for personal or commercial use).
Barbets
If you like Barbets then this is the post message for you 🙂
I have just uploaded my Barbet images taken between 2002 and 2016.
Acaia Pied Barbet – http://www.sperka.biz/sgb13
Black-collared Barbet – http://www.sperka.biz/sgb14
Crested Barbet – http://www.sperka.biz/sgb15
These are three more new species galleries available online at http://www.sperka.biz/sg
Please contact me at info@sperka.com in case you are interested in publishing any of these images or if you would like to license any image for printing (for personal or commercial use).
Lots of Giraffes …
I have just uploaded 159 South African Giraffe images taken between 2002 and 2016. Have a look at http://www.sperka.biz/sg15
This is another new species gallery available online at http://www.sperka.biz/sg
Please contact me at info@sperka.com in case you are interested in publishing any of these images or if you would like to license any image for printing (for personal or commercial use).
