CHRISTIAN SPERKA PHOTOGRAPHY – Page 114 – Christian Sperka Photography

2014-12-262014-12-26

A relaxing day!

For some people a relaxing day means sitting comfortably at home and reading a book or watching a movie. For some it means to go window-shopping at a large mall. Others would like nothing better than to go to a pub or working out at a gym.

Well, my idea of a relaxing day is to pack a cooler box with drinks and food, fetch all my camera equipment, my binoculars and my bird book (=iPad) and install myself at a hide on a waterhole at a game reserve.

That is what I did on Christmas day.

While listening to a good audio book I took images of many different animals coming to the water. For most of the day 11! Rhinos kept me company. While other nature enthusiasts where coming and going I stayed for the whole day at the hide.

And these are sixteen of the pictures I took during this most relaxing day!

Eleven | White Rhinos having a “cool” day a the waterhole

Danger | A Wildebeest calf getting kicked by Zebras as it mingled with the wrong crowd

Bathing | Pygmy Kingfisher having a bath

2014-12-242014-12-23

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Ngikufisela uKhisimusi oMuhle noNyaka oMusha o Nempumelelo

I wish all my friends around the world a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2015!

With my very best wishes from South Africa – Christian

PS: The holiday greetings above are in isiZulu!

2014-12-182014-12-18

INSTAGRAM

Enjoy more of my images on Instagram! If you are using a smartphone and if you are on Instagram (Instagram is an App for your smartphone) you can find me under christiansperkaphotography. Most of the images I post on Instagram will be different from the ones on my Blog, Facebook and Google+ and usually come with very little text :-). Enjoy them!

PS: All Instagram posts will also be shared on Twitter, Tumblr and Flickr – just in case you would like to follow me there!

2014-12-172014-12-17

Pakamisa’s Horses

I really enjoyed taking these images 🙂 – Pakamisa horses portrait shoot – December 2014 – Please note Badger (second row from the top – on the left), the horse which I ride during me regular visits to Pakamisa!

Pakamisa Private Game Reserve

Pakamisa’s Horses – many of them were born at Pakamisa Farm!

Pictures by Christian Sperka Photography

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2014-12-16

Rovos Rail Ride 2015 – Official Photographer

For next year I had planned to spend three winter weeks exploring Kruger National Park. But this has to wait for another year.

I am now very much looking forward to two weeks on one of the world’s most luxurious trains. From 4 July to 14 July I will be joining the Rovos Rail Ride 2015 as the official photographer. This very special program uses the train as the basis for the worlds most luxurious mountain bike experience: 1569 Kilometers (=975 Miles), four countries (South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Zambia) in six days!

For the first group of guests the six day trip starts in Pretoria (South Africa) and ends at the Victoria Falls (Livingstone/Zambia) and then the train moves back to Pretoria the same route with the second group. I am looking forward to the beautiful scenery along the way and to my first trip to the Victoria Falls.

For more information on the Rovos Rail Ride 2015 go to www.rovosrailride.com | For more information regarding Rovos Rail go to www.rovos.com

PS: As you might guess I will not be riding a mountain bike myself, I will be using four wheels for transport 🙂

2014-12-10

Long Walk to Freedom

A great story …

Pakamisa Private Game Reserve

Pakamisa has just released a male & a female serval on to the reserve. The two animals were donated by Durban’s centre for the rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW http://www.crowkzn.co.za). We are looking forward to spotting one of these beautiful creatures on our game drives.

These are a few pictures from delivery to release in October 2014.

The delivery vehicle!

Out of the transport box!

Close ups!

A shy gentleman!

This is the more adventurous lady!

Ready to go!

Successful walk into freedom!

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2014-12-05

What a view!

What an exciting sighting for the Thanda guests! This image was taken on Tuesday’s morning game drive. The Thanda North Pride of Lions was strolling up the road just below the Thanda Safari Lodge. We followed the Lions and the two females led us to a fresh Nyala kill. So we were also able to observe the cubs and their father at their meal!

Picture by Christian Sperka – Specialist Photography Guide and Resident Wildlife Photographer – Thanda Private Game Reserve

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2014-12-02

Youngsters!

Two of Thanda’s youngest guests observe a young White Rhino calf and its mother. Together with their parents they enjoy a private safari vehicle with one of Thanda’s experienced guiding teams.

For more information about kids on safari at Thanda go to http://www.thanda.com/experience/kids-at-thanda.htm

Picture by Christian Sperka – Specialist Photography Guide and Resident Wildlife Photographer – Thanda Private Game Reserve

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2014-11-232014-11-23

Best of KwaZulu Natal

My brother Stefan visited me from Germany. He stayed in South Africa for the last two weeks.

We had a great time at three of the best places KwaZulu Natal has to offer!

First we enjoyed pure luxury on the Indian ocean staying at The Oyster Box Hotel in Umhlanga. Then we moved on to my “home ground” to experience the Big Five at Thanda Private Game Reserve in the heart of Zululand. The last five days we spent horse riding and relaxing on Pakamisa Private Game Reserve with its magnificent views over the hills of Northern KwaZulu Natal.

A perfect way to spend two weeks in Africa. What a life!

2014-11-19

Ellis and Hippos :-)

Today I went the first time on a Lake Jozini morning cruise. This large lake is located in Northern KwaZulu Natal, between Mkuze and Pongola, along the N2.

Despite the overcast weather I got some great Elephant and Hippos shots.

This picture shows a large herd of Elephants (over sixty individuals) coming for a “lake-side” morning drink stop. We spend almost one hour observing the Elli family life.

After we left the Elephants we saw a herd of Cape Buffalo on the opposite side of the lake and we observed Nile Crocodile, Common Reedbuck, Juvenile African Fish Eagle, White-faced Whistling Duck, African Javana, Spur-winged Goose, Egyptian Goose, Grey Heron, Secretary Bird, Western Great Egret, Marabou Stork, African Jacana, African Spoonbill, Red-billed Oxpecker and a few pods of Hippo.

The second image shows one of the Hippos “mock-charging” our boat. This female let us know that she wanted us keep our distance, which we did 🙂

What a day!