south africa – Page 123 – Christian Sperka Photography

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

2018-07-082018-07-09

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!

2018-07-01

This week in pictures …

Zebra Sunset – Hyena Night – Red Sunset – Lion Evening – Hornbill Day – Rhino Sun – Lion Dusk

One picture per day …

Extra – Bheki, his two sons Boy and Lee, my drone and me …

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

http://www.sperka.com

#Christiansperkaphotography @christiansperkaphotography

2018-06-23

This week in pictures …

Off Time – Pakamisa – Sunbirds – Ndumo – Ostriches – Relax

One picture per day …

Sunday – Ready for another day at Thanda …

Monday – Looking forward to a week at Pakamisa – this heaven for horses – where dogs are spoiled – and humans are tolerated 🙂 www.pakamisa.com

Tuesday – Scarlet-chested Sunbird photography – a birthday treat …

Wednesday – First time at Ndumo Game Reserve – I like it … – Read more at https://sperka.info/2018/06/22/nudomo-game-reserve-a-birders-paradise/

Thursday – Ostriches at the end of the day – and what a day …

Friday – My favorite bird picture of the week – a White-bellied Sunbird having a feast …

Saturday – On the way home – The Aloes are blooming …

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

http://www.sperka.com

#Christiansperkaphotography @christiansperkaphotography

2018-06-17

This week in pictures …

What a week – Crèche – Teach – City – Rhino – Arrival – Meal – Mate

One picture per day …

Monday – Visit to a crèche – create a project …

Tuesday – Teaching students and a very unusual sighting (Pied Kingfisher @ Thanda) …

Wednesday – Korean Dinner in Durban @ The Crazy Korean – what a treat …

Thursday – A Rhino at sunset – so special …

Friday – Two new Cheetah boys arrived at Thanda …

Saturday – The two males’ first meal …

Sunday – Mating Giraffes – a rare sighting …

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

http://www.sperka.com

#Christiansperkaphotography @christiansperkaphotography

2018-06-14

PLEASE READ THIS MESSAGE …

This week I visited a crèche for small children in one of Thanda’s neighboring communities.

With the help of some guests’ donations Thanda Safari has built this little school house, provided a water tank, got the material for a fence and the materials to complete the interior.

The crèche is located in one of the poorest areas of Zululand.

I was tasked to take some pictures with camera and drone to document the development progress.

I had not been there before.

At the crèche two volunteer teachers look after around 30 2-4 year old kids every morning for three hours.

When I saw the place in grey with no color, no toys, no teaching materials, no tables , no … I made a decision:

In the next few weeks I will personally get them some materials for teaching, some toys and whatever else I can afford to buy. I will not give them money (as I am afraid that would end in the wrong pockets), but I will buy them things they need.

Some of my friends have already promised me to help with useful materials they got or to help me with money donations to buy stuff.

If any of you – wherever you live in the world – would like to help with a little donation (or not so little 🙂 then please contact me at christian@sperka.com – I have bank accounts in Europe, USA and South Africa and I also have a PayPal account. So transferring any funds would be simple and would not cost a lot. Even the smallest contribution will be very much appreciated.

Be assured that 100% of whatever is donated will be used to buy things for the crèche.

I will post regularly pictures on my social media accounts (Instagram, Facebook and Twitter) and on my blog.

In the great scheme of things this neither big or important, but I hope it will make a difference to these children, their teachers and their parents.

PS: When I (a huge, bearded white man) stepped into the small classroom most of the children started crying. I was a bit puzzled until one of the teachers told me that some of the kids thought I was a doctor coming with inoculations :-). I had – wisely – bought a little drink, an apple and a small snack for each child which I gave to each of them. That calmed them down immediately.

But I really won them over when I flew the drone. They loved it and demanded many take-offs and landings. There were many friendly shouts of good-bye when I left. Modern technology can help in many ways 🙂