south africa – Page 132 – Christian Sperka Photography

2015-10-12

A picture of two big guys :-)

Well, in this picture I am with Thulani, one of Thanda’s largest Elephant bulls. I came to watch him at the Thanda Safari Lodge, having a drink at the waterhole. He was in musth when this picture was taken. During musth he needs a lot of additional water as he looses a lot of liquids to get rid of his excess testosterone (up to sixty times higher than normal levels). Because he is an old and experienced bull he does not get very agitated during this period. As Elephant ladies like the older and the bigger guys he has nothing to worry about!.

In comparison to his weight of approximately six tons, I could be considered a light weight 🙂

Have a good week!

2015-10-09

New Online Galleries & How to Buy a Print

Recently, quite a few people have asked me how to see more of my images and how to buy some of them as prints on paper or canvas. (For their personal use at home – not for commercial use, retail or publication).

I have created new online galleries with many of my images for review and selection.(https://sperka.info/pictures)

It is not easy to ship anything from South Africa to anywhere else in the world. So, I have come up with a simpler way to do this. You can now buy a digital download of any of my images and have the print produced locally.

And here is how it works:
– Pick your image(s) and send the picture code(s) via email to info@sperka.com (just click on the image and the code will appear above or below the image)
– A download license for a single image (except Limited Series Images) cost 50 US Dollars. Please ask for the rebate structure in case you want to get more than one image.
– I will send you an invoice, which you can pay with PayPal or you can transfer the money to one of my accounts (USA/Germany/Switzerland/South Africa).
– Once the payment is made I will send you a download link to a high-resolution file of the images, which you can then use to have it printed locally in any way you like, and you can also use it as wallpaper on your phone(s) or computer(s). Please do not use it commercially, publish it on social media or forward it to third parties.

Please note: This license does NOT allow re-selling, sharing with third parties or publishing [LIMITED SERIES IMAGES ARE NOT FOR SALE UNDER THIS LICENSE]

2015-10-042015-10-04

Symbiosis

An Impala and a Red-billed Oxpecker – An example for a mutualistic symbiosis, a relationship beneficial to two interacting species.

2015-10-01

Two professions

In August Bruno Fert, a well-known professional photographer from France, stayed at Thanda Private Game Reserve. Together with travel journalist Emmanuelle Eyles, he was working on material for stories about South Africa. Thanda was one of their subjects.

During his stay my tracker Bheki Ngubane and I were guiding them. Bruno was very kind and took some portraits of Bheki and of myself. I like them very much. They show me in both of my current professions, as field guide and as wildlife photographer. Thanks a lot Bruno!

2015-09-29

Heads up – Just for fun!

I usually do not manipulate my images except to ‘restore’ them to what I recall as the best representation of what I actually saw. This normally includes the adjustment of color, brightness, contrast, sharpness and some minor cloning and makeup work.

This picture is an exception. It is a merger of four images of a female Giraffe raising her head after she was finished drinking. An interesting study 🙂

2015-09-242015-09-24

South Africa’s Heritage Day

Today South Africa celebrates Heritage Day to commemorate the heritage of the many cultures that make up the population of South Africa. In the region where I live we especially celebrate the culture of Zulu people, who have inhabited this region for hundreds of years.

The Zulu were originally a major clan of Nguni decent, in what is today Northern KwaZulu-Natal, founded around 1700. In the Nguni languages Zulu means heaven. Nguni communities had migrated down Africa’s east coast over centuries, probably arriving in Southern Africa in about the 9th century.

The Zulu formed a powerful state and empire after King Shaka Zulu became their leader in 1816. They conquered large parts of Southern Africa using their superior military skills and tactics to subdue many other nations. They were defeated by the British in July 1879 but retain their identity with a King as their leader until this day. The Zulu Kingdom still exists under the traditional leadership clause of the South African constitution.

Thanda Private Game Reserve, my employer in South Africa, has 180 employees, of which more than 90% come from the local rural Zulu communities surrounding the Reserve.

This portrait shows one of the young ladies working on Thanda. Her name is Khethiwe Sphesihle Jiyane from the Magolwane clan. The gallery below shows a few more images of people in Zululand, which I took over the last three years.

Two Zulu ladies in a friendly argument

A dance at dinner

The bride approaching the groom’s homestead

Starting early …

Starting even earlier …

Up to no good 🙂 – little rascals

All dressed up

A wedding guest

Hugging the camera

Modern tradition 🙂

The bride and groom dancing at a traditional Zulu wedding

Now and then

Mamas

Young dancers

Going strong

A Sangoma and her apprentice

School boys singing about the need to conserve the Rhinos

They love the camera

Drums and Tradition

Let’s taste that Zulu beer

2015-09-23

A great day between two important days!

Yesterday was World Rhino Day, tomorrow is South African Heritage Day.

Well, today was the day when I got my work permit renewal for South Africa approved.

It took almost eleven month to accomplish this 🙂

So, I will be able to live and work for another five years in my favorite country. Now I am able to travel again and I am planning a trip to Europe before the end of the year and a trip to the USA in 2016.

Thanks South Africa and thanks to everyone that helped me getting this done!

2015-09-222015-09-21

Help!

WORLD RHINO DAY 2015

Support the fight for the survival of these magnificent creatures! ‪

In South Africa alone over 700 Rhinos were killed this year, that is almost three for every day …….

#worldrhinoday #savetherhino

2015-09-14

Tiny +

The picture of the tiny little Ostrich was so popular that I decided to share some more of the images I took of the two new-born chicks and their parents on Saturday and Sunday at Pakamisa Private Game Reserve.

Enjoy them!

2015-09-052015-09-05

A ‘cool’ snake!

Sal (on Facebook) was the first to get the correct answer. We found this Puff Adder at Thanda House under a stack of fire wood. Due to the cold temperature it was very slow and did not react at all when Letishia took a piece of wood from the pile and discovered the snake.

I captured it and relocated it this morning away from Thanda House. After the release it took a few minutes before this incredibly camouflaged sake moved into the undergrowth.

Puff Adders are one of the most dangerous snakes in Africa. They have a very potent cytotoxic venom and are one of the fastest-striking snakes on earth. Due to the relatively low temperatures at this time of the year this specimen showed no aggression and could be handled quite easily.

This series of pictures were taken by Warren Beets (Thanda Reserve Manager) and myself during the release operation. Thanks Warren!

Well hidden!

This picture shows me transferring the Puff Adder from the transport barrel to nice spot on the ground (near some undergrowth).

Placing it on the ground

Just in front of my GoPro camera

This is the release from the GoPro angle

And then the snake disappeared into the bush