Breathtaking Taj

There's moments in life when you see something beautiful and your breath is completely taken away. Walking through the massive arched gateway of the Taj complex and seeing the Taj Mahal in all its glory was one of those moments for me.

Serenity

Another snap from that calm, beautiful morning in Velddrif. Not sure who owns this small fishing boat, but I thought I would do a little advertising for him since he so eagerly wants to sell it... just jokes!!!

Gentle Reflections

A beautiful, calm morning in Velddrif along the banks of the Berg river mouth. The colours were absolutely splendid on this particular morning, but more than this there wasn't a single breath of wind, adding to the beautiful reflections on the water. 

Simple But Elegent

Driving along some bumpy backroad close to Paternoster one can't help but notice this wind farm blowing high on the horizon. I loved the elegance and simplicity of these wind turbines in contrast to the ruggedness of the foreground, along with the beautifully contrasted colours.

Gentle Tides

I captured this beautiful sunset on the West Coast in the little fishing town of Velddrif. This old and broken peer made the perfect subject to match such a stunning backdrop.

Entrapment

Another shot from my walk around Kirstenbosch Gardens, Cape Town. A dead bee trapped in a spiders web.
I love all the small, but fascinating finds in these beautiful gardens.

History in the Arderne Gardens

Wondering around Claremont this weekend I stumbled upon the Arderne Gardens. These beautiful gardens date back to 1845, and have some magnificent old trees, as well as beautiful ponds and bridges. You can check out their website at: http://www.ardernegardens.org.za

Simon's Town Lights Come Alive

From this fantastic vantage point the lights of Simon's Town come alive under a beautiful setting sky. Thank you Konrad Clifton for showing me this great spot.

Sensational Succulent

Not my usual style of photography... but since I've been trying my hand at a little bit of macro I thought I'd share this one. There's nothing amazing about this plant, or this shot, but somehow I find this picture very relaxing to look at. Beautiful in its simplicity.

Gazing Over The Mother City

A quick snap on the way down Lion's Head at sunset this weekend. It's such an incredible view from up there. You literally get a full panoramic view of Cape Town city. Just another reason why I love this city.

Cape Town In Flames

Since moving to Cape Town at the end of January it has been very tempting to share pictures of Table Mountain. On the worst of days this oversized rock outcrop is still able to produce beauty, but I decided to hold back in hope of something special. Two evenings ago the mountain came alive, and I was lucky enough to be there for that magic moment.

Surfing 'til the Sunset

This was a beautiful evening watching the kite and wind surfers against such a stunning backdrop. I really don't know how these guys survive in the icy Atlantic water.

A Storm Is Coming

This was a beautiful but rare sight watching a storm approach in the Karoo desert.

On the Road Home

There are two advantages to getting out on the road early to take photographs. No.1 is you get to see beautiful sunrises like this. No.2 is you don’t get squashed by oncoming traffic when taking a shot in the middle of the highway. Pro tip wink emoticon

Karoo Storm

One place I'd really like to spend more time exploring is the Karoo. On a quick trip through it I was lucky enough to catch such a dramatic, stormy sky, especially considering it is a place that doesn't get a whole lot of rain.

The Bond Between Father and Son

In all the places I visited in India it was fascinating to see the strong nurturing role fathers had with their children (both boys and girls). So many times I saw fathers playing with their kids on the streets, or, like in this photo, fathers teaching their trade to their sons.

Crazy Eyes

One of my favourite portraits from India. I love this picture in all its beauty and ugliness. This lady had so much character with her beautiful bright clothing and jewellery. She has these crazy eyes, crooked nose and bright yellow teeth, and her grinning, awkward smile brings it all together to make such a stunning portrait. 

The "Blue City"

Jodhpur is nicknamed the "blue city" because of the many blue houses that lie at the foot of the Mehrangarh Fort. Originally these houses differentiated the Brahmin people from the all the other casts of Jodhpur, but after a while everyone else got in on the act and started to paint their houses as well, resulting in a sea of beautiful blue shades.

Indian Festivities

India has this vibrancy about it unlike any country I have visited. Maybe it's got to do with all its religious festivities that bring about the rich colour and culture. But with all the brightly coloured clothes and smiles this nation is definitely a feast for the eyes.

Topsy-Turvy Taj

I took so many pictures of the Taj Mahal when I was in Agra that I actually got bored looking at all of them when I put them on my computer. Hence the reason I shook things up a bit and turned this one upside down.

I was very lucky, and prepared, to get this shot. If you notice carefully... there's no one else in the photo. If you've ever been to the Taj Mahal you'll know that to get a photo of it with no one in it is almost impossible. Everyday there are thousands of people that visit the monument, but not all of those thousands arrive at 5:00 AM in order to get there first. Of course there were others who tried to be there first... but I beat them! But even from the entrance to where I took the shot it was about a 500 metre distance, so it was a bit of a sprint to get there before the others. A little out of breath, and sweating profusely from the crazy Indian heat (yes... even that early in the morning) I was able to get there before the swarms covered the symmetrical walkways.