Here is another one of the long exposures I took while down at Shell Beach last week. I love how a long exposure gives a photo life and really brings a cool dynamic into a photo if used correctly. I hung around on the beach for quite some time to find the right spot and wait for the light to be just right, it always pays off to be patient.
I recently took a trip down to the South Coast on the Eastern side of Southern Africa to the ever warm Indian Ocean. It’s beautiful down there, tropical and pretty much warm all year round! We spent a couple days in Durban and then headed further south for 2 nights where we stayed at my paren’t vacation spot in a little town called, “Shelly Beach”. I shot these photos down on the beach front, the light was perfect…
The downtown area of Kimberley is quite small, no tall sky scrapers or anything like that. It does have something in common with most large downtown areas such as that of Johannesburg and Cape Town, Street Kids. They walk the streets at night looking for a fix, whatever drugs they can find to help them through their lives. No parents and no home to go to, they sleep pretty much where ever they can. We came acoss this kid that asked the security guard at the Post Office is he could sleep right there on the stairs. She said she felt sorry for him so she gave him a piece of bread which you can see in the photos. I have no idea how old this kid is but he had Tattoos on his leg and another guard told us that this kid had been into some of the heaviest drugs the night before… Apparently he ran away from home and then ran away from the ‘safe haven’ as well, left to lurk the streets of Kimberley, steeling stuff to sell for drugs. Quite a sad story.
I just got back to Johannesburg after spending a fun long weekend in the town of Kimberley, South Africa. It’s a strange little town with a very diverse population, including 1 lone American… “Mike”, or as most people would call him, “Chinner”. Mike has been living out there since early last year and runs the Maloof Money Cup skate park while seeking shade from that African sun. If you ever get the time to head out there, you’ll find Mike at the Maloof Skate Plaza, towering over all the kids, and their parents for that matter! If he’s not busy with some contest or hanging out with the kids, he’s probably on his board, his uber wide board, perfect for the 7 foot tall man. Here are some photos I shot with Chinner enjoying his board.
I was driving out in the middle of nowhere, close to a town called Nigel here in South Africa… I was actually trying to meet up with some people but got lost along the way and stumbled across this little scene. Pulled my car up and spoke to the man and tried to understand his broken english… He agreed to let me shoot some photos and even called his dog over to get involved! I shot these photos, gave the man a candy treat and was on my way. I love how Africa has these strange things goin on in the most un-suspecting places, all you gotta do is get off the main roads and get yourself lost.
I got to meet Tommy at the first Maloof Money Cup that was held in South Africa in 2011 and where he took second place. The crowd loved him cause he is originally from South Africa and now living in Australia. Tommy has one of the raddest styles and he’s a seriously nice guy. I got to shoot this portrait of him at the most recent Maloof Money Cup in Kimberley, South Africa. This was the last night of the event before everyone headed home. Keep it up Tommy!
I shot some photos of these 2 having fun on the Mini Mega Ramp while at the Maloof Money Cup in Kimberley South Africa this year. Fun watching the guys step away from the seriousness of the contest to have some fun and laughs and mess around on the stuff they actually wouldn’t be skating on during the contest.
Being a photographer at the Maloof Money Cup is definitely a great experience, watching the pros skate and getting to shoot photos with them is such a pleasure! I spent more time this year hanging out with the guys and gettin to know them a little better. It seriously helps for the photography side of things and you are no longer just some random guy shooting photos. I took Braydon and Garrett to see the Lions at a sanctuary just outside of Kimberley… All the animals on this farm were pretty much rescued from being hunted. There are many ‘canned’ Lion Hunting farms around Kimberley, it’s absolutely disgusting on every level. I was really stoked to take these guys to this farm and see that there are still people trying to do some kind of good out there. Braydon was definitely not too sure about being in the cage with the Lions, as you can see… Garrett didn’t mind it too much! Braydon did teach a small Bat Eared Fox about Ozzy Osbourne though…
It was definitely a privelage to meet and hang out with Braydon at the recent Maloof Money Cup here in South Africa. Nice to see a pro-skater that get’s involved with everything that’s goin on with the locals. I think my favorite memory was walking across from our hotel to the campsite late one night to see what was goin on. There were kids everywhere, just goin crazy! We walked to the back of the campsite where some locals had formed a huge cirlce around some burning tyres! The scene was insaen and I’m sorry now that I never took my camera with me. Kids were standing around the tyres as the smoke bellowed into the skies above and some other brave dudes started jumping over the tyres, through the flames! Once the locals realised that Braydon was there, they went comepletely nuts! Once again, so cool to see a famous guy just hangin out and getting the locals stoked! Braydon even joined the craziness and jumped through the towering flames and thick black smoke which got the locals goin even more! Here are a couple portraits I shot with Braydon during some “free time” away from the skating and all the craziness.
Life is the strangest thing known to man. No one knows why it exists or why we have it, for centuries and centuries cultures have come up with ideas to settle our minds with all kinds of religions and reasons for everything, giving us meaning here on earth and places to go after we die. My truth is is that no one has ever died and come back to us to tell a story and validate any religion or after-life place. I like to think that good things happen to good people. JP was a great guy and you didn’t even have to know him all that well to see it. People loved this guy and he radiated energy in a way that I can only dream of. My heart goes out to those that have lost a dear friend and the families that have lost a brother, son, cousin, nephew or whatever he might have been. Rest in peace JP, I know your memory shall be cherrished by all and your life an example to those who wish to live as freely as you did.
