I was standing outside a house in Northcliff last week, chatting with friends, when I glanced up at the sky. The clouds were especially dazzling, even by Joburg standards. I was struck by the way they contrasted with the house’s tile roof and skylight.
Two months ago I would have admired the clouds for a moment, perhaps pointed them out to a friend, and promptly forgotten them. But this time, I pulled out my iPad and took an Instagram.
Northcliff clouds at sunset.
I didn’t have my DSLR with me at the time. Toting a big camera around Joburg is just not feasible on a regular basis. An iPad, on the other hand, is much more feasible. (An iPhone or Samsung Galaxy would be even better. I need to get my hands on a photo-friendly phone, and soon.)
Since discovering Instagram, I see pictures everywhere. I love that feeling.
I have a lot to learn about mobile phone photography, but I’m excited to have found it. And I’m especially excited (stupidly excited, in fact) that one of my Instagram photos will be in an exhibition tomorrow. The exhibition is sponsored by IgersJozi (the Jozi Instagrammers) and will feature mobile phone photos (iPad photos, in my case) from about 50 Joburg photographers.
The exhibition is at AREA3 in Maboneng. There are a million things happening in Maboneng tomorrow evening (when aren’t there a million things happening in Maboneng?), so if you live in Jozi you should come on down. There will be many amazing photos on display, all illustrating the beauty and creativity of the city.
Here is the photo of mine that was selected:
All of the exhibition photos will be available for purchase. I suppose it would be cool if someone bought mine, although I kinda hope no one does. Then I can keep it for myself.
(Okay, I don’t really mean that. But that’s what I’ll tell myself if no one buys the pic. Also, if anyone asks, I’m going to say that I shot the building slightly crooked on purpose. Because straight horizons are not part of my artistic vision.)
Hope to see you there.
How have I never blogged about 44 Stanley Avenue, the coolest shopping and dining complex in Joburg, which is only five minutes from my house?
I guess it’s wrong to say I’ve never blogged about 44 Stanley; I’ve mentioned it countless times over the years (see here and here) when writing about specific restaurants or shops that are there. But I’ve never written a dedicated post about 44 Stanley as a destination and it’s about time I did – especially now, with the holidays upon us.
I’ve been dreadfully uninspired lately, struggling to think of anything I want to blog about despite having a long list of great ideas (many of which you, my readers, provided in September). I’m finding it hard to feel positive about life at the moment. But on Saturday Thorsten and I got the chance to visit Indwe Park, an indigenous garden and sculpture park in Braamfontein, and I knew I had my topic for today.
Given this week’s political nuclear bomb blast, it feels like a weird time to publish a light-hearted post about my recent (pre-election) jaunt through the United States. But I’m hoping you’ve have had enough of the U.S. election horror show – I know I have – and are ready (at least temporarily) for some wholesome American travel adventures. If so, please read on about my four-day visit to Maine, the northeastern-most state in the lower 48, with my sister, Susanna.
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It makes me smile, when I see it.