Sunday 12 June 2011

Turquoise coast

The Turquoise coast, commonly known as the Turkish Riviera, is located on the coast of south west Turkey and lives up to its name. The waters are varying shades of blue and crystal clear. The coastline around Oludeniz is extremely dramatic where tall cliffs plunge into the Aegean Sea. It is very popular with para-gliders who start their journey from Babadağ (a mountain nearly 2000m above sea level) and end it on the beaches of Oludeniz. Oludeniz is also the perfect launch pad for day trips to the neighbouring islands and nearby beaches. Below are just a selection of the many photos taken during a week on the Turquoise coast.




















Friday 27 May 2011

Intense Istanbul

From the architectural beauty of the Blue Mosque to the sound of the calls to prayer and the smell of the narghile (hubbly bubbly, hookah) being smoked, Istanbul is an assault on the senses. The highlights of our visit to Istanbul would have to be the Grand Bazaar, Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace and the Spice Bazaar.  The Grand Bazaar is an endless maze of crockery, lamps, jewellery, leather and carpets whereas the Spice Bazaar sells anything from pistachio nougat to Iranian saffron.  Hagia Sophia was completed in 537 AD and has gone from being a church to a mosque to a museum.  The interior is vast and it is humbling to stand inside a building that is nearly 1,500 years old. Topkapi Palace used to be the home of the Ottoman Sultans and is now a museum, of which the harem is the most interesting part.



 The Blue Mosque
Canon EOS 7D
Lens: Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM
ISO 100
Aperture: f/10
Shutter Speed:1/125


 Carpets and Cushions
Canon EOS 7D
Lens: Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM
ISO 200
Aperture: f/3.55
Shutter Speed:1/125


Teas and Spices
Canon EOS 7D
Lens: Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM
ISO 400
Aperture: f/4.0
Shutter Speed:1/60


 Shoes for Sale
Canon EOS 7D
Lens: Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM
ISO 500
Aperture: f/2.8
Shutter Speed:1/60


Lamps in the Grand Bazaar
Canon EOS 7D
Lens: Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM
ISO 250
Aperture: f/3.2
Shutter Speed:1/100


 Colourful bowls
Canon EOS 7D
Lens: Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM
ISO 250
Aperture: f/3.2
Shutter Speed:1/100 


 Fresh fish in Karakoy Fish Market
Canon EOS 7D
Lens: Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM
ISO 100
Aperture: f/4.5
Shutter Speed:1/200


 View of Beyoğlu
Canon EOS 7D
Lens: Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM
ISO 100
Aperture: f/7.1
Shutter Speed:1/500


Interior of Hagia Sophia
Canon EOS 7D
Lens: Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM
ISO 800
Aperture: f/4.5
Shutter Speed:1/40


Hagia Sophia at Dusk
Canon EOS 7D
Lens: Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM
ISO 100
Aperture: f/11
Shutter Speed: 2 s


Tuesday 14 December 2010

Wildlife of Africa

As mentioned in my previous post I went back to South Africa for a two week break and during that time I spent a wonderful week with my folks on the northern coast of Kwazulu-Natal.  We stayed at Cape Vidal which is situated in the southern part of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park (formerly known as the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park).  It was somewhere we used to visit when I was younger and has a special place in my heart.  I hadn't been there in about 8 years, so quite a lot has changed.  All the horrible exotic plantations have been removed and the natural vegetation is slowly but surely reclaiming the land.  The animal numbers have increased exponentially and we saw so much on the drives we took through the park.  Below are some of the big and scary's that we saw.

Buffalo
Canon EOS 7D
Lens: Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS
ISO 320
Aperture: f/7.1
Shutter Speed:1/400


Waterbuck
Canon EOS 7D
Lens: Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS
ISO 500
Aperture: f/5.6
Shutter Speed:1/250


Vervet Monkeys
Canon EOS 7D
Lens: Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS
ISO 200
Aperture: f/5.6
Shutter Speed:1/100


Burchell's Zebra
Canon EOS 7D
Lens: Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS
ISO 200
Aperture: f/8.0
Shutter Speed:1/500

 
Greater Crested Terns
Canon EOS 7D
Lens: Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS
ISO 100
Aperture: f/8.0
Shutter Speed:1/500


Kudu Cow
Canon EOS 7D
Lens: Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS
ISO 200
Aperture: f/7.1
Shutter Speed:1/400


Nile Crocodile
Canon EOS 7D
Lens: Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS
ISO 200
Aperture: f/5.6
Shutter Speed:1/250


Samango Monkey
Canon EOS 7D
Lens: Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS
ISO 200
Aperture: f/5.6
Shutter Speed:1/50


Ghost Crab
Canon EOS 7D
Lens: Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM
ISO 100
Aperture: f/5.0
Shutter Speed:1/250


Grooming Vervet
Canon EOS 7D
Lens: Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS
ISO 200
Aperture: f/5.6
Shutter Speed:1/160

Friday 26 November 2010

It's raining cats and dogs

Well I have just got back from a trip home to South Africa to visit family and friends and had a fantastic time.  It was so good to spend some quality time with my folks too - we spent a lovely week on the northern coast of KwaZulu-Natal (pictures to follow shortly).  It also happened that both my parents and a very good friend of mine acquired new additions to the family.  Both had recently lost pets and the ones left behind were feeling very lost and lonely.  So my friend got Beetlejuice to keep Djibouti company and my parents got Buddy to keep Tsotsi company.  Both Tsotsi and Djibouti have accepted the new additions and are back to their old selves.  So my timing was perfect and I got to appreciate Beetlejuice and Buddy at their cutest.  Below are a few photos of Buddy, Beetlejuice, Tsotsi and Djibouti.  The last picture is of Max, my niece's dog (he is always so happy to see me).  One day I will have pets all of my own...


Buddy
Canon EOS 7D
Lens: Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS
ISO 200
Aperture: f/5.0
Shutter Speed:1/125


 Buddy
Canon EOS 7D
Lens: Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS
ISO 640
Aperture: f/5.6
Shutter Speed:1/100


 Buddy
Canon EOS 7D
Lens: Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM
ISO 400
Aperture: f/5.6
Shutter Speed:1/160


 Beetlejuice
Canon EOS 7D
Lens: Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM
ISO 400
Aperture: f/3.2
Shutter Speed:1/125


Beetlejuice
Canon EOS 7D
Lens: Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM
ISO 400
Aperture: f/3.5
Shutter Speed:1/125


Beetlejuice
Canon EOS 7D
Lens: Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM
ISO 400
Aperture: f/3.2
Shutter Speed:1/125


 Tsotsi
Canon EOS 7D
Lens: Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS
ISO 200
Aperture: f/5.6
Shutter Speed:1/125


Tsotsi
Canon EOS 7D
Lens: Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS
ISO 100
Aperture: f/5.6
Shutter Speed:1/60


 Djibouti
Canon EOS 7D
Lens: Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM
ISO 200
Aperture: f/5.6
Shutter Speed:1/200


 Djibouti
Canon EOS 7D
Lens: Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM
ISO 250
Aperture: f/8.0
Shutter Speed:1/500


 Max
Canon EOS 7D
Lens: Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM
ISO 100
Aperture: f/5.6
Shutter Speed:1/125


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