Roho Ya Chui
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How Wildlife Photography can Benefit from Ansel Adams
30/04/13 08:36 Filed in: Wildlife Photography Courses | Photography & Art
Outstanding contrast and clarity are attributes connected to Ansel Adam’s photography. It characterized his work from the very beginning, although at this time the “Pictoralism” method was popular. And isn’t it contrast that fascinates us in photography, literarily as light contrast and as “contrast subjects”?
Wildlife photography courses can use Ansel Adams’ work to teach seeing and photographing contrast in nature, even in a rock, like he did. On a photographic safari with wildlife photography course or team building photographic safari people often struggle to photograph “rock like” animals like rhinos and elephants. Their body shape and skin color make it not easy to get good photographs, photographs with contrast, depth and a well proportioned body. From Ansel Adams wildlife photographers can learn what angle to use and with which light to photograph to get a nice photograph. Only look at his pictures from Yosemite, the monolith or El Capitan (photograph below). He was a master in creating depth in something big and bulky with an even color.
By studying his work, wildlife photography can improve and rhinos, elephants and thought boring landscapes become fascinating mesmerizing photographs. Try it with simple things at home that resist to be photographed nicely and then take it to wildlife photography.
Learn and benefit from a master. Happy snapping!
Ute Sonnenberg for www.rohoyachui.com
How Wildlife Photographers can Learn from Diane Arbus
29/04/13 12:17 Filed in: Wildlife Photography Courses
Diane Arbus’ name is often associated with photographs of the strange and abnormal. And this approach of hers is the learning point for photographers in general and wildlife photographers in particular. Watch out for the “strange and abnormal”. For wildlife photography courses in the Masai Mara, photographic safaris and team building photographic safaris in South Africa and activities at all other safari destinations does that mean that you should train your eye in scanning the surroundings when driving on a game vehicle.
One often wonders how the ranger could see that animal in the tree or in the deep grass, but his/her eye is trained to see what is not supposed to be there, the strange and the abnormal. That can be a movement, a color or an object that breaks the pattern of the grass and well, the animal is spotted.
The same principle applies to wildlife photography (and any other photography). When you are on a game drive and you think the light is dull and there is nothing to see, start searching for the abnormal and strange. Your eye will adjust to this mode, which is comparable to the eye test one has to do at the eye doctor where you look at a picture with often dots in different colors and by changing the way you look at it you see different objects in it. Do the same when you look out over the Great Plains of the Masai Mara and start seeing things like contrast in grass going over in different colors of the horizon or patterns on the road or in the clouds and animals you did not notice before.
Try it and by looking out for the abnormal you will suddenly find wonderful subjects for your photography, even when you think there is nothing.
Happy watching!
Ute Sonnenberg for www.rohoyachui.com
ePhoto Book: Grace
28/04/13 00:43 Filed in: Photography & Art
The Atlantic coast in France is rough, beautiful and elegant. Deauville is the favorite weekend escape of the le chic of Paris. They enjoy relaxing at the beach, shopping in the exclusive stores and the horse races with lots of money involved.
Get a glimpse of this world so different from photographic safaris, or well it is a photographic experience of its own.
Enjoy Grace.
Ute Sonnenberg for www.rohoyachui.com
On Photo Safari: Mind the Weather
27/04/13 11:18 Filed in: Phographic Safari Tips
The best photographic safari experiences are game drives on open 4x4 jeeps. They give the ultimate feeling of the surroundings and for wildlife photography courses can’t be better moments than a leopard passing the vehicle just a few meters from you.
But you should mind the weather when using open vehicles. Be prepared, even if you expect sun. It can get very hot and if there is no roof, you will need a sunhat to avoid sunstroke. Expect changing conditions throughout the day. Dress in layers to respond to changing temperatures and have always a light rain/wind jacket to suit both, wind and rain.
When going on photographic safaris in South Africa, Botswana and Namibia be aware that it can be really cold in winter, at least in the morning and in the evening. You will need gloves and a warm hat while you are on the open vehicle exposed to the cold air.
During team building photo safaris at the Ngorongoro Crater we experienced often very surprised guests, because they didn’t think it can be that cold there. The Ngorongoro Crater rim is at an elevation of about 2,300 meters and in winter really challenging cold with the wind that comes with it, although the warm midday part makes one forget how it will be in the evening.
Be conscious of that when packing. The main rule is bringing something for all weather types and dress in layers. The essence of the weather is that it can change constantly during one day.
Enjoy the great experience an open vehicle offers and be prepared to feel comfortable throughout at all times.
Ute Sonnenberg for www.rohoyachui.com
Photographic Safari Destination Okavango Delta
26/04/13 18:32 Filed in: Photographic safari destination
“The Okavango Delta (or Okavango Swamp), in Botswana, is a large inland delta, formed where the Okavango River reaches a tectonic trough in the central part of the endorheic basin of the Kalahari. All the water reaching the Delta is ultimately evaporated and transpired, and does not flow into any sea or ocean. Each year approximately 11 cubic kilometres of water spread over the 6,000-15,000 km² area.” (Wikipedia)
These are the dry facts of an amazing photographic safari destination with the most beautiful light one can wish for a wildlife photography course or just to watch and snap. The Okavango Delta’s best places cannot be reached by car, because they are surrounded by water for most of the time. The combination of water with bush gives the Okavango Delta a very own magic. One has game drives by 4x4 jeep and game drives by canoe or boat. Both open a very own beautiful world of nature with plenty of wildlife and especially birds.
There are also self-drive safaris possible, but they are limited to the accessible areas and these do vary during the year, depending on the water level. The best thing to do are fly in safaris. They provide access to all areas and one can move quickly between the camps. For team building photo safaris it is nice to include water activities that request team effort. Water game drives can be done with electrical powered eco-boats or mokoros, the local canoes.
The best time to visit is from June to November with regards to accessibility, but anytime of the year is great in the delta with beautiful light and great wildlife sightings.
Check it out!
Ute Sonnenberg for www.rohoyachui.com
How Businesses Benefit from Team Building Photo Safaris
25/04/13 09:58 Filed in: Team Building
What was your last team building? Most likely some kind of activity that provides fun and lets the team do something together like bowling or other sports activities. What were the benefits of the team building? Most likely you learned something about your colleague, learned to do things together with people you thought you don’t like that much, but they turned out to be nice. Did anything-significant change after the team building when you all were back in the office? Hopefully it did, that’s the purpose, but for how long did the benefits last?
Well, team building photo safaris are not the first thing your boss thinks of when you work in lets say New York and the bush is a very long flight and big travel costs away. Yet, it’s worth to consider doing one. Not only will the team members love the idea of going on safari, they will feel much rewarded and stimulated for greater goals. And there are more benefits.
A photographic safari environment in combination with wildlife photography works like a Silicon Valley incubator with regards to anything you want to achieve with the team. A few days on team building in the bush do more than weekly training sessions at the office for 6 months. Any process is accelerated by the environment and visualized through photography, ready to take home and to benefit from it forever.
And there need to be no worries about the photography part. Neither technical knowledge nor big camera equipment are needed. The team building has the structure of a wildlife photography course and photography tuition is provided when needed.
Interested? Think about it.
Ute Sonnenberg for www.rohoyachui.com
How Wildlife Photography can be Pulitzer Winning
24/04/13 16:17 Filed in: Wildlife Photography Courses | Photography & Art
Do you remember any wildlife photograph winning a Pulitzer Prize? I don’t. The Pulitzer Prizes honor excellence in journalism and the arts including photography, but photography as part of photojournalism. Images from photographic safaris or wildlife photography courses are not the ones that win the prize unless the safari becomes news or wildlife conservation is the subject. And the last is actually a very interesting thought to follow.
It will need more than a photographic safari to the Masai Mara to make a documentary about conservation. One needs to do already a lot of pre-production work to understand the topic, read a lot, talk to people in conservation and focus on one specific issue to deepen it out in a photo documentary. This will be the base for the photographic safari to capture the images and to tell the story of this specific problem or success.
Practicing this kind of wildlife photography documentaries in wildlife photography courses can be very nice, inspiring and may lead one day to a Pulitzer Prize. Even team building photo safaris can benefit from this approach, although there will most likely not the prize be the goal. Anyhow, never think never. Powerful wildlife photography telling a powerful story can have the potential to be Pulitzer Prize winning, although it will have to compete with what happens elsewhere in the world. It’s worth thinking about it and one can also start small, growing towards bigger prizes.
Happy snapping and growing!
Ute Sonnenberg for www.rohoyachui.com
How Steve McCurry's Photography can be Part of Wildlife Photography Courses
23/04/13 11:36 Filed in: Wildlife Photography Courses
Steve McCurry is well known and often awarded for his powerful documentary photography from conflict areas all over the world, like for example the famous photograph of an Afghan girl below.
McCurry has often said that he tries to immerse himself into the culture of the location he is visiting, and rather than immediately head out with his camera, he prefers to watch and wait, saying “If you wait, people will forget your camera and the soul will drift up into view.” (via Phoblographer)
And this is exactly what makes the difference in photography, also in wildlife photography, wait and watch. On photographic safaris, during team building photo safaris and during wildlife photography courses in the Masai Mara, Serengeti, Kruger National Park, the Okavango Delta and elsewhere, this very same principle applies. When we are out on a wildlife photography course the probably most important lesson is to practice patience and not try to force anything. There are people who call the animals from the vehicle or make noises or some even google lion roaring on their iPad to play it at the lion sighting to make the lion do something. They found it to boring just sitting and waiting. By doing any of these, the animals will not show their soul, they will not trust and do their natural thing and the photographer will not get the powerful images he/she is wanting. Only when spending time with the animals they begin to relax and do their normal thing, trust is built and by just being with them the greatest photographic opportunities emerge. The wildlife photographer got to tune into the environment, just like Steve McCurry does on other locations and wait, giving the animals the space to be and show how beautiful they are.
Try it at home with cats and dogs. They will appreciate it and you will get great pictures.
Ute Sonnenberg for www.rohoyachui.com
How Wildlife Photographers can Learn from William Eggleston
22/04/13 10:43 Filed in: Photography & Art | Photographic Safari Tips
“I was in Oxford, Mississippi for a few days and I was driving out to Holly Springs on a back road, stopping here and there. It was the time of year when the landscape wasn't yet green. I left the car and walked into the dead leaves off the road. It was one of those occasions when there was no picture there. It seemed like nothing, but of course there was something for someone out there. I started forcing myself to take pictures of the earth, where it had been eroded thirty or forty feet from the road. There were a few weeds. I began to realize that soon I was taking some pretty good pictures, so I went further into the woods and up a little hill, and got well into an entire roll of film.” (from a conversation of William Eggleston with Mark Holborn, afterward from The Democratic Forest)
This might sound familiar for wildlife photographers, being on a photographic safari or wildlife photography course lets say in the Masai Mara in Kenya, driving the entire morning over the Great Plains and seeing “nothing”. As Eggleston’s story tells, there is always something to photograph, one only needs to start seeing. And well, we are probably sometimes a bit spoilt, expecting the perfect light on incredible wildlife interaction right in front of us and yes, that happens, but there is so much more to see and photograph by just starting seeing. There is landscape, there are beetles, leaves, flowers, grass, soil, rocks, roads and so much more and not only in the bush, start looking out for it in your own garden and hometown. Do not wait for the obvious great shot, start seeing the great photograph in everything and a whole new world will open to a new dimension in photography. Sounds a bit vague? Try it and see the results. During our team building photo safaris we often experience the most amazing surprises when people who never thought of themselves of being able to express something in photos come up with the most beautiful results and they also might have thought at one stage, that this all sounds a bit vague.
Go and try and be surprised by your photography.
Ute Sonnenberg for www.rohoyachui.com
ePhoto Book: Sense Essence
21/04/13 16:46 Filed in: Photography & Art
This ephoto book tells the story of a photographic safari to the Great Migration in the Masai Mara. The day we saw the crossing was a day of drama, you could feel it; it was in the air. The herds were nervous, zebra families calling for each other from both sides of the Mara River. It was a perfect day for a wildlife photography course, demanding for the photographer, yet rewarding at the end.
Enjoy the essence of this day. Click here to view and download.
Ute Sonnenberg for www.rohoyachui.com
On Photographic Safari: Traversing Rights
20/04/13 12:14 Filed in: Phographic Safari Tips
When you plan your photographic safari or team building photo safari to Kenya, Tanzania South Africa or Botswana be wise when you choose lodges and game reserves and not that much in regards how luxury they are, but in regards to the game drives.
When we went recently with a wildlife photography course to the Masai Mara in Kenya, we learned that we couldn’t go to all parts of the Masai Mara during the game drives without paying again the park fee of USD 80 per person per day. We had paid already the park fee, but we found out that this gave us access only to a part of the park, witch can be very annoying when you want to see certain areas, but you would have to pay again. The people from the camp told us that there were intentions of the national reserve authorities to change that, but it would still apply to us. So check that before you go and make sure you go to the interesting areas.
Even more annoying is it when you see a leopard going hunting and you cannot follow with the vehicle, because the leopard is crossing over to a different game reserve. This can be the situation in the Sabi Sand in Kruger National Park in South Africa. The Sabi Sand are part of the Greater Kruger National Park, but are all privately hold game reserves, also called private game reserves. This is actually very good, because you will have better sightings and only three vehicles at a cat sighting, what you don’t have in the national park, but there is also a downside. The private game reserves differ greatly in size and the small game reserves do not have enough land to guarantee good game drives lets say for a three nights photographic safari. For that reason the landowners negotiate traversing rights on each others land. But these traversing rights come with rules like you are only allowed to be on the land until 9 am and then again in the afternoon. But when the leopard hunts and it is 9:15 you will not be allowed to follow. Even worse is when the neighbor does not allow traversing and you have to stop at the border, hearing the leopard kill, but not seeing anything. These situations can occur in the northern and western Sabi Sand and they are really very annoying. For that reason look at the size of the private game reserve when you book your photographic safari to make sure you do not have to encounter these “border conflicts”. Choose a game reserve with plenty of land and a maximum of 6 people on the game vehicle and you will have an amazing experience. Maps of game areas are available online and you can ask your agent to advice.
Ready to go? Have fun!
Ute Sonnenberg for www.rohoyachui.com
Photographic Safari Destination Ngorongoro Crater
19/04/13 10:24 Filed in: Photo Safari | Photographic Safari Destinationafari
The Ngorongoro Crater is a place not to be missed when being on photographic safari in Tanzania. In 1979 the Ngorongoro Crater became a UNESCO World Heritage Site and offers breathtaking views from its rim and a great variety of wildlife living on the crater floor. The photographic safari game drives decent every day 620 meters (2,000 feet) into the crater to cruise the entire day on the crater floor. It would take too much time to go up to the lodge in between, so one stays in there for the day. But this is not difficult. The crater floor covers 260 square kilometers (100 square miles) and lots of wildlife lives there. It is an ideal place for wildlife photography courses and team building photo safaris with the opportunity to have picnic breakfast and lunch during the day game drive.
The best place to stay at the Ngorongoro Crater is in one of the three lodges at the rim. From there the view is just beautiful and completely mesmerizing. These lodges cost a bit more, but it’s worth it. I would recommend staying not longer than for 2 or 3 nights, unless you have a special interest in the area and its wildlife. It is very busy at the Ngorongoro Crater and off road driving is not allowed (because of the many vehicles). That means the animals can be far away and only big zoom lenses will allow good wildlife photography. But it’s definitely worth going there. It’s very impressing.
Dress warm. The elevation of the crater floor is about 1,800 meters (5,900 feet) and the crater rim about 2,400 meters. It can be very chilly and windy. Bring a fleece sweater!
Ready to go? Do, if you can.
Ute Sonnenberg for www.rohoyachui.com
Wildlife Paintings of Wildlife Photographs & vice versa
18/04/13 12:52 Filed in: Photography & Art
When wildlife painters like David Shepherd work on their paintings they use photographs to help them paint animals correctly and to recall certain moments and light. Many use photographs other people took on their photographic safaris and others go on photographic safari themselves. It would be interesting to have painters on wildlife photography courses to see how they work and how they use the camera as a tool. Do they photograph already compositions they paint later or do they capture mostly animals with the idea of being able to paint them correctly? Probably both, yet there could be inspiration from painters to photographers and the other way around.
But there are also photographers that recreate paintings in photographs like Richard Tuschman did with Edward Hopper’s paintings (image below).
What is more difficult, painting a photograph or recreating a painting with a photo? It might all boil down to the skills of the photographer and painter, but I cannot see how to recreate a Van Gogh with a photo or a Picasso. So I think its more difficult to create the photo.
Anyhow, it is a nice thing to try during a painting or photography course with lots of fun and probably funny results.
Try it? Have fun!
Ute Sonnenberg for www.rohoyachui.com
Wildlife Photography Storytelling
17/04/13 18:16 Filed in: Photo Safari | Photography & Art
Taking a picture is not just taking a picture. The picture tells the story of the moment and that applies to all pictures, the birthday party pictures, the family shots and the leopard photos from the photographic safari in South Africa.
Lets focus on the leopard for the moment. During our wildlife photography courses we try to see and photograph the Big 5 and choose the game reserves and National Parks accordingly. But still it can be hard to see leopards and that makes us going to the Sabi Sand in South Africa to make sure we see them.
You might have seen many leopard photographs and think they look quite similar with a leopard lying down in its typical majestic pose or lying on a tree branch and you might think they do not look much storytelling, but they do. It is not easy to photograph a leopard and capturing its entire beauty. The angle, the light, the look, all needs to be right to tell the story and often a leopard photo tells the story of a very lucky photographer, pressing the shutter at just the right moment. Even the blurred images and miss-composed ones are telling the story of the excitement of the moment and the difficult circumstances. Wildlife photography storytelling are not only the spectacular images of a kill or a chase. In every image is a story that makes us look at them.
Pressing the shutter is telling a story and makes photographers storytellers.
Happy storytelling!
Ute Sonnenberg for www.rohoyachui.com
Photographing Native Kenyans
17/04/13 18:14 Filed in: Photo Safari
There are beautiful photographs of Native Americans and various tribes from remote areas of the world that amaze us and inspire us to photograph them ourselves. But how does one do that without getting in trouble?
Let’s take the example of the Masai in Kenya. When you are on a photographic safari in the Masai Mara you will very likely have encounters with the local people and in this case with the Masai people. They live there and their cattle herds are roaming in the Mara, guarded by children. Now imagine a game drive vehicle with a wildlife photography course on it with all lenses pointing on the child. How must that feel? Most likely this feels very unpleasant for the child.
If the distance is big enough a photograph can be taken without disturbing and that is also in general a good solution for e.g. street photography. It worked in the past quite well until the Masai understood the people’s passion for photography and the money involved. Nowadays even when they see you from far pointing a camera on them they approach immediately, making clear that you have to pay to take a photo and you better do it or don’t take the photo.
It’s somehow a pity that it has changed to that, but for the Masai has also changed a lot. As tourism took off, especially during high season thousands of people are visiting the Masai Mara and Mara River crossing points can look like a team building photo safari event when seeing the number of vehicles gathering there. All these people also love to see and photograph the Masai and now imagine yourself what that did to them.
In general ask before you take a photo. You will have to pay them some money and it will not be as spontaneous as we would like it, but it’s nowadays reality. If you have a big zoom lens you might get away with a snap shot and these natural shots are always the prettiest.
Happy photo snapping!
Ute Sonnenberg for www.rohoyachui.com
Nature's Grace Beautifully Captured
15/04/13 17:10 Filed in: Photography & Art
How long did it take you to see that the glowing beautiful fabric with the stunning light on the photo above is a vegetable?
It took me a moment to realize that this is nature’s beauty photographed like the most beautiful ball gown. The photograph was created by Edward Weston, the magnificent photographer of the last century. He is well known for his nudes, but the nature objects like the vegetables are just stunning. A simple pepper or crop unfold their beauty under the creative hands of the photographer and become pieces of art.
Sometimes on our photographic safaris in Kenya or South Africa when we do a wildlife photography course we try to create some play time. It can be really fun to practice “studio photography” in the bush. We take an object like a leave, a fruit or even just something from our bush breakfast and do a photo shoot with it right where we are. The results are often really nice, although we do not have the studio lights Edward Weston used, but working with ambient light is wonderful and inspiring, bringing new and surprising results.
Try it for a start in your own garden. Use the golden hour and see what you can create. If you need some more inspiration have a look at Weston’s books like The Last Years in Carmel.
Happy snapping!
Ute Sonnenberg for www.rohoyachui.com
ePhoto Book: Aloha
14/04/13 16:39 Filed in: Photography & Art
ePhoto Book: Aloha
Aloha, welcome to Hawaii.
Hawaii is a dream destination for holidays, weddings, photographic adventures, and wildlife photo safaris under water, surfing and many more. It is a very beautiful place with a magic that makes you wanting to come back again and again.
Get a glimpse of these irresistible islands with this photo book.
Aloha and Mahalo.
Ute Sonnenberg for www.rohoyachui.com
When Your Domestic Cat Goes on Safari
13/04/13 08:44 Filed in: Photo Safari | Photography & Art
I’m not a friend of Photoshop for wildlife photography, but there are exceptions and here is one.
What happens when domestic cats go on photo safaris and do all the big cat things? Then they are part of a Whiskas advertising campaign and a teamwork result of photographer George Logan and retoucher Tony Swinney.
They are done with so nice humor, yet showing that your domestic cat looks and behaves very much like a big cat, although she or he is rather small. Actually the African wild cat has about the size of a domestic cat and does live in the bush.
Well, if you are short of wildlife for your photography course, remember your cat and you have the subject you were looking for. Now only some photoshopping and you can even create the impression that you were traveling with your cat to the bush.
Enjoy these great and funny images!
See more images on the PetaPixel post.
Ute Sonnenberg for www.rohoyachui.com
The Worlds Oldest Photography Museum at Your Finger Tips
12/04/13 10:09 Filed in: Photography & Art
The world’s oldest photography museum made the step into the digital age. The in 1949 opened George Eastman House in Rochester, New York has become the first photo museum to join Google Art Project.
So far 50 high-resolution images have been uploaded. They show a variety of subjects like Frida Kahlo, Martin Luther King and great photography from the very early years.
The Google Art Project is anyway a good idea to go on worldwide museum photo safari just from the comfort of your home and with no more costs than your Internet connection. It is also a great source for teaching art classes and photography courses, providing inspirational examples of visual art.
Have a look and enjoy some great museums from around the world.
Ute Sonnenberg for www.rohoyachui.com
Intuitive, Inspiring Leaders
11/04/13 09:15 Filed in: B2B
Last week Nelson Mandela was discharged from hospital and relieve seemed to go around the world that he had recovered from pneumonia. Mandela is one of the most inspiring leaders, still at the age of 94 being an example of greatness.
There are not many people as exceptional as he is, yet there are many people with great potential to become and be intuitive and inspiring leaders and there are many people who are already innovative, inspiring and intuitive in their daily life. What do all these people have in common?
They have a vision, they see and they have aspirations. These leaders go unusual ways, they are open to new ideas, they give their teams the freedom to make mistakes and they are learning every day.
When one stops learning, one comes to stand still and stand still means going backwards. But those who want to learn and go forward are the ones that inspire. And this does not only apply to political and business leaders, learning is essential also in photography and not only during photography courses or during the ones booked photo safari. Learning in photography happens every day with seeing what’s around you and capturing moments.
Inspire and be inspired.
Ute Sonnenberg for www.rohoyachui.com
How Far would You Go for a Photo
10/04/13 12:05 Filed in: Photography & Art
Clark Little is a photographer shooting shore breaks on the North shore of Oahu, Hawaii. When I read the PetaPixel interview with him, I didn’t only like the images a lot, I also liked what he said about risks and precaution.
In essence he is saying that his experience of 30 years in surfing is his guard and the knowledge of the risk involved keeps him focused. This applies not only to photographing the big waves of Hawaii, but also all other photographic opportunities from travel photography to photographic safaris and “just” photographing at home. Do not forget where you are and what the risks might be. At home it might be the edge of the veranda you can fall off and in the bush the pride of lion in the open plains.
However, Clark Little never attended a photography course, yet his photography is what he does for a living and he is very successful and very grounded. The passion for what you do is the key.
Read the full interview here.
Enjoy where your passion takes you.
Ute Sonnenberg for www.rohoyachui.com
Fairy Tale Star Talers Falling in Chicago
09/04/13 08:31 Filed in: Photography & Art
You might know the fairy tale Star Talers by the Brothers Grim. In all illustrations (at least the ones I know) one sees a girl standing, looking up to the sky, her hands holding her skirt up, collecting the star talers that fall from the sky. The air is full of sparkles and it looks quite magical.
Now there can be star talers sparkling the air even in Chicago. Photography enthusiast Satoki Nagata photographed at night, using an off camera flash that turned the falling rain and snow into stars falling from the sky.
Try it for yourself, go on night photo safari in your hometown or suggest it in your photography course class, or create a team building experience and see what stars you can illuminate. The light needs to fall in a certain angle on the rain or snow. So don’t give up when the first photo is not a success. Just keep going and it will turn out well.
Happy snapping!
Ute Sonnenberg for www.rohoyachui.com
Bert Stern: Meet Inspiration
08/04/13 12:03 Filed in: Photography & Art
In case the name Bert Stern doesn’t immediately ring a bell, he is the photographer who took the amazing images of Marilyn Monroe shortly before her death. His creative nature revolutionized advertising photographs in the early 60ies and his photographic work seems always to reflect the essence of the subject.
His photographic safaris could happen for example on 5th Avenue in New York, walking with a Martini glass filled with water, waiting for ideas for an advert. He exposed himself to the inspiration that is surrounding us and waited that it made itself known to him. It is an amazing way to work and it results in intimate and mesmerizing images.
When you would like to experience a photography course lead by him, just visit the current exhibition at the Stanley-Wise Gallery in New York and watch the just released documentary on Bert Stern Original Mad Man. Read more about Bert Stern and the movie in TIME Lightbox.
Be inspired!
Ute Sonnenberg for www.rohoyachui.com
ePhoto Book: Beauty at Ease
07/04/13 18:21 Filed in: Photography & Art
Meru National Park is a beautiful photo safari destination in northern Kenya. Its breathtaking landscapes and beautiful animals provide ideal conditions for wildlife photography courses. The light is magnificent and the outlooks over the park are stunning.
Meru got also the rare Grevy’s zebras and the gerenuks, also called “giraffe antelope”. It is a place to go to enjoy nature and photography and to be with beauty at ease.
Enjoy the ephoto book “Beauty at ease”.
Ute Sonnenberg for www.rohoyachui.com
On Photo Safari: What to Wear
06/04/13 09:27 Filed in: Photo Safari
This is NOT only a post for ladies! Also men can end up with too much luggage and the wrong things packed.
Being on photo safari means being out in the bush, exposed to the elements, yet just to a certain extend. That demands careful packing and not only with regards to the camera equipment to make sure the wildlife photography course is going smoothly, but also to be prepared for all weather situations. And being not prepared for the weather, can influence the photography again, so better think of it.
First of all inquire about the climate of the region you are going to. Do not only look up the weather forecast on the Internet, but ask people you have been there or live there. 20 degrees warmth feel different when there is wind, but who can image how it feels from reading the wind information online. Better ask.
Pack casual, practical outdoor clothes that allow you to dress in layers. By doing that all will be covered, the heat at noon and the chilly evenings. Bring a light rain jacket that can function as a windbreaker and rain cover. Always wear closed shoes when being in the bush. And bring easy slippers for in the camp. Bring a sun hat and sunscreen. The sun in Africa can be tricky and you can end up with sunstroke when being not prepared.
In the bush camps is no need to dress up for dinner (except the very luxury lodges). You can bring jeans and t-shirt to have some change from the safari outfit and to have backup clothes in case all gets wet, but keep in mind when packing that it works best when you can combine everything with everything else. Most of the lodges and camps also offer laundry service. So, there is no need to bring many clothes and to have excess luggage on the safari flights.
Ready to go? Enjoy the fun of photographing wildlife!
Ute Sonnenberg for www.rohoyachui.com
Hands of Tips when Planning a Team Building with Photography
05/04/13 09:58 Filed in: B2B
A team building with photography can take place anywhere, in the office building where you work, in the city where you live or at nature destinations close and far to and from home. Yet there are some things to consider and in order to get the best benefits for your team you should keep in mind the following tips to make the right decisions.
1. Choose a location that allows the team to feel away from work.
2. Make sure the team understands that no photographic skills are needed; only a digital camera or cell phone with camera. No stress!
3. Make sure your team leader understands that it is fun, yet with great team connecting features. Photography is the playful tool to align the team members for the company’s goals.
4. Try not to put too much talking or presentations in the team building. Let the team members enjoy the experience and trust the team building presenter that the goal of the team building will be achieved.
5. Surrender to the process. Photography will do its job and provide what the team needs.
Some of these pointers might be hard to do, especially the surrender point can be tough, the letting go and trusting the process, yet by doing it the benefits will be huge. The choice of location can also be challenging depending on where you are. Not everywhere is easy access to wildlife photo safaris or beautiful nature just on the doorstep. If you can choose nature and if it is a garden or park in your city do it. Nature is always supporting, inspiring and comforting. Make sure no one panics and thinks now has to follow a photography course before joining the event. There is no need to do that. Everybody can press a shutter.
Encouraged? Now explain it to your boss
Ute Sonnenberg for www.rohoyachui.com
Inspiration: The Art Paris 2013
04/04/13 09:31 Filed in: Photography & Art
How much inspiration does one need? Endlessly much and provided by just opening the eyes. But there are these events that provide a high dose of inspiration and one of them was the Art Paris fair last Easter weekend.
Take only the image above, the flying house. It is a beautiful creation made of a photograph, giving the feeling “The Little Prince” from Saint-Exupéry will look out of the window just now. And there was much more work, just as inspiring and opening new creative perspectives to photography with galleries from all over the world exhibiting.
Ever thought of going to an exhibition and photographing the exhibition’s artwork? It can be an inspiring photographic safari wandering around and capturing the paintings and photographs of the artists, reflecting by doing that what they do to you and how they can inspire you in your own work. That way you can travel through Africa, America and Europe, art history and old masters while taking the essence with you to make the next steps for yourself.
You can make it even a team building event, visiting with your colleagues an art exhibition, everybody photographing what he/she likes and understand that way how they see things their own way. Or go with your photography course to do the same thing and learn from each other. There are endless opportunities to play with it.
Inspiration is an infinite source accessible to all; one just needs to keep the eyes open.
Happy seeing and snapping!
Ute Sonnenberg for www.rohoyachui.com
Street Photography: A Hype?
03/04/13 08:40 Filed in: Photography & Art
It seems that street photography is currently very popular and appealing. Maybe because of the easy access cell phone cameras, those allow us being on photo safari as soon as we leave home and let us discover the street photographer in us. Or is it the freshness of the moment captured, preserved for the future with often a touch of humor? Our daily life is the inspiration for our photography and one doesn’t need a photography course to do it, enjoy it and produce great photography.
Well, there are two photographers who collaborated to create an awesome street photography book called Berlin+Wien. The photographers are Kay von Aspern and Christian Reister. Their photographs were recently celebrated at the Burjuar in Berlin and will be shown in a new exhibition in Eigensinnig in Vienna that opens May 1st.
Inspired? Keep enjoying snapping wherever you go and capture wonderful moments of awe and joy.
Ute Sonnenberg for www.rohoyachui.com
LaToya Ruby Frazier: Photographic Social Documentaries
02/04/13 08:34 Filed in: Photography & Art
LaToya Ruby Frazier is from Braddock, Pa, nowadays called a “distressed municipality”, back in time home to one of America’s first steel mills. Her photographic work tells the story of her hometown through the story of her family. Her solo exhibition “A Haunted Capital” runs from March 22 – August 11 2013 at the Brooklyn Museum.
This young artist’s social documentaries show the dark side of industrialization and what happens when industrialization moves on to other places, leaving behind destroyed environments, cities and people. Her photographic safaris capture demolished hospitals and despair, yet the beauty of the photographs seems to promise a future, a future not yet arrived and unknown to the people involved.
Social documentaries can be great subjects for photography course assignments, long time projects and ways to capture history.
Be inspired and capture your history.
Ute Sonnenberg for www.rohoyachui.com
Happy Easter
01/04/13 10:45 Filed in: Photography & Art
Have a wonderful Easter; lots of fun with your egg hunt photo safari, fabulous light to capture the special moments the way you want and maybe some photo gear surprise “eggs” from photography supporting family members
Happy Easter snapping!
Ute Sonnenberg for www.rohoyachui.com