Slowbee Posted August 15, 2019 Posted August 15, 2019 The guiding is the retirement plan for Mrs Slowbee and I. There is a real need for a small custom travel group encompassing the range of things this country has to offer. And since I have a bit of ADD, it will be the perfect thing for me in retirement! Oh and other people will pay for us to visit other places DJR 1
ChrisF Posted August 16, 2019 Posted August 16, 2019 The guiding is the retirement plan for Mrs Slowbee and I. There is a real need for a small custom travel group encompassing the range of things this country has to offer. And since I have a bit of ADD, it will be the perfect thing for me in retirement! Oh and other people will pay for us to visit other places Sounds like you need a few cups of coffee with Grant, or others in this game .... Grant grew up on the Wild Coast, always active in nature. After school he went to work in Botswana and Namibia in the Wildlife business. First in the game parks, then as tour guide in these parks. He was soon head hunted and became sought after in this game .... It was only a few years later that he picked up a camera. While guiding he hardly ever touches his own camera, so 99% of his own growth came by his own photography between safaris. He soon became good enough that he is one of Canon's ambasador's. Getting the new gear to test and do write ups .... 2012 to 1015 I helped Grant with a number of these new gear tests - - - me providing the novice input. Talking to him it becomes clear how many layers there are to this business !!!! The guide is but the last layer that works with the tourists. You need a strong marketing team to get those tourists to pay those prices .... You need a stronger marketing team to get the game farms, lodges, etc to buy into the concept .... Pangolin was going for some 15 years before they latched up with another group that got the rights for lodges in Botswana, the key being this group has the prime branding for the American tourists .... BIG part of why their pricing "changed" after 2015. Clearly that is where the big money is at. But as with all things in life, there is always a market for people with my limited budget ..... Now you get a number of smaller groups that convert a 10 or 15 seater vehicle for tours. And these range from just sight seeing to specialist photographic tours. Either way it takes time to build up the reputation, and then the network to be able to advertise to attract a steady stream of clients. And then you get the "priceless" clients Fly from another continent, join a photographic tour, get a once in a lifetime line up a big cat setting up herd of springbuck, but these takes TIME, and 5:30 the first guest reminds you that the schedule says you shall be back at the lodge at 5:45 for sundowners ..... you can SEE the action will happen in the next 30 to 60 minutes, you are lined up perfectly for lighting and scenery, you WILL get amazing shots ..... it is put to the vote, and the guests vote to go as they cant miss the sundowners ... At Senyati I was the only one in the hide getting pics of the elephants drinking .... while the rest of the group was sitting on the deck enjoying sundowners ..... And if I win the Lotto I may well find a way to get into something like this .... On the flip side, when you are GOOD at what you do, you build up a client base that follow you !! On our trip there was an American couple that tours Southern Africa every 18 to 24 months. They ONLY join Pangolin if they can so with Grant as their guide .... Slowbee you are taking me down memory lane ...
Tankman Posted August 21, 2019 Posted August 21, 2019 Was gooood to be shooting in Cape Town again, so green! The Ghost and DJR 2
geomark Posted September 26, 2019 Posted September 26, 2019 The Cpmedy Wildlife Photo awards finalists are out, some great shots as usual, crying out for captioning...https://www.comedywildlifephoto.com/gallery/2019_finalists.php ChrisF 1
Veebee Posted October 21, 2019 Posted October 21, 2019 Been a while since I posted here...Image from a trip done last November. ABrooks, gerriemtb, Fruity and 9 others 12
RobertWhitehead Posted October 21, 2019 Posted October 21, 2019 Can an armature photographer with a "mik & druk" also add some kiekies to the thread? Too late . Veebee 1
DJR Posted October 21, 2019 Posted October 21, 2019 (edited) Pels Fishing Owl. Anyone who takes a picture of one of those must indeed be very lucky. I spend much effort and time trying to find one in the Okavango and had no joy. Then, when I got back home in Cape Town, discovered that a stray one spent a couple of weeks eating the koi out of peoples fish ponds in Newlands around the corner from where I live and work (true story that, tall as it may sound). Of course it was gone before I could lay eyes on it. Eventually I bumped into one in Zim, when I wasn't looking and not expecting to find it, but got no picture to prove my story! Edited October 21, 2019 by DJR
RobertWhitehead Posted October 22, 2019 Posted October 22, 2019 It also made a kill - genet (this image shows the tail better) Pels Fishing Owl. Anyone who takes a picture of one of those must indeed be very lucky. I spend much effort and time trying to find one in the Okavango and had no joy. Then, when I got back home in Cape Town, discovered that a stray one spent a couple of weeks eating the koi out of peoples fish ponds in Newlands around the corner from where I live and work (true story that, tall as it may sound). Of course it was gone before I could lay eyes on it. Eventually I bumped into one in Zim, when I wasn't looking and not expecting to find it, but got no picture to prove my story! DJR 1
Frosty Posted October 23, 2019 Posted October 23, 2019 Been a while since I posted here...Image from a trip done last November. IMG_7123hub.jpgDouble like Veebee 1
Tankman Posted November 1, 2019 Posted November 1, 2019 (edited) Not a photo per se... but we created some insane shots during this shoot! Edited November 1, 2019 by Tankman
Veebee Posted November 5, 2019 Posted November 5, 2019 Kloof Nature Reserve after all the rain... DJR, ABrooks, Taps and 4 others 7
Tankman Posted November 27, 2019 Posted November 27, 2019 Bit of a shameless plug... For anyone keen on some action! ChrisF 1
DJR Posted November 27, 2019 Posted November 27, 2019 One of the young Ds did a sunrise Lions Head hike and came back with some great pictures. I cannot decide which one of these two I like best. Tankman and gerriemtb 2
Slowbee Posted November 27, 2019 Posted November 27, 2019 I like pic 1 DJ, the framing with the fore ground brings some depth and perspective. DJR 1
ChrisF Posted November 27, 2019 Posted November 27, 2019 Pic 2 for the win. Though a different crop of Pic 1 (cut away the sky above the clowds ) would render a very nice grounded picture .... DJR 1
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