Michal's Angle

A morning with Kevin at the salt lake.
Larnaka 03-02-24.

Awaiting.

The modern view...

"Light reveals, shadow conceals"...our mind completes the picture.

Basotho shepherds

I was browsing through my photos from our trip to the magnificent land-locked country of Lesotho. It happens to be the only country on the planet whose lowest point is entirely above 1,400 meters. So in mid winter, in this high altitude, our bones were rattling. All around us were rolling green hills, but with frost. In the distance I could see shepherds wearing their kobos, traditional blankets, which were wrapped around their shoulders like cloaks. There was the inevitable walking stick in their hand and a dog at their side. In this high altitude of 2200m and more, the shepherds roam. It is rugged terrain and hardly any roads in sight. On a horse, a donkey or by foot they keep the old traditions alive, guarding a critical source of wealth/status and eligibility for marriage...livestock; sheep, goats, bulls and cows. They live in isolation, away from the life of the village and kraal in the lower land, constantly having to contend with the harsh elements, driving their livestock out to remote pastures.
Gumboots, balaclavas, and sunhats made from mountain grass, is a Standard. They wear a simple gray woolen blanket for daily use, and keep their more colorful kobo blankets for formal events. Young boys dream of becoming a shepherd one day, and they start learning the skills early, often foregoing school to do so.
On our traveling, more then once, we have met a herdsman that will carry a guitar, often home made; an empty oilcan strung with wire, upon which they play with some skill. A tune to happy the heart and drive away the sound of silence.

Walking down a busy street in the Mother City I noticed a young woman looking up into a tree where there was some kind of commotion going on. When I approached the scene, I was intrigued to see a man climbing ever higher into the branches, carrying a black garbage bag. I had to ask her what it was about and she explained that they were homeless folk, looking to stash their precious belongings beyond the reach of others who might covet their possessions. As he moved around in the tree, looking for a good spot, I was warmed by the way she spoke to me adoringly of her man. When he came down, they embraced, giving each other a lingering kiss, and then allowed me to snap a shot or two. Just another amazing human story on the streets of Cape Town.

One of the challenges of street photography is to remain ‘a fly on the wall’ minimizing your impact on the subject you photographing.... not easily achieved when you in close proximity...

...The Yellow tram, Lisbon.

Public cuddling is a national pastime in Portugal... as illustrated both in real life, and in door art...

Mannville: Portrait of a guitar

Maya 😻

Going through old pics of mine from Thailand. Home cooked food, freshly delivered to your door with a big smile.

Princes of the pavement!

In the high altitude of the Lesotho mountains, lost, we exchanged a smoke for directions.

Gangsta's Paradise.