Mad Dogs and Englishmen Go Out in the Pouring Rain - December Thanda Workshop

And so it poured. For the first time since I started with African Impact’s workshops, we had so much rain that we were only able to leave the lodge twice through the entire duration of the course. On that, I am truly thankful for the spirited and enjoyable company that I found in the small band of students for the December workshop. Only a bunch of nutters like them could be persuaded to brave the weather for their group shot (shown above). More on that after the jump though.

Rain of course means that the world turns violently green. To the point that on our second outing for the landscape shoot I felt bewildered searching for a composition. Breaking through the green to separate elements was monumentally difficult. Just driving through the bush left one feeling almost dazzled by the vibrant greens. Rain is a good thing for this part of the world. The animals need to and even more importantly, so does the ground. But wow, it’s almost an affront on the visual senses.





Rain also obviously meant that we spent more time indoors. This gave ample opportunity to even play a little with flash and some portraiture. Still, it was like releasing caged animals when we finally did manage to get out on drive. What a drive too. We had the most phenomenal sighting of a spotted hyena as it strolled casually towards the vehicle before stopping dead in its tracks, quizzical about the big green (more green) game viewer that blocked its path. It moved past us after eyeing out our small band of photographers, and ambled into the dense green of the bush.



Ah, but that rain. A group photo in the rain is definitely the most fitting way to remember the workshop. So, pouring wetness from the dark sky, we sloshed onto the Lodge’s driveway for a quick photo shoot. The three students, Chris, Anne and Richard held as motionless as possible (through fits of giggling) while I painted them with a small LED torch. I then rushed behind them and fired a strobe towards them, illuminating the rain as it fell. As I say, a firing reminder of the workshop, and of the personality of the little group.