Guest Post: ‘Shared Moments’ by Pieter Pretorius

December 10, 2009 Categories: Uncategorized by Gerry 9 Comments

Hello. How are you at this moment?

Gerry asked if I could write something for you to read about photography or about my photography, this is what came up in my mind and I hope you enjoy it, perhaps even take something from it.

Perhaps the greatest thing I have learned from photography, or that photography has given me, is that the sharing of moments captured is as rewarding, maybe even more rewarding, than taking a great image! I’m a self taught and keen amateur, my “schooling fees” were paid, at great cost, in film, development and printing. It not only cost loads of hard earned guiding tips, but also took forever until I could get to a city to develop, look, print and buy new bags of film (Velvia 50, Provia 100) and then go back to the bush (and usually broke) again.

Image by Pieter Pretorius

This then changed dramatically with digital images and photography, which I only caught up on relatively late. I still shoot with a Canon10D, a great present from a great friend, Rory Johnstone. Now, digital changed the way one can photograph in about twelvety million billion ways, so I would rather not list them, for fear of typing for the rest of my productive life. No more film cost, instant ISO changes, no more labs for basics like contrasting, cropping etc, looking at results there, on the spot and so on, and so on, and so on, and so on, and you get the point ?

Image by Pieter Pretorius

I work with WildEarth.TV. WE broadcast LIVE wildlife, 24 hours, seven days a week. I’m a presenter, do camera work and whatever else is needed, but obviously I take loads of images. WildEarth is about LIVE wildlife, but just as much, if not more, WE are in social networking, the creating of telepresence and real time experience sharing… That is what WE and I do. In the course of this I started using computers, and more importantly, Internet and social networking tools like Facebook.

At first I was apprehensive about people taking “my images”, and many have. I still get mails and messages asking or saying that David, Micheal or Annie are using my pictures a screen savers, I’ve had students contact me, asking and using my pictures for school projects and many people use my images as their avatars so my “fears” were true, only to discover that it is awesome!

Image by Pieter Pretorius

The reward I get in thanks and comments from people world wide, that enjoy and appreciate the window into life through my lens, is impossible to explain or describe in mere words and sentences. I checked a few minutes ago, and had 3,568 comments on my images I’ve shared to date on Facebook, and every day there are more that add their thoughts and encouragement, all leading to satisfaction, motivation and best if all, enjoyment for me. There is off course the need to monetize some of these images, even if just to improve equipment such as lenses, cameras, computers and so on (which aren’t exactly lying around under Xmas trees! ) This I will be seeing more about shortly, but I believe that everyone that enjoy and share in my images, will to some degree over time, take part in improving my opportunities… everyone already are, by being part of my journey as photographer, wildlife passionist and most of all, as a person.

Image by Pieter Pretorius

I want to invite you to join me on Facebook (using the links below), perhaps have a look at my “Whispered thoughts” album, it is my, Gerry’s and perhaps your favourite, otherwise just to enjoy the wildlife moments. You can also join me and many others on LIVE game drives here in Sabi Sand Game Reserve, one of the absolute top areas worldwide for great wildlife on WildEarth TV, whenever you want!

Before I leave you, a slide show of a few more of my ‘moments’.

[slideshow id=1]

I hope you like the moments in these images, I hope even more you enjoy sharing them with me. We are social creatures, sharing things we are passionate about and that gives us pleasure, is part of us, it brings us closer.

Pietr Pretorius, WildEarth TV