What’s on Your Photographic Bucket List?

Even with his sweating palms and a dry mouth, I am sure you will agree that Marius Potgieter did a great guest post yesterday.  Thanks Marius!

I have always truly admired landscape and seascape images like the ones Marius showcased in his post and actually going out there and attempting images like this is definitely something I have on my photographic bucket list.  Having the time, or should I say making the time, to go out there and play around with light and landscapes.  Interesting idea that – a photographic bucket list.  Straight off the bat I can think of quite a few things I have on mine.  In no particular order they include:

- Photograph a sunset over the Amazon River
- Photograph gorillas in the wild
- Photograph penguins in Antarctica
- Photograph the desert elephants in Namibia
- Photograph the great migration from a hot air balloon
- Photograph sunrise over Sossusvle, Namibia from a hot air balloon
- Photograph the Grand Canyon in winter
- Photograph someone really, really famous
- Photograph a real cowboy riding off in a dusty Texas sunset
- Photograph the evening skyline of NYC
- Photograph sunrise and sunset in a desert
- Photograph every city and town around the borders of South Africa.  All of them

Without too much thinking I can keep going.  And going.  And going.  Unfortunately a lot of my bucket list items involve financial and time challenges but even though a lot of these are improbable, and this is me being the optimistic dreamer, I believe that nothing in life is impossible.   I think the important thing with a photographic bucket list is that is should be something you are passionate about.  Yeah, the resulting images are important but surely the actually experience of being in that moment should be enough.  Even if you could just be in that moment to experience ‘the moment’ – great!  If you are able to capture the essence of that moment – even better!

For many people photographing the large mammals in Africa is on the top of their photographic bucket list.  I am lucky in that I get to do this on a very regular basis and even though some days you get tired and despondent, yeah, it happens, there is no doubt that it is always a magical experience to head out into the wild places of Africa.

The last week has been pretty slow from a photographic point of view but even a bad day out in the bush is still a great experience.  Here are a few of the images I was able to get during the last couple of days.  For me personally it feels like they are not mind blowing, out of this world images but, I would like to think, still pretty nice all round safari images.

Now if you have mind blowing wildlife images or are heading out to the bush soon you need to check this out.

C4 Images and Safaris is turning 5 this month and as a part of the celebration they are running a wildlife photography competition with a prize worthy of anybody’s photographic bucket list.  Get this – the first prize is a 4 night photographic safari for 2 in the Mashatu Game Reserve.  Bucket list stuff yeah?  So, why not go and search through your older images or go and visit a game reserve and get shooting as the closing date for entires is 20 May 2010.  For more info and all the rules and other important details click here.  One good image can help you check of one of your photographic bucket list items!   Nice!!

Shutterstock is also offering a wildlife photo contest but this one is for US citizens only.  By entering you stand the chance to win a 6 night safari adventure.  For more details and all the rules you can click here.

You will recall that last week I featured a few of the entries in the Bush Warriors Photo of the Day contest.

There are still some amazing wildlife images to be found on the contest site but apparently the Photo of The Day has currently been postponed for the month of April, 2010. The competition will resume again so make sure to check back soon.

I will have an update next week but to go and check out some of the entires now you can click on the giraffe image on the right.

Now just before I finish up for the week, some nice news.  Photo-Africa has been listed, by the Photography Colleges in the USA, as one of the Top 100 Travel Photography Blogs.  Accolades and lists like this should never be the goal when doing something like this but it is great to see that at least a few people out there enjoys what I do.  Thank so much for all the the support!

On a similar vein, less then two weeks ago I started a Photo-Africa Facebook page and already there are almost 300 fans!  Yeah, yeah I know it is nothing like any of the groups like ‘Can a brick get more fans than Julius Malema?‘ but still, I think it’s pretty cool.  If you enjoy this blog why not join the Photo-Africa page and invite a few friends along as well!  Next goal – 500!

Anyway, time to get going but before you leave – what is on the top of your photographic bucket list?

Have a great weekend.  See ya next week.

Gerry