My recent photographic trip to Africa (Uganda) was an adventure...it always is. Warm sun and smiling faces go a long to way to banishing winter blues even though the environment can be harsh with clouds of red dust, smoke from burning brush fires, endless dirt roads full of potholes and of course those pesky bugs that love to bite! Survival is a challenge which brings "living in the moment" to sharp focus and you always have a sense of living close to the edge. 

The landscape was scorched by the widespread brush fires which the rangers light to bring new growth but the animals were plentiful and it was a delight to see them looking so good. I was thrilled to get up close enough to see the whites of their eyes...but not so close that I became lunch! As a photographer I am a danger to others...when the ranger was frantically shouting and waving us to escape a charging bull elephant I was shouting to our driver to wait so I could get the shot. The driver panicked but wisely followed orders... I did not get the shot...it took me quite a while to adjust and see reason. The "shot" is now written permanently in my minds eye and I lived to tell the tale so a mixed blessing.

I have now included some of the photographs I did get in my Fine Art gallery and will be adding some more when I can...http://www.walterdirks.com/p704354399