Zoë Scholtz

Tip 1: Keep it clean Make sure that the lens is clean  before  you take a photo. A dirty lens will give you a blurry image. Tip 2: Hold it steady Use both hands to hold the phone, keep your elbows tucked in. You can also try burst (sports) mode if the subject is moving - this will help keep the subject in focus. Tip 3: The rule of thirds Understanding the rule of thirds will help you compose your photograph to ensure maximum impact. It means you mentally divide the image you see on the screen evenly into thirds (either horizontally and vertically). Then make sure that the subject of your photo is placed at the intersection of those dividing lines, or on one of the lines itself. Your photo will have more impact when you place the subject on the third. Tip 4: Check the background Before you take your photo, check all four corners you don't want a tree growing out of someone's head. For example, this photo could be better if that green stalk wasn't in the...

The Waterhole  I was sitting cross-legged on a small patch of pokey dry grass. In front of me was a watering hole, to my right a lone giraffe methodically chewed at the green shoots of a tree. To my left was what I imagined inspired the game lodge's name: a vast expanse of the wide-open African bushveld, the golden thatch grass swayed gently in the light breeze and Akasia trees dotted the landscape. Hubby and I were taking a much needed holiday at Safari Plains, part of the greater Mabula reserve, just outside Bela-Bela. I should be feeling calm and relaxed. Except, I wasn't... I was anxious or maybe scared was a better word. I couldn’t settle to anything, and my stomach persisted in twisting in knots. With a sigh, I set aside the novel I'd been trying to read. I had reread the same paragraph about four times but had absolutely no idea what I'd read.  The reason for my distress was that the moment I had been dreading since February 2020, had finally arri...