Zoë Scholtz

Where it all started I have always loved photographs and was under the impression that if I bought myself a fancy camera the logical outcome would be great pictures. In 2010 I had saved up enough money to buy myself a brand new DSLR camera (that was the good news) but other than being able to switch it on, I had no idea how to use it (the bad news). To my dismay, I realised that there were an awful lot of buttons, dials, and switches that I had no idea what to do with, and so I opened up the user manual. After trawling through the first few pages my head started to hurt. There were all these fancy words, descriptions of things I had never heard of: f-stops, focal points, and depth of field - it felt like I needed a user guide for the user guide! Feeling more than a little intimidated I snapped the user manual shut and phoned a friend of mine, he was a photographer in his spare time, and I knew he would help me. He advised that the best way to learn was 'to do' and recommended I...

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...

When you manage to convince your photographer to take a selfie with you Looking for my look Do you have any idea what the appropriate attire for an 'author' photo shoot would be? No, neither did I, which is why, on the morning of my session I was rushing around like a headless chicken, searching for my best author outfit.   ' Why didn't you do this last night? I asked myself, as I rummaged through the contents of my closet. I was hunting for my favourite jeans, which had pulled a very unwelcome disappearing stunt on me.  I hated packing at the best of times, probably as a result of living as a nomad due to traveling between home and boarding school and then later on, home and varsity res. I never could decide what to take along, and usually included way more than necessary - because, well, you know... you never know what you might  need. The chaos that was our bedroom looked alarmingly similar to when I was getting ready to go away on extended vacati...

'Never judge a book by its cover...' (English idiom), I can't recall how many times I've heard this. Except...  I   do. There I said it, I absolutely judge a book by its cover, in particular when its   my  book!  The next phase of my writing adventure started out well enough, I emailed the final draft of my manuscript off to the publishing team, attended the introductory meeting, and then thought (hoped?) I could sit back and wait for the finished product to arrive. Ha! How wrong I was, I came to realise that my hard work had only just started! The writing aspect,  pffft  that was a walk in the park compared to this next phase. Strike one  I have always maintained that sometimes it's better to not know what I am getting myself into, and rather just take whatever process I am in as it comes. This was a prime example of such a situation, and only served to reinforce my belief. I started to appreciate the requirement for active involvement when I rec...