Hi folks.
So, I was one of the first South African photographers to sign up for Google+ in the days when it was still in Beta mode. I have to admit I didn’t do much on that network for a while…though I did make a post here and there it took me a while to get into the swing of things, and even then I was still only logging in at invariable times during the week.
I did step up my activity there during this year, however, as it’s a great platform for photographers to connect and to view content that you are interested in easily. Lots has been said on the web on the difference between Facebook and Google+, but Google has done something right to attract over 100 million users in the short time that they did.
The main difference is that Facebook “connections” are mostly based on real-life relationships (many from your past – think school and college etc), and so you end up with content in your feed from a lot of folks you may well know, but who end up sharing content that is not in line with your own interests and passions – so for the most part you ignore it. On G+, however, due to the way the “circles” operate, you end up viewing content from mostly total strangers, but the content is in line with what you yourself are sharing and most interested in. This, in my opinion, is a better platform for networking. I do still have my Facebook page and enjoy the Zuckerberg-brainchild, but G+ is a really fun place for me to hang out online.
I started curating a daily photography theme with a friend, Johan Swanepoel (a magnificent photographer in his own right). The daily themes provide a great platform for photographers to upload images in a focused way and ensuring daily engagement with your posts. For a list of themes you can check out Eric Leslie’s page HERE or the G+ Photo Pages Directory HERE.
Our theme is called AFRICAN TUESDAY and is an effort to place the focus of the Tuesday imagery on G+ on the continent of Africa. Currently anything goes…we want people to submit not only wildlife images or landscape photos, but also images covering street scenes, rural scenes, architecture, history, culture, travel, conservation and social justice issues.
Round 1 kicked off last week and was a huge success. The topic ended up trending on G+ as a discussion topic, peaking at #2 sometime during the day right below Lady Gaga and above Apple! Round 2 is coming online tomorrow (in 1 hour in the timezone where I live). Why not participate?
You can go directly to the official theme page HERE
…or just go to G+ and search for #africantuesdayin the main feed.
We are hoping to see your quality African imagery on Google+!
PS: My personal G+ account can be accessed HERE- please do circle me if you are on G+ already…I will reciprocate…
Morkel Erasmus
Morkel Erasmus
I used to relish writing these kinds of “bio” pieces and would flaunt the odd impressive word and use dashing grammar to make it sound like I am a boundary-shifting photographer. These days I prefer stating it in much simpler ways, much more relatable ways, much more believable ways… The fact of the matter is this: I love Africa. I love its people, its wild places and its wildlife. I love being immersed in these places, observing and photographing the fall of light on the land and the daily lives of the creatures that call it home, and presenting the results to whoever will take a look. To me, nature photography is all about being in the moment, and capturing that moment in a way that can relate to someone who didn’t have the privilege of being there with me. Sometimes I am able to capture a unique vision of the scene before me, and sometimes I just capture it the way most folks would according to classical photographic guidelines. Yet I always enjoy sharing the images and experiences and imparting the knowledge I have, both in-the-field and later online or in presentations, workshops and courses. I also just simply enjoy capturing and sharing the beauty of God's creation! The greatest thing I’ve found about wildlife and nature photography in Southern Africa is the unity and familiarity of the community of people that share this passion. We come from all walks of life and all cultures and backgrounds, yet our passion for our natural heritage and our dream to see it preserved for future generations binds strangers together and fuels conversations around campfires long after other people have run out of conversation and energy. Join me on a WildEye adventure to experience this sharing community spirit and learn to anticipate that fleeting moment and be ready for it, learn to immerse yourself in the experience without losing focus of your photographic goals…and above all, learn to see Africa anew… because there are none as blind as those who look but do not see!
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