Posted on 29th September 2009 by admin in Lightning
Lightning, panorama, panoramic, Photography, Storms, sunsets, thunderstorms
On the South African Highveld, Spring has jumped into high gear already with the first major thunderstorms now circulating the region. After a very long and dry winter, the rain is a big relief for all and sundry, for South African Lightning Photographer Mitchell Krog it’s work as usual chasing storms. This image below captured an electrical storm at sunset.
Mitchell Krog explains the story:
Some storms were circulating our area from around 3pm in the afternoon, around 5:30pm I noticed a gap in the clouds on the horizon that showed potential of the sun being able to find it’s way through. I got my kit and drove down to a nearby field. Because it was raining I was confined to the vehicle and got myself into some rather uncompromising positions to get this shot. I had no option to use a tripod due to the space limitations in the vehicle I was in so I had to get myself into a position that I could shoot out the window and keep the camera handheld as still as possible. 30 minutes later, a stiff back, sore arms and voila it all just came together for one fleeting moment. I would have liked a few ground strikes but with lightning photography you settle for whatever you are given. It’s not often that the sun finds a gap through a storm front but nature is full of surprises.
Electric Sunset. This image taken on the afternoon of the 28th of September 2009 by South African Lightning Photographer Mitchell Krog captured the setting sun with a storm to the right streaking lightning across the sky. It's seldom that the sun finds its way through a storm front. From Mitchell Krog's Lightning Photography Portfolios. (Copyright Mitchell Krog - All Rights Reserved)
Posted on 7th September 2009 by admin in Articles |Landscape |Night Photography |Pretoria |SA Photographers |South Africa |Travel |Tshwane |Urban Landscape
Africa, botanical, city, elements, gardens, human, Landscape, monuments, museums, night, nightlife, Photography, skyline, south, sunsets, urban
Landscape photographers will often disregard the Urban Landscape, missing many photography opportunities right on their doorsteps. While lengthy drives several hundreds of kilometres away may reveal pristine landscapes, it is not always possible for many photographers to travel such distances. As a landscape photographer based in or near a city you can still easily keep your landscape photography in tune and up to scratch by using opportunities closer to home.It is also no secret that some of the best images you may ever produce will come from locations close to home, locations that you have become familiar with.
The Voortrekker Monument with the Magaliesburg Mountains in the Distance Photographed from Fort Schanskop in Pretoria. From Mitchell Krog's Urban Landscape Photography Portfolio. (Copyright Mitchell Krog - All Rights Reserved)
South African landscape photographer Mitchell Krog often travels to various locations around South Africa, no matter where he ends up he always seems to find a landscape photography opportunity, be it pristine landscapes or cities full of human elements. It’s all about conditioning, says Mitchell, too many photographers have conditioned their minds to thinking a landscape photograph must be “pure” and “pristine” when quite simply life and our planet is just not that way. We are after all humans and as photographers we should not only seek out untouched landscapes but also from time to time include evidence of our impact on the planet in photographs, including human elements can often add great impact to images.
The Iconic Telkom Tower and The University of South Africa UNISA Buildings at Night Photographed from Fort Schanskop Near the Voortrekker Monument Just Outside Pretoria. From Mitchell Krog's Urban Night Photography Portfolio. (Copyright Mitchell Krog - All Rights Reserved)
Cities are full of exciting things to photograph. Virtually every city in South Africa has a history going back 100 years or more, there are monuments, museums and lots of modern architecture just begging to be photographed. Of course crime in South Africa is always of concern to a photographer but there is a multitude of safe locations around city centre’s and for those safety conscious individuals, shooting in groups is often advisable. Botanical gardens offer a safe haven for photographers and most major cities in South Africa have one with very reasonable access fees, some even free.
Posted on 31st August 2009 by admin in Articles |Environmental |Landscape |Lightning |Magaliesburg |Reviews |SA Photographers |South Africa |Storms
Africa, getaway, Landscape, Magaliesburg, mohale, Photography, sunsets, Travel
With views stretching forever and a day across the North West Province and some of the most magical sunsets anywhere in South Africa, it’s no wonder that the Magaliesburg is one of Gauteng’s top weekend getaways, the Magaliesburg is a truly magical place. South African Photographer Mitchell Krog who resides in Magaliesburg has spent the last four years photographing the beautiful environments of Magaliesburg and has achieved much acclaim with his photography.
You Can See Forever and a Day. The views from Magaliesburg stretch far into the North West province. From Mitchell Krog's Magaliesburg Photography Portfolio. (Copyright Mitchell Krog - All Rights Reserved)
The Magaliesberg Range has a very long geological history. Its quartzites, shales, chert and dolomite were deposited as sediments in an inland basin on top of the 3 billion year old Archaean Basement Complex. This process of sedimentation lasted for about 300 million years. About 2 billion years ago a massive upwelling of molten magma resulted in what is now known as the Bushveld Igneous Complex. The enormous weight of this intrusion depressed the sediments that lay beneath and tilted the sediments along the edges so that the broken scarps faced outward and upward, and the gentler dip slopes inward. During the same period these sediments were fractured and igneous intrusions of dolerite filled the cracks. With the passage of time these intrusions eroded, especially on the dip slopes, forming deep kloofs or ravines providing excellent rock-climbing potential to modern man. This large dogbone-shaped area is now termed the Transvaal Basin and includes the lofty escarpment of the Transvaal Drakensberg overlooking the Lowveld in the eastern part of the country. Massive outpourings of igneous material of the much younger Karroo System later covered the Transvaal Basin, but this was subsequently eroded so that it only remains along the Transvaal Basin’s southern rim.
The Beautiful Golden Winter Colours of a Winter Sunset Over the Magaliesburg Mountains. From Mitchell Krog's Magaliesburg Photography Collection. (Copyright Mitchell Krog - All Rights Reserved)
The Magaliesburg Mountain range forms a natural barrier between the lower lying Bushveld to the north and the cooler Highveld to the south. The range receives rainfall in summer in the form of thunderstorms, with an average of 650mmm annually. In winter frost occurs frequently in the valleys on the southern side of the mountain, but almost never on the northern slopes. Mitchell Krog, a specialist and award winning lightning photographer has produced some incredible lightning images from Magaliesburg.
Fire and Ice. The First Electrical Storm of Summer Sets The Grass Lands Alight. From Mitchell Krog's Lightning Photography Portfolio. (Copyright Mitchell Krog - All Rights Reserved)
Watch our for more in photos and articles in this series about Magaliesburg.
~ Mitchell Krog
Posted on 29th August 2009 by admin in Articles |Fine-Art |Landscape |Reviews |SA Photographers |Scotland |South Africa |Travel
award, Fine-Art, forest, isle, Isle of Skye, koeel bay, kogel bay, Landscape, Photography, Scotland, skye, South Africa, sunsets, Travel, Western Cape
South African Fine Art Landscape Photographer Mitchell Krog has quickly risen to become one of South Africa’s top Landscape Photographers. His breathtaking images have captured the attention of audiences around the world and he never fails to produce bleeding edge photography no matter where he travels to. Mitchell has been published on a number of occasions and has become a regular contributor of article and images to photographic and lifestyle magazines.
Mitchell regularly travels to all corners of South Africa and abroad to keep bringing high class quality images to the Photographic Market Place. He is regularly featured on a number of internet forums and communities and has contributed thousands of hours to helping budding photographers to improve their game.
The Wild Waters of Kogel Bay in the Western Cape. From Mitchell Krog's Western Cape Landscape Photography Series (Copyright Mitchell Krog - All Rights Reserved)
Mitchell has also developed a very fine eye for black and white photography and has produced a number of spectacular black and white seascape images on his trips around South Africa. Black and White photography, says Mitchell, despite this colourful world we live in, remains to be one of the most powerful mediums of photography. When the colour is stripped away we get down to the basics and simplicity of life. Black and white photographers have to have a keen eye for tones, contrasts, textures and especially light, without which a black and white image would be dull and dreary. Black and white or sometimes referred to as Monotone or Monochrome, captures the very soul and essence of nature.
Secluded. A fisherman braves the cold morning weather. From the South Coast Landscape Photography Series by Mitchell Krog. (Copyright Mitchell Krog - All Rights Reserved)
Mitchell also travels abroad and captured a variety of magical images on his trip to Scotland earlier in 2009. Covering over 2700 kilometres by vehicle and approximately 30-40 kilometers on foot, well lets just say this trip was not one of resting and Mitchell showed his total dedication to going the extra “mile” to find those incredible images he keeps producing. Mitchell was awarded First Runner Up for his image Sentinels in the first South African PIX Awards of 2009.
Sentinels. Ancient Trees stand guard over the Forest Floor. From Mitchell Krog's Scotland Landscape Photography Series. (Copyright Mitchell Krog - All Rights Reserved)
Miles from Nowhere, Isle of Skye, Scotland. From Mitchell Krog's Scotland Landscape Photography Series. (Copyright Mitchell Krog - All Rights Reserved)
This is the first edition of a series of articles on Landscape Photography by Mitchell Krog.
