Good reads

GRAFFITI OR MURAL ART?

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The word graffiti has its origins in both Greek and Italian. Graphein is Greek for “scratch”, “carve” or “write” while graffiato in Italian means “scratched”. Although there have been different forms of graffiti (before it…
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MULTIPLE TECHNIQUES, SINGULAR BEAUTY

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Stripes, layers, stacked textures … these striking sculptures by different artists appear to use the same techniques but in fact they’re highly divergent. For one there’s Japanese-American artist Jun Kaneko’s six-foot-tall head sculpture,…
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OUR SHOES WILL LEAD US

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What COVID-19 has done to all of us, with no discrimination whatsoever since every single one of us is feeling it, no exceptions, is create a loss of any sense of direction. The virus has put us in a holding pattern, particularly with the second…
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LIGHTS & LANTERNS FESTIVAL

Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared. At the time of going to print, a new wave of COVID-19 swept across the Garden Route. As…
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PARADYS (KLOOF) THROUGH THE EYES OF DYLAN LEWIS

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Overwhelming. Awesome. World class. These are all words that describe South African sculptor Dylan Lewis’s sculpture garden on Mulberry Farm in Paradyskloof (a very apt name, that!), Stellenbosch. The artist started the garden himself way…
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FOTO FOCUS: GREAT TIPS FOR CELL PHONE PICS

USE GRIDLINES TO BALANCE YOUR SHOT Turn on the camera’s gridlines to superimpose a series of lines on the screen of your smartphone’s camera that are based on the “rule of thirds” – a composition principle that says an image should…
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SPOOKLOOP IN GRENDELTYD

Mosselbaai se strate skep tans die perfekte agtergrond vir opportunistiese spooksoekers wat wil terugstap na die beginjare van dié Suid-Kaapse dorp. Dis einde Junie, midwinter-ysig en gekontroleerde staptoere word tydens Fase 3 van die inperkingstyd…
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A DIFFERENT FACE OF PICASSO

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I have been fortunate, during the course of our travels, to have seen many different exhibitions of Pablo Picasso, one of the most famous and influential artists of the 20th century. During a fairly recent trip to Berlin (before we’d even…
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FOTO FOCUS – PICTURE EDITING

Most of the photos we take can be improved in some way, no matter how skillful the photographer. Computer programs and cellphone photo editing apps vary from very basic free editors to advanced programs like Photoshop or ON1 with both mobile…
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HOMELESS DURING LOCKDOWN

Sleeping rough presents one of the biggest challenges of survival as a human being. It does not happen overnight and is usually a process triggered by unexpected events and bad choices. Slowly you start sinking into a hole without realising…
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COVID-19: DEBT STRESS DUE TO LOCKDOWN

Businesses are opening again with staff returning to work. However, several factors are affecting people’s ability to afford debt instalments. These include: Lower salaries due to a business being unable to afford post-lockdown salaries …
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MAPUNGUBWE – DIE “HEUWEL VAN DIE JAKKALS”

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Wintertyd is Bosveld-tyd met die lang pad Noorde toe. Daar waar die hardekoolvuurtjie jou vleisie beslis anders laat smaak. Mapungubwe Nasionale Park, digby Musina, wag ons (normaalweg) gereeld in wintertyd ruimhartig met erfenis, skoonheid…
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THE ART OF CERAMICS

Earlier this year (when we lived a different life, we travelled to distant lands, and the word COVID-19 had hardly found a place in the world’s vocabulary), I was in the middle of a snow blizzard in Toronto, Canada. It was the perfect day…
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FOTO FOCUS – A DIFFERENT VIEWPOINT

Most of us want to take photos that have impact, that are somehow different, especially when visiting popular landmarks and tourist sites. Take the snapshots and selfies but then go walkabout – survey the scene, look for different angles…
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CHALK ADVENTURES

People have found many fantastic ways in which to engage creatively during lockdown. Abbey Burns Tucker from Atlanta in Georgia, for example, started a series of photos on her Facebook page showcasing a variety of playful situations where her…
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BESONDERSE BESOEK, BESONDERSE LAND

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Ons almal soek ontvlugting gedurende grendeltyd. Dit is ’n heerlike, nostalgiese tydverdryf om na ou foto’s te kyk en weer na te dink aan iets buitengewoons wat jy ervaar het. In my geval was dit my twee besoeke aan Iran. Die meeste mense…
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WINDOWS ON THE WORLD

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In South Africa, we’re into our fourth month of lockdown. It struck me one morning, just before we were granted the freedom of a few hours every day to go outdoors and exercise, that this enforced, and extended, lockdown has funnelled our…
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BOEKRESENSIE

Dié boek se titel sê dit alles! Hierdie bygewerkte tweede uitgawe deur Braam van Wyk en Piet van Wyk verskaf ’n duidelike uiteensetting van hoe bome saamgestel is en waarna om op te let wanneer ’n boom geïdentifiseer word. Die boek bestaan…
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FOTO FOCUS

CLOSE-UP AND MACRO PHOTOGRAPHY Close up photography covers images that your closest focusing lens or camera can take effectively. Macro allows you to go even closer, using extension tubes or macro filters fitted to your camera and lens which…
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FOREST BATHING

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Since the creation of man, humans have long recognised the importance and benefits of the natural world for our health. The fresh air, the filtered sunlight through the canopy, the subtle whistling of birds – these things offer an eco-antidote…
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