Just jump. Oh, and hang on.: April 2015

November 8, 2014

Sharpie on wrist = the photomarathoner's equivalent of the runner's race bib.

I love when I hear about new things to do that take things I already love individually, and make them into something new and interesting by combining them together. I love taking photos, and I also love running (and running references). Put them together, and you can pretty much guarantee I'll be there. With tekkies and Cannon in tow, no less.

We participated in the Johannesburg Photomarathon; believe it or not, this is not a random thing that South Africa dreamed up on its own. This is something much bigger. In fact, it happens in many different countries around the world, and has been happening in Joburg since 2007.

Here's how it works: grab a camera/phone, get clues, shoot the clues, hand in photos "straight from the camera" (no post-processing permitted). Oh, and spend the day wandering around really unique and cool inner city neighbourhoods to shoot said clues.

For the 2014 Johannesburg Photomarathon, we started in Mayfair. Mayfair is predominantly an Indian community, and in recent years this community also includes a large population of Muslim immigrants from the rest of Africa (specifically Somalia and Ethiopia). From there we headed to the Brixton Cemetery- a place we never would have ventured to otherwise. Brixton Cemetery is a very serene and beautifully peaceful place in the centre of the hustle and bustle of Joburg's inner city chaos. Continuing in Brixton we ventured to the Brixton Kingston Frost Park- high in the hills with stunning views of the Brixton/Sentech tower and in close proximity to the lively High Street. Our last stop was Westdene, where the rain kept most everyone inside the Afrikan Freedom Station- an interesting gallery/jam session venue/hang-out for locals.

M entered the camera-phone competition, and I used my DSLR. You can see our entry photos in the latter part of this post, but first I thought I'd share a few photos we took along the way. As it turns out, the shots taken in between the shots tended to be some of my favourites from the day. Go figure.

Mayfair. I think the man was sunning himself...not really sure.

Transporting.

M strolling in the cemetery.

The group stopped for lunch at Mary Fitzgerald Square in Newtown- there was a photo exhibit set up, and vendors lining the square selling various eats and merchandise.

What would Newtown be without some live jazz tunes?

Beatle = pop-up market.

An Ali in the Alley (sorry, had to!). Photo courtesy of Joburg Photowalkers (Mark Straw).

This church in Brixton had the same number as my wrist. Not sure if there's some deeper meaning there...

Finding love in a Brixton park.

Shooting a lovely colonial-looking building with the Brixton/Sentech tower in the background.

A day on High Street.

Love this little guy's concentration: he was following along to a drumming lesson at the Afrikan Freedom Station.

Wall art inside the Freedom Station.

Optimism.

Alright, now onto the competition. Couple of notes before you go through the photos: While not part of our photo entries, I've included pictures of the clues themselves, so you can follow along with where we were at. I've labeled the photos 1-12 so you know which clue the photo relates to, and have identified mine and M's with our initials so you know whose is whose.

First, let's get the tour Route straight: 4 stops, 3 clues at each stop = 12 photos.

We needed our first photo to be a "selfie" of our entry number. Given that the number was on my right wrist, it was pretty impossible for me to take a proper selfie with my DSLR whilst capturing the number...trust me on this one (I know, you're currently acting it out to see if I'm right.).

I can honestly say I don't really know what was going on here, but his number's there, so mission accomplished, right?

M & I in shadows of Mayfair with the first set of clues.

1A. Remnants: Debris through an old crumbly wall.

1M. Remnants: Big city mess.

2A. An odd mix: A clean-cut photographer, a rough-around the edges inner city community, and a traditional Arabic bakery.

2M. An odd mix: Bugs in trees.

3A. Tastes like: Potatoes dressed like limes.

3M. Tastes like: Fresh greens.

Round two: off to the cemetery with the second batch of clues.

4A. Symmetry: All in a row.

4M. Symmetry: Beauty in the dark.

5A. Grave Robbers: Returning to the earth.

5M. Grave Robbers: Passage of time.

6A. Faith: Beauty in the shadows.

6M. Faith: Faith.

Moving to higher ground for the start of the second half of the day: up into the hills of Brixton Kingston Frost Park and High Street for the third group of clues.