Rudi Hulshof's Classic Africa: Welcome and Enjoy!

Sunday, December 1, 2013

Welcome and Enjoy!

What is Classic Africa

For many years, Photography has been a medium through which I have expressed my love and absolute dedication to the perfection of God Creation – The African Wilderness.

The split second in which the shutter snaps open and shut, and the image is captured, simply does not reflect the complete experience!

Ever wondered what life must really be like at the Safari Lodges for those that live, work and breathe there? What and who allows the lodges to tick, and provide the guests with memories that last a lifetime?

Be it the anticipation of the sightings, the early mornings, late nights around the Boma fire and the drama of seeing life starting and then tragically ending?

The comedy of experiences, the adventure of mischievousness, the successes, failures, hardships and pleasures.

Follow me as I share with you a collection of tales, behind the scenes occurrences, and reveal the life that I have been blessed to have lived in my Classic Africa!

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Who is Rudi

An Alumni of the prestigious Kearsney College in the Valley of a Thousand Hills, Kwazulu Natal, Rudi Hulshof is based in the Jacaranda City, Pretoria.

Rudi has recently relocated from the famous Timbavati Private Game Reserve, adjacent to the world renowned Kruger National Park, where he most recently occupied the position of Reserve and General Manager of a Private Camp.

An amateur shutterbug, yet, already award winning and often published wildlife photographer, Rudi has used his 15 years of game lodge and hospitality Industry experience to fine tune an ever evolving passion, Nature and Wildlife Photography.

Along with sharing his experiences, in their full magnificence via photographs, Rudi has tapped into another love: Words and Writing, which has been described by some as “Having their own thoughts and imagination being stimulated like the painting of a canvas.”

Starting as a guide in 1998 in the Waterberg area of South Africa, Rudi quickly moved through the training ranks to attain the highest South African guiding qualification available by the end of 2000. From here, doors opened to various game reserves, including: the Sabi Sand Game Reserve, Manyeleti, Welgevonden, Timbavati and the Kruger National Park where Rudi not only guided, but was appointed as General Manager of some of South Africa’s premier hotels and lodges.

Guiding has always been a passion, that, in conjunction with Photography, has kept Rudi motivated, and thus an inspiration to all of his guests, and peers alike.

Rudi has been described as a mentor to some of today’s most talented young up and coming, as well as established Wildlife Photographers, providing the motivation and tutorship in their Guiding, Communications and Photographic development.

Few people have been fortunate enough to live in the African wilderness, and Rudi never took this for granted, realising his potential to lead professional, informative, and educational tours to unlock the wonders of not only the big 5, ( Lions, Leopards, Elephants, Rhinos and Cape Buffalo )but also a myriad of lesser recognised members of both the animal and plant kingdoms, as well as a being able to passionately share a holistic appreciation of the environment, and country we are blessed to live in.

Years of observing, and absorbing behaviour of wildlife has enhanced Rudi’s abilities as a Wildlife Photographer.

The thousands of hours spent analysing behaviour has entrenched an almost magical ability to position himself, and his guests in a position to capture the anticipated image, long before it materialises. This understanding of behaviour has further ably assisted Rudi in capturing Award Winning Wildlife images.

Internationally recognised and published, some of Rudi’s proudest photographic achievements include having won awards for 2 consecutive years in Africa’s most prestigious Wildlife Photographic competition: the Getaway Fujifilm Wildlife Photographer of the Year.

Added to this Rudi has featured prominently and been awarded more recently in Nature’s Best Photography Windland Smith Rice International Awards, and in what is these days called the Veolia Environment Wildlife Photographer of the Year, considered the premier showcase of International Wildlife Photography.

Print publications include Promotional material for different Lodges and Travel companies, Travel based articles showcased on various online pages, featured both in local and international magazines, as well as advertising campaigns and billboard exposure.

A featured contributor to publishing companies, Rudi’s images also make appearances on various wildlife calendars.

First published in 2001, in Getaway Magazine, Rudi’s preferred medium for capturing images was, and to a degree still is, the Purist method: Slide Film rather than Digital. It took Rudi until 2007 to convert to Digital, but his Camera box still contains a trusty Minolta Maxxum 9, considered by many photographers as the finest 35mm Film SLR camera ever created.

Many of Rudi’s Published images are from the slides he has taken, predominantly using Fujifilm Velvia 50/100. Subsequently thousands of Rudi’s images have yet to be unveiled. These are now in the process of being scanned using a Nikon Coolscan 5000ED dedicated 35mm film scanner, and will be posted onto this profile in the near future.

Although the value of Digital far outweighs that of Film, to shoot a roll of film was to take a leap of faith. The digital evolution has eliminated a lot of uncertainty from the process, and that's probably a net gain -- especially if you're an amateur shutterbug. Unfortunately, some other, wonderful elements have disappeared as well: mystery, poetry and the element of chance.

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Sunday, December 1, 2013

Welcome and Enjoy!

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