Over two years ago The Week in Pictures was growing. It had some followers. Even the occasional comment. I think we were all a little shocked that it had gone so well.
The difficulty with starting something like TWIP is not so much the conceptualisation but rather the continuation. As it turns out it wasn’t too hard, and although the torch was carried by only a few individuals during those early years, these days rangers are clamouring for the honour of providing the Friday post for the Londolozi blog, and one usually has to wait in line before a spot opens up.
Competition is healthy. Within the sphere of the Londolozi ranging team, a hotbed of photographic competition is continually simmering, and behind each photograph is a story as well as a host of other rangers just itching to critique it.
Since the infamous TWIP #100 Video of 2013 – which we strongly recommend you watch before continuing – new faces and names have popped up on the TWIP radar, and we now boast just shy of twenty individual contributors, past and present. It hasn’t always been fun and games though, and it may distress you to learn that subterfuge, conniving behaviour and the occasional pinching of someone else’s memory card have all played their part in moulding the team into what it is today. Then again, they may not have.
Whatever the case, the images you see before you on a weekly basis, while providing amazing views of African wildlife, rarely convey what went into obtaining them. Hours under the hot African sun, the intimate exploration of Londolozi’s every nook and cranny by both ranger and tracker in order to know the best position to nail the shot, but most importantly an understanding of the animals that are viewed and photographed; learning their habits, their behaviour, their favourite pathways and the best way to observe without interfering.
I digress here, in that I’m meant to be presenting our 200th TWIP… Stop and consider that for a moment. With an average of 15 images per post, we’re looking at over 3000 images that have been brought to your computer screens or mobile devices over the last four years. Quite astounding, considering it started as a simple forum engineered by Londolozi ranger Talley Smith to showcase a few of her photos online. Hats off to you, Talley!
Much like our hundredth TWIP, we thought we’d do something to commemorate our double century, and so we went behind the scenes again in order to get a feel for how the post has evolved over the last 104 weeks. It hasn’t been straight shooting by any means, with some young whippersnappers coming in and….
Well…
I’ll let the movie tell you the rest…
Thank you to our loyal followers for your continued support. If you enjoyed this tongue-in-cheek video, please feel free to leave comments below.
And if the movie was a little quick at the end, here are a few of the photographs presented for you to peruse at your leisure.
Enjoy this Week in Pictures….
A stunning capture of two of the Tsalala young males at play in the Sand River. Photograph by Don Heyneke
The Mashaba female leads her two cubs to drink from the Sand River. Photo by Don Heyneke
There’s a whole ‘nother world at ground level. A flap-necked chameleon on the move. Photograph by Don Heyneke
A male cheetah takes advantage of this gnarled dead knobthorn to scan for prey. Photograph by James Tyrrell
The Mashaba female resting in the canopy of a sausage tree in which she had stashed a bushbuck kill. Photograph by James Tyrrell
Simon Smit’s face says it all. The smile of a photographer that knows he’s just captured absolute gold! Photograph by James Tyrrell
The Nanga female and cub. She is mating again, this time with the 4:4 male, so a new litter may be on the way. Photograph by Sean Creswell
This photo of one of the Mashaba female’s cubs is subtly evocative of the fleeting glimpses one usually gets of very young leopards. Photograph by Don Heyneke
Up close with one of the Mhangeni lions that didn’t enjoy the attention it was getting from one of its pride-mates. Photograph by Amy Attenborough
A southern red-billed hornbill snatches at a beetle it was repositioning for swallowing. Photograph by Amy Attenborough
A different perspective of a flap-necked chameleon. Beautiful patterns in the tail. Photograph by Simon Smit.
The ultimate contrast of textures, patterns and colours. Photograph by Simon Smit
Celestial South and a dead Leadwood. Photograph by Simon Smit.
A rock monitor scents the air on the hunt for a meal. Photograph by Trevor McCall-Peat
Golden evening light bathes a white rhino. Photograph by Trevor McCall-Peat
The world’s fastest land mammal at day’s end. Photograph by Trevor McCall-Peat.
Written, Filmed and Produced by James Tyrrell
Photographs by James Tyrrell, Amy Attenborough, Don Heyneke, Simon Smit, Sean Creswell and Trevor McCall-Peat
Stunning pics! Great video. Reminds me of the old Londolozi video’s a few years ago. Never miss TWIP, my favourite blog of the week.
The “kids” are doing great, love all of it and can’t wait to get back.
Great pictures. Bravo guys.
Exceptional photos-even by the normal high standards. The Londolozi Blog are a real treat
I visited Londolozi in April 2015. Since then I have taken such great pleasure in receiving your almost daily blog. A week in pictures is just phenomenal. I have left comments a few times. But please don’t forget: for every person who leaves a comment there are many, many of us who are looking forward to and viewing your truly wonderful photos. It take me back, almost every day, to one of the most amazing experiences of my life: my magical days at Londolozi. Thank you so much.
An incredible tribute to TWIP. Congrats on 200!
Utterly brilliant video, with great commentary!! Stunning selection of pics. Congrats ++ to you all.
The movie was great fun. Amy’s lion mouth was superb. Thank you. Continue to enjoy yourselves.
What an amazing tribute to TWIP, must have been so much fun making it. Couldn’t help noticing that the “hard core” girl was jumping out of a razor leafed ‘Phoenix reclinata’ whilst the boy winked from behind a soft leafed ‘guari’.
Keep it up guys, the quality of the pictures are truly sensational, I look forward to the blog every afternoon and TWIP every Friday
Thanks David!
We had to put Ams through her paces. You do her a discredit by putting ‘hard core’ in inverted commas though! 😉
James
Great video and pics.Very nice to be able to put
a face to the names you usually see on here. Always look forward to seeing all the great pics every week.Thank you all for doing this every week.
The bar continues to be raised!
We think the film should be entered in the Academy Awards to receive an Oscar! Definitely a contender for “Best Picture of the Year”! Thanks so much for making our day – we absolutely loved the video and it made us want to came back and join the fun – NOW!!
Awesome to be a part of TWIP and well done on a great video James and the team.
“if we must”
Outstanding piece! TWIP is like being on a constant safari – a Londolozi safari. A great sales tool, but moreover a wonderful and creative vehicle for pure enjoyment.
I hope you now realize how many of us appreciate your hard work and I along with so many others look forward to TWIP.
The photos give me the incentive to try to capture ones just like them when I return…and sometimes I can even reflect on a few that we managed to photograph on our previous visits. Please know we LOVE your efforts!
I delete greater than 90% of the things people send me without ever opening them. I have never deleted a Londolozi input until I have viewed it at least one time, usually two or three. What you produce daily allows me to feel the same things felt during my two visits to Londo….and guarantees I will return next year. Thank you.
Excellent entertainment guys loved it -we want more!!!!!
Stunning. Made my very stressful week end on a wonderful day. Counting the days until I return. Thank you again.
Loved the movie! I am a faithful blog reader. TWIP has inspired me to take better photos wherever I go and to start shooting movies and putting them together with music. So much fun to do, thanks!
Very enjoyable video, you all seem to really enjoy what you do and bringing photography into it is a big plus. Great pictures and the reviews are very informative. Can’t wait for the next TWIP.
Great video and pictures. We look forward to TWIP and long for Londolozi!
Fantastic! I wouldn’t miss a blog! It grounds me in this hectic, crazy, daily city life. A reminder of what is truly beautiful in our world! Thank you!
Congratulations to the team for a very entertaining “documentary”. Having recently returned from several visits to Londolozi this year, TWIP provides me a much needed weekly fix to hold me over until I return. Keep up the great work.
Absolutely LOVED the video and I’m so happy you included a shot of the beautiful Nanga cub in there as well! The images this week are stunning! You are all living the dream we all wish we could live and every day share with us the most beautiful pictures and interesting blogs — thank you!!!
Very creative very funny and very beautiful. I look forward to seeing the week in pictures to come. It is wonderful to be able to see some beautiful moments that happen between my visits.
Just love your blog – first thing I look at every day – my window on the real world. Beautiful pictures, interesting facts, makes me wish I could just be there. The video was great – very funny and nice to put faces to names. Keep up the good work and congratulations on 200! Sue
good to see the video. I think Trevor missed his calling as a comedic actor.
That pic of cheetah up a tree was stunning. very nicely done, James
All very high standard of photographers and just getting better every TWIP.
I look forward to TWIP every week, brining a slice of Africa to the London Underground. Some Biltong from the South African shop at Paddington Station and it can almost smell the sands. See you at New year
Fabulous new Londolozi generation of ranger/photographers. I can’t wait for week 300’s video.
Keep it up team WE LOVE YOUR PICS ….. and acting ability.
Loved the video humor and photos are all great!
Fabulous way to feel like I am back at Londolozi. And the humor made my Saturday a bit more fun.
Well Done!!
Epic guys! Honored to have been a part of it once upon a time!
Goose I couldn’t leave that clip out when I found it in the archives!
Wow! Simply great video that has us chomping at the bit to get back to Londolozi.
Started reading the blog two years ago when we first planned last Octobers trip…it helped give me a sense of what was to come…but Londolozi is far greater that I could ever have imagined.
I cannot return soon enough. Thank you for sharing yourselves with us.
Great job!
I have loved every single TWIP & have them all saved & go back often when I need a “bush moment”! Thank you James & remember that you were once a “kid on that same block” once upon a time & have grown with the experience! 🙂 Keep them coming
Great Pictures.
Well Done
Rocco.
Thanks everyone for your very kind comments! We had a lot of fun making the video.
Watch out for a whole series of (hopefully) humorous short films coming out on the blog over the next few months…
Amazing job! Very well done! I look forward to TWIP every week and look forward to a return visit to Londolozi!
What a blast! Hadn’t seen the anniversary videos and I felt as though I was back- searching for animals and the hoping for a good memories captured on a little plastic card. 😊📷📷