Bushmen and the video camera

[Manfred M]

I haven't posted a lot of images, so now that I can't do any shooting, I thought I might start posting some of my work. We spent 3-1/2 weeks in Namibia late last year, travelling around and camping in some fairly out of the way parts of the country. Right towards the end of our triip, we spent a few days in a remote San (Bushman) village near the border with Botswana, south of Khaudum.

I shot video on top of the photography and I had my video camera out and was shooting things happening in the village. This attracted the village children, so I left the machine running, flipped over the viewfinder and let the children see themselves as I was recording. One of the hunters can out with his young son, and this is what I captured in this shot. I was shooting wide open using my f/2.8 70-200mm lens.

[Donald]

That's wonderful. A true social documentary image that captures the moment.

... so now that I can't do any shooting,

Manfred, did I miss an earlier post? Is this shooting as in photography?

[Manfred M]

Donald, I had surgery on my foot about 3 weeks ago, so I am currently hobbling around on crutches with a cast on my foot. Somehow crutches and cameras are not a winning combination; I'm having enough problems without trying to hold a camera right now. The series of casts come off in late November, so there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

[ggt]

Manfred! You are the one that had surgery the same time as my son. He starts Physical Therapy on Monday. Hope all is going well with your recovery also!

BTW, I love this shot. The children are precious. The father's smile is just wonderful too! You captured a truth about human beings there. We all love to show our children things that will be new and wonderful to them!

[Manfred M]

Thanks Gretchen; progress is slow, as the doctor warned me. I've gotten to the point were I can bear to have my foot down for up to half and hour now. The plan is to change my plaster cast for an air cast early in October, so I am looking forward to being able to actually have a shower again.

The doctor tells me that physio is usually not part of the treatment plan for my type of surgery and I will only need it if my ankle doesn't loosen up.

[ggt]

They put my son in a "boot" he can remove, now, for a bath. He still doesn't want to try to stand in the shower. Guess who gets to clean the tub each time? LOL He is getting pretty tired of being cooped up with his parents and had a friend take him to a movie the other night. Mom and Dad are getting pretty tired of waiting on him as well!

[HMW12]

Beautiful image. Hope you have a speedy recovery. Watch the crutches if you go out in the rain. Wet floors and crutches do not mix well.

[jeeperman]

Great capture Manfred and glad to hear you are on the mend. I think if I were going threw that..again...I would rent me a wheelchair for a month or so just to get out an shoot a bit. It worked out quite well when I broke the ball of my heal in 8 places. Not fun.

Here's to a speedy recovery!

[Manfred M]

Beautiful image. Hope you have a speedy recovery. Watch the crutches if you go out in the rain. Wet floors and crutches do not mix well.

Thanks - Right now I would love to spend more time outside, but I still can't put my foot down for more than 10 or 15 minutes at a time, so that rather restricts what I can do. I timed the surgery so that the recovery period would be the beginning of September through the end of November); that way I missed the summer heat and should be cast and crutchless by the time the snow starts to get serious. I should be in a walking cast just before (Canadian) Thanksgiving, so I am hopefull that I can start using my camera again then.

[rpcrowe]

Great image! Manfred, here's hoping for a speedy and complete recovery. I can relate to you. I, for one, am getting tired of surgeries interferring with my shooting! I also tend to haunt the forum and play with old and unprocessed images when I cannot shoot!

[Manfred M]

Great image! Manfred, here's hoping for a speedy and complete recovery. I can relate to you. I, for one, am getting tired of surgeries interferring with my shooting! I also tend to haunt the forum and play with old and unprocessed images when I cannot shoot!

Thanks Richard - that is exactly what I am doing right now. Lying in on the bed, with my foot up typing away on a laptop. I hobble downstairs for a few minutes at a time and do a bit of editing of some older images and posting them. I'm pretty well limited to short sessions of 15 or 20 minutes before the foot swells up and I have to elevate it again. The doctor suggested that I'm going to have to live with that problem for a few more weeks at least.

On the other hand, I look forward to getting out and not having to worry about carrying a cane or walking stick and powerful pain killers, just in case my foot siezes up and I can't get back.