Africa
Tanzania
Through Harold’s Lens
Nikon D800e, Nikkor 70-55mm, @55mm
1/500, f/8.0, ISO 200
Tag Archives: Serengeti
“Goodbye My Friends”
TANZANIA Through Harold’s Lens:
It is with tear drops and sadness that today I am saying goodbye to my dear friends the Maasai.
Over the past two months, they given me their trust and love and allowed my lens to take an intimate journey into their lifestyle, challenges, passions and sadnesses.
My journey through our rich world must continue.
I sincerely hope that you have enjoyed our jaunt into the up close and personal life of this very special African culture.
In January, we embark again.
“So Long. Farewell”
TANZANIA Through Harold’s Lens:
“May Love Speed Your Journey”
TANZANIA Through Harold’s Lens:
“Liebster Award” To Through Harold’s Lens
TANZANIA Through Harold’s Lens:
The passing of another rich day on the vast Serengeti.
Through Harold’s Lens is honored to have received The Liebster Award.
This award is given to new bloggers with less than 200 followers, giving them recognition and encouragement, and to help the rest of the blogging community discover their fabulous blogs. The Liebster Award was presented by http://kibogoji.com/2012/12/22/kibogoji-liebster-award-nominee/.
For Through Harold’s Lens, which is only four months old, to be recognized by another blogger of such high esteem in another part of our world, truly astounds me. From my heart and the passion I try to convey through my camera lens, I thank you.
To comply with the rules Kibogoji has asked me 11 questions, and in return, I must select my favorite 11 newbie bloggers to pass on the award, along with my 11 questions for them.
Questions for Harold
1. What is your hobby beside blogging?
Currently, photography, playing golf and fly fishing. When I was younger there were a lot more.
2. What is/was your favorite vacation?
Africa twice.
3. Where did you go and why? (An extension of question 2)
1st time: To photograph animals. South Africa, Kruger National Park, Okavango Delta, Chobe National Park, Botswana, Caprivi Strip, Nambia, Hwange National Park, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. 2nd time: To photograph the Maasai, animals and the great migration. Tanzania.
4. What is your favorite music?
Classical.
5. What was your favorite song in 2012?
What a Wonderful World. Just love it. I now have 67 different versions on my iTunes.
6. Which band is your favorite and why?
Jim Cullum Jazz Band. Love good jazz. This is perfect toe tapping, fun “partner with partner” dancing music.
7. Which is one beauty product that you must have?
Don’t buy this stuff.
8. What is your most valuable possession?
Personally: my family. Product: my Lacie backup hard drive.
9. Who is your idol?
Don’t have one. I am comfortable in my own skin and don’t desire to be someone else.
10. Do you like scuba diving?
No. Not cardiology approved.
If you do, where was your last dive and why?
My Newbe Bloggers
At this point, with under 200 Followers, I have no idea how to tell who is a new blogger. However if some of my Followers are new, please let me know and I will add your Blog to my list and nominate you personally. Since I am only allowed 11, he/she who lets me know first, gets listed.
1. http://ideasofmassdestruction.wordpress.com/category/about-me/
2. http://globalgrazers.wordpress.com/about/
“Peace On Earth”
TANZANIA Through Harold’s Lens:
Out on the Serengeti, the innocence of a little child wrapped in the warm, protective, loving arms of his mother is a universal symbol of a need for peace around our beautiful world.
“Very Inspiring Blogger Award” To Through Harold’s Lens
TANZANIA Through Harold’s Lens:
Africa’s famous baobab tree stands solo, firm and strong against the morning sunrise out on the Serengeti.
I feel extremely honored. I am tingling with excitement. I had never blogged until this year. My loving son Harold said “Dad, you have so many wonderful photographic images, you need a blog so you can share them. For your birthday present, I would like to help you create one”.
On September 1 I posted my first image on my new “Photography Blog”.
Over 150 images later, I receive word that four bloggers have awarded Through Harold’s Lens for The Very Inspiring Blogger Award. Kavi360 and Created – Create. It, http://notesfromcamelidcountry.net and http://terry1954.wordpress.com.
I did not even know there were awards for blogs. To be honored by others, because the images I created with my camera have inspired them in some way, gives me the chills. Thank you my fun blogging friends for keeping the blogosphere a beautiful place. You’re fun and a hoot to blog with.
Upon receiving The Very Inspiring Blogger Award I was given the following guidelines:
1. Display The Very Inspiring Blogger Award on your blog.
2. Link back to the wonderful person, who was so inspired by your blog to award you for The Very Inspiring Blogger Award.
3. List seven things about yourself so that Followers of your blog may know you better.
4. Nominate fifteen other bloggers who have inspired you during the year and link to their sites so they may be shared with the world.
5. Notify these inspiring bloggers that they have been nominated for a Very Inspiring Blogger Award and link to their post.
Seven things about Harold that you will not find on Through Harold’s Lens:
1. I am one of 8 children. First born 3 boys. Second 5 girls. I am the #2 son.
2. I have always loved sports. I found that it developed a certain fiber in me. As a teenager attending Northwood School, I played ice hockey, football and tennis. I was the first student in school history to receive nine varsity athletic letters. P.S. I tried soccer but immediately broke my ankle. Found out you don’t stop the ball by standing on it.
3. I am also a responsible outdoor sportsmen who loves the solitary etherial feeling that comes from fly fishing. It’s “catch and release” for me.
4. I was President of a Sportsman’s Club on the Island of Martha’s Vineyard where I lived for ten years. I believe in the protection of our environment so that future generations may enjoy the outdoors.
5. My musical tastes are very eclectic. My ears tune in to everything from from Country, Blues, Jazz and New Age to Classical and Opera. I loved trying to expose another generation to Opera by doing volunteer work for the Houston Grand Opera.
6. I loved the adrenaline rush that came from my years of skydiving and riding a BMW motorcycle, while camping out, as I toured the roads less traveled across the United States.
7. My heart and talent believe in the power of communications to help others in need. I have directed communications for organizations to try to help cancer survivors and to feed starving children in third world countries.
Fifteen outstanding bloggers who have provided inspiration to me this year, and have so inspired me that I am nominating them for a Very Inspiring Blogger Award:
http://cecilia-maria.com She Laugh’s At The Days To Come
http://homeboundglobal.com Global From Home
http://thirdeyemom.com Travel, Culture & Social Good
http://hopethehappyhugger.wordpress.com Hope*the happy hugger. Life, love, happiness and most of all, kindness…
http://hikingphoto.com Canadian Hiking Photography
http://sukirthasphotography.wordpress.com Sukirtha’s Photography
http://irelandisbeautiful.com Beautiful Ireland In Photos and Words
http://uwana.wordpress.com Uwana. Growing into Sonship
http://tinylessonsblog.com Tiny Lessons Blog
http://thelifeofafifthgrademom.wordpress.com The Life of a Fifth Grade Mom
http://jolenehansonphotos.wordpress.com Jolene’s Life In Focus
http://dublinjournal.wordpress.com Dublin Journal by Thin8air
http://ckponderings.wordpress.com CK Ponderings. An exploration of the world through my camera lens
http://the-serenity-space.com The Serenity Space
http://mightyturk.wordpress.com MightyTurk. Where my thinking is worked out. Often in real time…
A large “Thank You” to all of you bloggers out there who follow Through Harold’s Lens from around the world. Each one of you are different and have provided me budding friendships and a degree of inspiration with your talents and creative skills. Thank you.
“Merry Christmas”
TANZANIA Through Harold’s Lens:
The small innocent children of the Maasai villages out on the vast Serengeti send their love, happiness and smiling joy to all of you.
As I reflect on my Maasai series of images on Through Harold’s Lens over the past few of months, I realize how happy a child can be in with only love and care from family and just a few simple items of life. Being responsible for taking care of a newborn baby lamb. Drawing with a crayon. Playing Tic, Tac Toe in the dirt. Tickling each other with feathers. Creating music with the small harmonica I gave them.
“Home On The Veld”
TANZANIA Through Harold’s Lens:
The Maasai lead a semi-nomadic life out on the Serengeti. Their homes are loosely constructed and semi-permanent. They are usually small, circular houses built by the women using what the Serengeti provides for them, mud, grass, wood and cow-dung.
“Learning Curve”
TANZANIA Through Harold’s Lens:
Another Maasai 15-year old I found spending his six months alone out on the Serengeti.
Through rituals and ceremonies, including circumcision, these Maasai boys are guided and mentored by their fathers and other elders on how to become a warrior.
Although they still live their carefree lives as boys – raiding cattle, chasing young girls, and game hunting – a Maasai boy must also learn all of the cultural practices, customary laws and responsibilities he’ll require as an elder.
“How To Do It”
TANZANIA Through Harold’s Lens:
Hypnotic music.
Pounding drums.
The slow daily life of other Maasai from the tribal village all around.
This little guy captures it all from the vista of his Mom’s back.
“Stomping Rhythm”
TANZANIA Through Harold’s Lens:
The rhythmatic beating of the drums suddenly pierced the air. From where I did not know. Quickly looking around, multiple sets of feet began to appear from behind a mud walled, grass thatched hut. To the shock of the Maasai, I laid down in their village dirt floor to capture this shot. Against the roasted brown backdrop of the African veld, the unfolding, stomping line of bright colors of the Maasai dancers were quite a sight.
“Ring Of Thorns”
A
TANZANIA Through Harold’s Lens:
550 Pounds Of Hungry Meat Eating Beast.
4’ feet high.
8’ feet long.
Kills by strangulation.
Eats 15’ pounds of raw meat a day.
Stalks your livestock and family outside the open door of your hut every night.
You protect yourself from the Lion with what nature provides. Cutting branches from acacia trees, with their 3” long thorns that do not bend, the Maasai weave a 6’ tall thorn fence around their villages on the Serengeti.
“Rings Of Regal Attire”
TANZANIA Through Harold’s Lens:
Out on the Serengeti, I found the draping of the Maasai beaded jewelry to be works of art.
Dressed in red sheets, (shuka), wrapped around their bodies with loads of beaded jewelry placed around their necks and arms, their appearance was one of regality. The beaded jewelry is worn by both men and women and may vary in color depending on the occasion.
“Aboard Blog Of The Week” Interviews Through Harold’s Lens
TANZANIA Through Harold’s Lens:
I feel truly honored today to have been selected Aboard Blog of the Week .
Open this Aboard Blog of the Week link and you’ll discover the interview Through Harold’s Lens did with Aboard Blog of the Week.
There are thousands of Blogs out there. They asked me to be their participating guest this week and to answer a few questions. In answering them I learned more about myself and was able to take readers behind my lens with experiences as to what makes me click and how I do it.
Hope you enjoy.
Thank you Aboard Blog of the Week.
“My Cute Maasai”
TANZANIA Through Harold’s Lens:
This little Maasai is a cute story.
After I took this photo, he followed me everywhere in the Maasai village out on the Serengeti. I asked my Maasai guide about him. He said he loved my camera. The Maasai see mostly small point & shoot cameras. Mine is an SLR with a large lens. I shot a few more images of him. Then hung the camera strap over his neck and showed him how to click the shutter and shoot. Wow! All his buddies came over and he photographed all of them.
Fun for him! Fun for me! Great memories for both!
“Awaits Her Warrior”
TANZANIA Through Harold’s Lens:
The Serengeti’s late afternoon sun cast long black shadows through the sharp thorn fence surrounding her village.
Menacing black spikes grew in front of her on the vast bare earth.
The Maasai woman stood absolutely iron statue still for hours outside the front door of her one room circular home built with mud, grass, wood and cow dung. Her eyes were focused to the East.
She was waiting for her warrior husband to return from the veld.
“Out On The Veld”
TANZANIA Through Harold’s Lens:
The Maasai people reside in both Tanzania and Kenya.
They are a small tribe, accounting for only about 0.7 percent of Tanzania’s population, with a similar number living in Kenya.
Maasai speak Maa, a Nilotic ethnic language from their origin in the Nile region of North Africa.
Through Harold's Lens 