Walking down the docks, a sailor, not much older than I am, walked up to me asking if I took some photographs of his boat. I did not immediately know how to respond, and I jokingly said I did. Walking away, I turned around and decided to follow him. I asked if I could take some photographs of him in action and I caught some photographs of him in action. In retrospect, I should have asked him for more photographs and some personal anecdotes of his life on the ocean. A "human diary" series would be an awesome thing to do next. I still have his number (he wanted the photographs) and I might ring him up so that I can actually begin the series. There are so many stories out there waiting to be told and written. People experience so many things in life with no one wanting to write them down. Maybe people would want to tell these stories.
In any case, I hope that you enjoy this series of photographs of me walking on the dock. The area in which we walked was Kalk Bay, South Africa. The small fisherman's town boasts with fresh fish and beautiful scenes in which nature and wildlife collide. So please enjoy these photographs!
Life at sea is not an easy life. The constant wind burning through your jacket, the smell of death and decay, the salt crystallizing in your soul, and just the harshness of nature are not for everyone. But this "weathering" allows for some spectacular photographs. Life in action, the harshness of the lifestyle and the ocean are testament to these facts. You are either born into this lifestyle or life itself forces you into it. In either case, it is not an easy one.
I really hope that you enjoy these photographs of the boats and the fisherman. I really enjoyed taking these photographs as the scenery is just perfect and waiting to be photographed.
Happy photographing, and stay safe.
All of the photographs are my own, taken with my Nikon D300 and 50mm lens. The writings and musings are my own, albeit inspired by these harsh environments.
