spots in DBN

[carolm]

please help with great spots in durban...

[Gavin van Dam]

What type of spots? Wildlife, architecture, etc? What are your interests. I know of plenty good spots for night life photo ops

[carolm]

please help with great spots in durban...

lol,sorry forgot to mention for portaits.. couple sessions,family,
fashion etc...

[Gavin van Dam]

Botanic Gardens, Japanese Gardens, The Golden Mile... we're spoilt for good spots here

[peterah]

Old derelict buildings down towards Ushaka and point make good backdrops and frames - just take someone big with you for added security. Umhlanga lighthouse makes and interesting prop for portraits and has great light early morning. Old Shongweni train station.

[Andrew Roos]

Kloof to Inchanga steam train
Paradise Valley waterfall (compose to keep the freeway bridge out of frame)
Canal by uShaka
Moyo Pier with the golden mile in the background
Whale Pier, Umhlanga
Beaches at sunrise - Umdloti has some interesting rocks for the background
Hippo hide at Tala (early morning, mist rising off lake in background, hippos if lucky)

[Gavin van Dam]

I forgot another spot, the old haunted house out near Ballito, saw some good wedding shots done there.

[carolm]

Thanks so much for all the lovely options ,tried going to paradise valley sunday got lost for 30 mins trying to find
entrance used google directions which gave me entrance directions to berg road ,everyone I had asked aswell
kept on leading me to that dead end...

Please can anyone give me proper directions to get there..

Thx

[Andrew Roos]

Thanks so much for all the lovely options ,tried going to paradise valley sunday got lost for 30 mins trying to find
entrance used google directions which gave me entrance directions to berg road ,everyone I had asked aswell
kept on leading me to that dead end...

Please can anyone give me proper directions to get there..

Thx

Sorry, I also got lost the first time I went, I should have warned you!

From Durban take the N3 west. After the Pavillion take the turnoff onto the M13. Take the Stapleton Rd (New Germany) exit. Turn immediately left into Eden road. It's marked as a cul-de-sac. Follow the road to the end where it turns right and becomes Oxford road. Keep following it until you reach the cul-de-sac which is a parking area. The reserve entrance is from the parking area, and is clearly signposted.

(Note however that there is no offramp onto Stapleton Rd if you are heading east, towards Durban. In that case take the St Johns Ave exit from the M13. Turn left into St Johns and right into Old Main / Josiah Gumede. Turn right into Stapleton Rd, go under the M13 and then immediately left into Eden and then follow the directions above.)

After entering the reserve (you have to pay R 20 or something small) look for the bridge across the river. Cross the bridge, and then follow the marked "waterfall trail". It's an easy and quite level 20 minute walk to the top of the waterfall. I think the viewpoint here is signposted "balcony" or "gallery" or something like that. It's a big (10m or so) waterfall, not the smaller rapids that you will pass on the way.

If you carry on along the path instead of turning off to the top viewpoint, then after about 200m of steeper downhill walking you will get to the bottom of the waterfall, which is lovely. This section is a bit steeper than the rest, but easily manageable by any moderately healthy person.

Google maps gives the address as "8 Oxford Rd Pinetown 3610" although if you search for this address, it's shown as a bit off the actual road. But no matter, it will show you where you need to be - right at the end of Oxford road!

[Andrew Roos]

I forgot another spot, the old haunted house out near Ballito, saw some good wedding shots done there.

I thought of suggesting that, but I'm not sure how safe it is. However the Hillcrest Camera Club is doing an outing to Umdloti beach for sunrise and then on to the haunted house on Sunday 28 April early morning (5am or so at Umdloti). We're a friendly bunch and I'm sure you would be welcome to tag along if you want some company while you scout the location. If you'd like to join us, go to www.hillcrestcameraclub.com, select the Contact page and email Vanessa who is organizing it. Mention that I suggeted you might like to come. She'll be happy to accommodate you. I'll also be there (assuming I manage to wake up on time). The club will probably do breakfast somewhere afterwards, you're welcome to join us.

(BTW there is a club meeting tonight. You're welcome to come if you want to meet us in person before joining us for an expedition to a haunted house. 7pm at the Hillcrest Sports Club, which is behind the Hillcrest Corner shopping centre. Ask for me or Vanessa. It's a practical session on still life tonight, so bring a camera and a flash if you want to join in).

[Gavin van Dam]

Thanks Andrew, but I loath the travel to Hillcrest from DBN North. Used to do it daily when I worked at Kearsney. I may catch up with you all in Umdloti though, will check my diary... Ooops I have an event on the 27th that I am shooting, and it finishes at +-4:30am on the 28th... Maybe I will drive straight through

[Andrew Roos]

Thanks Andrew, but I loath the travel to Hillcrest from DBN North. Used to do it daily when I worked at Kearsney. I may catch up with you all in Umdloti though, will check my diary... Ooops I have an event on the 27th that I am shooting, and it finishes at +-4:30am on the 28th... Maybe I will drive straight through

No worries Gavin - I was actually thinking that Carol might like to come to check out the location while there are others around - but you would be most welcome, too!

[carolm]

Hi Andrew thanks for the invite ,would love to come!!!

let me register!, sorry i missed this message yesterday and I was Free

agh strugs! April 28th I have an event!

[style121]

I did the paradise valley waterfall, but I think the best time to go would have been late afternoon. Tried to do some long exposure shots of the falls from the balcony, but kept getting a grandmother and her grandkids bouncing up and down on the wood. Didn't have the heart to tell them to speed things up and move on, but it is a beautiful spot nonetheless.

Oribi Gorge down the Southcoast is also an incredible spot for some scenic shots, but there timing is everything. I made the trek to some falls, lugging a heavy tripod and backpack, only to find out a waterfall isn't so spectaular without any water.

I'm curious whether anyone has done the King Shaka heritage route. There seems to be quite a few hiking trails and scenic spots, but the route is so spread out, I wouldn't know where to start.