Vernon Chalmers Photography

Hout Bay Harbour: Where Fishing, Mountains and Culture Meet Hout Bay Harbour in Cape Town: exploring fishing boats, maritime heritage, mountain landscapes, community, African crafts and photography. There are few places in Cape Town where landscape and human activity come together as dramatically as Hout Bay Harbour. Set against the immense sandstone walls of the Twelve Apostles and surrounded by the steep slopes of the Hout Bay valley, the harbour is immediately recognisable. Yet its visual appeal can obscure something more important: this is not simply a picturesque waterfront. Hout Bay remains associated with a working fishing economy, generations of maritime activity and communities whose histories are closely connected to the sea. For the photographer, the harbour therefore presents itself as more than a collection of boats. It is a living maritime landscape. From Wood Bay to Fishing Village The history of Hout Bay reaches back to the earliest years of European settlement at the C...

World of Birds, Hout Bay: Returning to a Cape Town Wildlife Sanctuary After Eleven Years A return to World of Birds in Hout Bay after 11 years, examining its sanctuary, wildlife welfare, conservation role and photographic experience. Blue-and-Yellow Macaw | World of Birds, Hout Bay Photographer's Field Note: This 2026 article is based on my personal visit to World of Birds Wildlife Sanctuary in Hout Bay, Cape Town, following my previous visit in 2015. My observations of the sanctuary's maintenance and the apparent condition of the animals are personal field observations, not a veterinary or formal animal-welfare assessment. Institutional information relating to the sanctuary's conservation, rehabilitation and breeding activities has been checked against World of Birds' published information. World of Birds, Hout Bay — July 2026 There are places in Cape Town that can be visited many times without becoming entirely familiar. World of Birds Wildlife Sanctuary and Monkey P...

The History of World of Birds, Hout Bay: Africa’s Largest Bird Sanctuary Discover the history of World of Birds in Hout Bay, from Walter Mangold’s vision to its role in wildlife conservation, education and tourism. Founded in 1973 by Walter Mangold, World of Birds in Hout Bay has grown into Africa’s largest bird sanctuary. This article explores its remarkable history, conservation efforts, educational role, and lasting contribution to wildlife preservation in South Africa. World of Birds Wildlife Sanctuary & Monkey Park, Hout Bay Nestled in the scenic Hout Bay Valley beneath the slopes of Table Mountain, World of Birds Wildlife Sanctuary and Monkey Park has become one of South Africa’s most recognizable wildlife attractions. Known as Africa’s largest bird park, the sanctuary has evolved from a personal dream into a significant conservation, education, and tourism institution that attracts approximately 100,000 visitors annually. Its story is closely intertwined with the developmen...

World of Birds Hout Bay, Cape Town - Testing the Canon EOS 7D Mark II Canon EOS 7D Mark II / Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM Lens Portraits of Birds, Hout Bay, Cape Town Objective : 2015 testing of the then relatively new Canon EOS 7D Mark II body / EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 IS II USM lens with ISO's between 800 - 6400. Note : Hand-held in Av mode. All images processed in Lightroom 5.7. Converted from RAW to JPG. Lens profile correction. Minor colour correction and some noise reduction. Conditions : Overcast and mostly in low light (due to aviaries / enclosures) Cape Town Location World of Birds Hout Bay, Cape Town Canon Equipment Canon EOS 7D Mark II DSLR camera body Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM Lens Aperture Priority Mode Settings Aperture: f/5 - 6.3 ISO 800 - 6400 Shutter speed: 1/250 - 1/2000s Focal length 263 - 400mm Image Stabilization on (Mode 1) Auto-Focus mode (Case 1) One Shot Mode Handheld Canon EOS 7D Mark II - World of Birds Hout Bay Cape Town Canon EOS...

In Memory of a Special Friend, Artist and Photographer African Art & Textile Images for Joseph Inns. “ The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched — they must be felt with the heart .” — Helen Keller Bay Harbour Market - Hout Bay Harbour Cape Town On Wednesday morning (28 April 2021) Karen Donaldson and I – both friends of the late Joseph Inns , went to Hout Bay Harbour, Cape Town, along the Atlantic Seaboard, to reminisce and grieve our relationship for our very special friend. I’ve captured many images of Hout Bay Harbour before, with its picturesque fishing boats, fresh fish for sale, impressive flotilla of yachts and glorious surrounding mountains. But for Joseph, I wanted something different. For this post I selected four vibrant colour images from the Bay Harbour Market (African Art and Textiles) - for my friend that will best represent his love for Africa, Art, Colour and Simplicity. That they were all captured from the exquisite craftm...

Hout Bay Harbour Photography Join Vernon Chalmers on a photographic walkabout at Hout Bay Harbour, Cape Town, exploring light, colour, atmosphere and everyday coastal scenes. Yachts moored in Hout Bay Harbour, Cape Town Fresh Fish available Hout Bay Harbour While purchasing some fresh fish at the Hout Bay Harbour I took the opportunity for taking a few photographs of the immediate surroundings. Cape Town Coastal Location Hout Bay Harbour, Cape Town (a 20 kilometre drive from the Cape Town city centre) Canon Full-Frame Wide-Angle Lens Experimentation on Crop Body Today was the first time I tried out the Canon EOS 70D and EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM Ultra-Wide Angle (Full Frame) lens. Usually the lens is paired with my Canon EOS 6D, but at the time of the walkabout the EOS 6D was paired with the Canon EF 24-70mm f/4 L IS USM lens. The field of view of the Canon EF 16-35mm lens on the crop body EOS 70D is more / less the same as the Canon EF 24-70mm lens on the Full-Frame 6D. Canon Equipment C...