2014 moments #6

December 31, 2014July 30, 2019 / mikeosbornphoto / 6 Comments

I would like to share my 10 most memorable photographs of the year over the coming days with you. These are shots that I am particularly proud of, while each evokes a sense of place and meaning from 2014.

GHOST FACTORY

On a tiny island in the Atlantic off Africa, the remains of a pottery factory have been swallowed up by the sand dunes. Only the chimney remains. While the Cape Verdean isle of Boa Vista has bold seas, glorious sunsets and rustic architecture, this ghostly monochrome image is one of my favourites from a memorable trip in 2014.

Dune walk

November 30, 2014November 30, 2014 / mikeosbornphoto / 19 Comments

Boa Vista in Cape Verde seems like a chip of the Sahara that floated out into the Atlantic Ocean. On the west coast, the lush beaches are fringed with sand dunes, ripe for exploration but not too large to get lost in.

In one direction, you’ll suddenly find the chimney stack of an old pottery factory, long since lost to the sand. An old look-out sits on top of a dune, equally abandoned, while the vast Riu Touareg hotel emerges from the desert like a palatial oasis.

Venture south, and you’re only likely to encounter scuttling sandpipers. The prize at the end of the trek is a lovely view of the entire west coast. Worth leaving your sunbed to see…

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Shabby pastels

November 23, 2014November 23, 2014 / mikeosbornphoto / 23 Comments

Boa Vista in the African island nation of Cape Verde is sparsely populated and sleepy – a paradise far away from the strains of European urban life.

Its main town, Sal Rei, is home to around 6,000 people, while the former capital Rabil is more like a village. Its houses are modest, built with blocks and colourfully decorated, although the paint quickly peels in the tropical sunshine. The homes around the main square in Sal Rei are a little more grand, but also with a charming air of dilapidation.

My hotel was newer and inevitably in much better condition, with rustic yellow and light brown walls, which caught the sun beautifully.

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Ocean spray

November 2, 2014November 11, 2014 / mikeosbornphoto / 18 Comments

Tropical islands make you think of warm, still waters and sheltered coral reefs. But the west coast of Boa Vista in the Cape Verde archipelago off Africa faces the full might of the Atlantic Ocean, and quite often the sea is king.

During my recent stay the nearest stretch of Chaves Beach was red-flagged at all times – too dangerous for swimming. This didn’t stop holidaymakers edging close to the crashing waves and others – including myself – from taking photographs. Even I lost a shoe, although the sea spat it back in disgust.

While it was hard to take a dip, the pounding ocean was welcome. I could hear the ebb and flow of the robust tide while I was heading to sleep, which turned out to be oddly soothing.

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Island daydreaming

October 31, 2014July 30, 2019 / mikeosbornphoto / 6 Comments

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The hotel poolside on holiday is for swimming, sunbathing, relaxing, reading… showing off and trying to cover up. I become restless and like to experiment with my camera.

This trio of frames capture the colours and textures of the pool and beyond – the first image rolls the layers of sky, sea, beach and pool’s edge into one. I used my macro lens and fooled it into creating the abstract, hazy sense of relaxing by the water’s edge.

They are an homage to photographic artist Mariko Evans, whose enduring trademark is the dreamy, artful frame.