This past weekend, we finally got our feet wet again. We were warmly welcomed by this little cutie’s big smile. Below is a sneak peak featuring of the photo session. This was a great opportunity to get out of the house and get our fix on, amidst one of the harshest winters we have encountered in a decade. On another note, we are still very behind in posting pictures from our recent vacation: graduate school and work have taken precedence lately.
-A&J
We took the old bumpy back roads, weaving our way through the sugar cane fields and avoiding mud traps, to finally reach the hidden gems of the south. Our first stop was the “newest” attraction: Le Pont Naturel (The Natural Bridge). The rough waters carved their way through the land, leaving that rocky bridge behind. It’s only a matter of time until that landscape changes against the unyielding force of the sea.
The southern shores of Mauritius are the complete opposite from the rest of the island. The seas are always rough, hardly any white sandy beaches, but the scenery is nothing but majestic.
Our second stop was at Savinia; a beach house in the middle of nowhere. It was one of our regular family getaways. The place has not changed a bit in 10 years.
While experimenting with an Neutral Density filter on the slippery rocks, I learned the hard way how much I value my equipment. The photographer’s reflex when falling is to extend the arm carrying his precious gear as high as he possibly can, disregarding how twisted and mangled the rest of his body is.
On our last stop, which was at Le Souffleur, a natural blow hole carved through the rocks. There, I continued to experiment with the ND filter, perfect accessory to capture those violent waves.
I had photography fix on that day, especially while hanging out with my uncle, Clyde Koa Wing, another photohead, who gave me plenty of tips on capturing this very unique landscape. My only regret is not going star chasing with him while in Mauritius; maybe next time.
We headed to the east of the island, towards Trou d’Eau Douce, to board a catamaran on which we spent most of the day. There were 20 + people on board, all very excited and anxious to get the day started. The activities planned were parasailing, snorkelling, sail to a hidden waterfall, have a barbecue on the catamaran and spend the rest of the day on Ile aux Cerfs. The day started out with the most perfect weather; clear blue skies.
It was our first time parasailing. It was quite exhilarating taking off and landing, with an amazing view at the top, otherwise boring. Too bad we were too chicken to bring our 5D Mark 3 with us for the ride. We can only dream for affordable waterproof casings. In a later post, we will talk about the gear we brought with us, what we wished we brought, and the pros and cons of travelling medium-heavy.
After each of us had a turn parasailing, we joined the catamaran again and made our way to the waterfall. We could tell that the weather was going to change drastically. Dark clouds were making their way from the island towards where we were.
As we got to the waterfall, it started pouring but we did not let that trump our plans. We got onto a smaller vessel and weaved our way through rocks to finally arrive at the waterfall. It was quite an experience, especially with the heavy rain.
We all retreated inside the catamaran for lunch, while Mother Nature was gradually showing what she was capable of. It was raining so much that visibility was very low and all activities on the waters came to a standstill.
As the rain subsided, we decided to venture out in the open waters. The strong winds that followed the heavy rain made for a very rough sea: It felt like a roller-coaster. We did not end up going to Ile aux Cerfs because of the heavy rain. Instead, we got a taste of the local street foods and headed home.
We began our vacation by spending an unforgettable couple of days at the Sofitel Imperial Hotel in Flic en Flac, located on the west coast of the island. We could not ask for more perfect weather, in the light of the fact that a cyclone was making it’s way towards the island. The cyclone was due to pass close to Mauritius in a few days’ time: we could not care less.
The public beach in Flic en Flac is always crowded, especially around the holidays. It was tricky to maneuver around the many campers, sun-bathers and hawkers. But we knew exactly where to find the goodies: fresh coconut water, pickled fruits, ice cones and chicken shawarma sandwiches. It is very heart-warming to walk on the beach while families are barbecuing, others are playing the Ravane (a traditional Mauritian percussion instrument) and singing Sega (the traditional Mauritian folkloric music) tunes.
But if you want privacy, a short distance north of Flic en Flac is a more secluded beach next to the Villa Caroline Hotel. It’s an anchoring area for boats and not many people know of this place. The sand is softer, the water clearer and calmer: the perfect location to unwind.
Flic en Flac is also home to the Mauritian sunset.
Stay tuned for more posts on our vacation in the island of Mauritius.
– A & J
The past few weeks have been really hectic and it all started by trying to escape those nasty ice storms that left the thousands in Toronto stranded and braving the cold. Thankfully the storm was over the day of our departure and we made it out of the city without any delay. On our way to Pearson International Airport, we saw the damage those ice storms did to the city. In retrospect, we were glad that we were not in Toronto for the aftermath of those storms and the nasty – 40 degree Celsius days that hit the GTA. So, we headed for Paris on our way back to our homeland, Mauritius.
In the upcoming posts, we will try to give a pictorial account of our adventure back home. Here is a little preview of what we dearly miss now that we are back in Great White North.
As always, we are in a never-ending battle with the elements. In a few hours, we have a flight scheduled to Paris and that’s when Toronto gets hit by two ice storms back to back. The only silver lining: awesome opportunity for photo junkies. We headed out onto the skating rink, braved the cold and snapped some shots. Interestingly, we figured out why Sub-Zero’s Fatality was so effective. Turns out branches snap so easily when frozen out and we saw a tree collapse under its own weight.
Regarding our trip, we will be trying to document thoroughly what we are going to be up to. Audrey is going to have a first attempt at video editing and I will keep snapping away. We will post a link to our YouTube channel in the next post.
In the meantime, stay warm Toronto.
We were definitely lucky today. The weather forecast called for rain throughout the day but we were able to get almost one hour of clearing to squeeze in a family photoshoot.
The intense 100+ km/h winds we experienced yesterday definitely helped to set that fall mood we were looking for, leaving all the trees bare and the ground all colorful.
Here are a few pictures we took. Little baby James has grown so much since we saw him last year.
– A & J
Last December we ventured into baby and family portraiture and loved the experience. As such, we were delighted to be given the chance to work with one our first family clients again, last weekend. We were shocked when we saw the youngest member of the family! Last we saw him, he was just a few days old…and he’s since gotten so big!
Here are some of the photos we got. 🙂
– A
It’s been a quite some time since our last post! We have been extremely busy with school. It’s been crazy weeks of focusing on studying and prepping for oral exams or practical exams. Nevertheless, we were able to squeeze in 2 lovely family shoots last weekend.
For our first shoot, we had the pleasure of working with this super active and lively family! Here are a few pictures we captured around their home. 🙂
– A
Photographers are always walking a fine line. In my case, I was stalking the stalkers. These pictures were taken at Exposure on October 13 2012, the bi-annual photography and video expo held at the International Centre in Mississauga… where all the stalkers meet twice a year.
– J
The Photography Fix 
