Visit my Facebook page.

Dear friends, 

Thank you for visiting my blog. I will continue to post all new videos here, however, because of serious problems with Internet here in Tanzania and significant amount of time required for updates on different websites, majority of new photography as well as my old shots will be posted only on my Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/beekeeperstories.travel

You don't need to be a member of Facebook community to view all my postings. Ignore "sign in" request and simply view content of my page. Thank you.

Fashion designer Peace Malleni. Tanzania.

Music: Breezeless - Spinning around. Ceative Commons.
Beekeeperstories presents - Fashion designer Peace Malleni.

Fashion shoot in Arusha, Tanzania.

Fashion shoot on the streets of Arusha, Tanzania for upcoming film about local fashion designer.

Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania, Africa.

Music: Peppe Ska -Africa. Creative Commons.

New pix from Ngorongoro crater, Tanzania.

Portrait gallery of citizens of  Ngorongoro crater, Tanzania. New film is coming soon. Even more photos are on https://www.facebook.com/beekeeperstories.travel

Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania

Spent two days in Ngorongoro crater. Amazing place. Never seen so much wildlife. Will post more photos and video soon. Also don't forget to check https://www.facebook.com/beekeeperstories.travel

Our Xmas/Banana tree. Merry Christmas from Africa!

African music, singing and dancing during Christmas meeting in a church. Tanzania, Africa.

For several days I could hear music and singing outside my home in Arusha, Tanzania. When I decided to go see what was happening, I found a church --  K.L.P.T. (El-Shaddai). The pastor, Teshome Jarso, kindly allowed me to film during an Open Air Revival Meeting. There was amazing singing and dancing, as well as the religious ceremony. It was a stirring experience, and will gladden your heart.  Enjoy -- and Merry Christmas, wherever you are!   BKS

New! Facebook business page.

Just opened new business page on Facebook. Please come visit. Check  "Like"  and you will receive updates of my new postings. There is large selection of photographs. You don't need to be a Facebook member to view that page.

https://www.facebook.com/beekeeperstories.travel

Masai land near Mt. Kilimanjaro. Quick shot on my way to safari.

"Africa in 60 sec." Tarangire Safari Lodge. Tarangire National Park. Tanzania, Africa. HD

Music: Stefano Mocini - Dance explosion. Creative Commons.

We stayed 2 nights at this lodge in the Tarangire National Park. This tent camp has incredible views. Wild animals walking around freely. Awesome! Just don't bring food to the tent.

Wildlife photo slideshow. Tarangire National Park. Tanzania. HD

Music: Luis Zunel - Vanguard Extendida, Creative Commons

Watch in HD full screen.

We spent terrific 2 days driving around ourselves around Tarangire National Park in Northern Tanzania. Place is famous for large population of elephants, but there are so many other animals to see, wonderful landscapes with lots of Baobab trees. November considered off season, still we've seen so many animals so close. Beautiful place. Video is coming soon, don't forget to visit again. BKS

"Africa in 60 sec." Shu'mata Camp. Tanzania

Music: Tafi Maradi - Kevin MacLeod, incompetech.com

Stayed in this tent camp in Northern Tanzania for 2 days. The site and the camp are really special. Located on Masai land near Mount Kilimanjaro. Shu'mata in Masai language "Ma" means something like “above the clouds” or “heaven”.

African wildlife. Mount Kilimanjaro area and Arusha National Park. Tanzania

Music: Kevin MacLeod 2012 - Digya.

Don't miss eagle attack on flamingos at the end of the film!

Masai land near Mount Kilimanjaro is a beautiful place were Masai people live side by side with wild animals. It is not a reserve, but since Masai don't hunt, animals moving around freely. Arusha National Park is not nearly as famous as many other parks in the north of Tanzania, but it can be a very pleasant surprise for it's visitors.

"Africa in 60 sec." Meet Emmanuel Mushi. Arusha, Tanzania.

Another story about ordinary people in Africa. Emmanuel Mushi is Masai. He lives in a mud hut with his family. Works in the hotel as a doorman. He has a dream to build a home for his family and start a new business - safari company.

"Africa in 60 sec." Peter's family. Arusha, Tanzania.

Peter Mafole was one of the first people we met after moving to Arusha, Tanzania.  He has a wonderful laugh and is steady, sensible, knowledgeable, and kind. He lives with his wife Jane and two sons, Johnson and Ian.  Peter works as a driver for hire, and Jane works in a small tailor's shop.  Peter's English is good, and he is extremely reliable. His mobile is 255-(0)754-499-367.

Hatari lodge. Arusha National Park. Tanzania. "Africa in 60 sec."

Music: Mindthings - E-ID, Creative Commons.

Went on my first safari in Arusha National Park. Stayed overnight in Hatari Lodge, which is an amazing place.  A John Wayne film - Hatari (which means danger in Swahili) was filmed there. Next morning went for a game ride and saw giraffes, zebra, waterbuck, buffalo, bushbuck, dik dik, warthog, mongoose, and lesser and greater flamingoes. The acacia (giraffe's favorite food) are green; the little rainy season is starting.

Arusha, Tanzania. "Africa in 60 seconds." Baptism of little Ian.

I was invited to a Catholic church in Arusha, Tanzania for baptism of our friend's son Ian.
Canon t3i/600d, Tokina 11-16/2.8, Flycam nano.

"Africa in 60 seconds." Artist Penda Mo. Arusha, Tanzania.

I moved to Africa – to Arusha, Tanzania – three weeks ago.  Searching the internet before the move,  I found a good selection of safari photos and a few videos, but virtually nothing about the  people of Tanzania.    In fact, there was nothing about how people who live here live – how they work, raise families, go to school, start businesses, send their kids to school, hope for and build a better life. 

Once here, I noticed that people in Arusha are extremely friendly, and  if you engage them in conversation, are open and positive – even if they often lack the comforts that other cultures have come to consider necessary for our happiness.

So I decided to work on short films that show the everyday life of ordinary people in Tanzania and other African countries.  Because many of us live in a fast-moving world where our attention span is measured in seconds, I decided to do shorts videos – “Africa in 60 seconds”.  The short time span is disciplining.  But the idea is to offer short personal stories, where the subjects of the videos can use their own words, whether in English or Swahili (with subtitles). 

I don’t have any special agenda, political or economic.  The goal is simple:   to give people here the opportunity to tell the rest of the world stories about their life, their feelings, their thoughts. It is a modest goal that will not change the world, but will hopefully offer a window on a fascinating place and its resilient people.
Music: Satya - A Night In Serengeti. Creative Commons.

This film is about artist Pendael Naftal Mollel (Penda Mo), born 1984 in Arusha Region, Tanzania.
E-mail: pendamol@yahoo.com
Mobile phone: +255786079202

Toronto, Canada. Bus-Boat tour. St. Lawrence Market. Dundas Square. July 2012. HD

Music: JLT - Blue eyes. Creative Commons.
Mokhov - Halcyon Days. Creative Commons.

Queen Mary 2 - Transatlantic voyage. Absolutely unofficial guide HD. July 2012.

Music: JCRZ - Runaway, Creative Commons
Sounder - Endless Space, Beyond Reach or Not, Creative Commons

 In July 2012, we embarked on the Queen Mary 2 for a 7-day voyage from Southampton, UK to New York City. I am not a cruise-ship kind of guy, and get restless very quickly. However, the Queen Mary 2 is a marvel of human engineering and design, and it was a fascinating trip.

 In this short film I tried to show most of the places on the ship where passengers can spend their time. When you see places without people, it's because I shot them very early or late, when most of my fellow passengers were sleeping or busy doing something else.

 I don't have any affiliations with the Cunard company, and didn't have any special access (I would love to visit the engine room!) This was a personal project, done to entertain myself during the crossing.

 P.S. Sorry for the late upload. I moved to Tanzania. It took time to have my equipment up and running. Subscribe! Don't miss new videos about Africa!

 Video was shot with Canon t3i/600D with Tokina 11-16/2.8. Majority was done handheld with Flycam nano camera stabilizer, Gorillapod and tripod. Manual exposure with 100ASA and 1600ASA settings.

Restaurant Bodega de Posthoorn, The Hague, Netherlands. 1080 HD.

Music by The Flanger Sound -"On my old Ford of 1939". Creative Commons.


Disclosure:  This was not a commercial project. I did not receive any pay, nor did I get free food. I did, however, get lots of free cappuccinos, which made for some very caffeinated filming sessions.

   Acknowledgments:  My deepest gratitude to Michael Meeuwisse -- owner of the Bodega de Posthoorn -- who not only kindly allowed me to film his restaurant, but took an unjustified risk by participating in my film.


Right in the heart of The Hague, on the graceful tree-lined Lange Voorhout, is the Bodega de Posthoorn.   A cozy cafe-restaurant, you can stop in for a beer, a coffee, some delicious Dutch pea soup, or a full meal.  You always feel welcome. When you walk in the door, you feel like you have stepped in to someone's home -- or back into a better and more generous time.  The Bodega's site is unbeatable:  From its terrace under the canopy of trees, you can gaze across the street to the swan-filled lake in front of the stately Parliament, or across the square at an elegant line of historic mansions -- one of which was the Queen's palace, and is now a remarkable museum devoted to the brain-teasing art of M.C. Escher.  The Bodega is a singular place -- come take a look.

Scheveningen Beach, The Hague. Holland, Netherlands. Time lapse HD.

Yeppee, sunny day at last!!!!!!!!!!
Scheveningen is a famous beach resort in Holland, Nethelands.
Music by Akashic Records - Old Movie Ragtime Piano. Creative Commons.

Luxembourg Gardens, Paris, France. 2012. HD.

A day in a park - a Parisian park - is filled with life's best pleasures. Sailboats, some chess, lunch on a bench, a lounge in the sun, a pair of artists sketching, a dead serious game of petanque. Come see. Come stroll. You'll smile.
Music by Reman - "Longtime". Creative Commons.

Clingendael park in The Hague, Holland, Netherlands.

Beautiful Clingendael park in The Hague, Holland, Netherlands.

Music by A. Fedorov - "Lake". Creative Commons.

Tech info:
Just got Flycam Nano DSLR a couple of days ago. Still learning how to use it, but getting better. Also I made a few mods like bigger handle and more. All shot with Canon T3i and Tokina 11-16/2.8 on manual at 400ASA. After one hour of shooting feels like I had a workout in a gym, shooting with camera stabilizer is not easy. Moving camera around is a lot of fun and very liberating, but goes against every instinct in my body after more than 30 years in photography.

Bridges of Paris. River Seine boat trip. France. May 2012

Boat trip in Paris.
Music: "Givers" by Lucky Dragons http://hawksandsparrows.org
Creative Commons license.
Time lapse photography. Canon 5D, 17-40/4L lens.

Paris, Bridge of Arts. Pont des Arts. France. May 2012.

Pont des Arts is a pedestrian bridge in Paris which crosses the Seine River between Institut de France and Musée du Louvre. New tradition - lovers attach love padlocks with messages of love.
Music by Kari Mahdendal - "Marioora", Creative Commons

I shot this film over 3 nights in Paris. Camera - Canon t3i; lens - 24/1.4L; ISO from 400 to 1600.

Queen's Day Party, Amsterdam, Netherlands, April 30, 2012

Every year on April 30, the Dutch go WILD, it is Queen's Day - a celebration of queen's official birthday - and the whole country celebrates. They wear the national color (orange) and party without pause. It makes for a wonderful day.

Music: Sam Santana - Cadriane Magical City, Creative Commons


It was great! I was shooting 6 hours nonstop. People were great, everybody was in terrific mood. Weather was perfect.
All shot with Canon t3i and 24-105/4L lens, handheld only, streets were packed.

Tulip fields in Holland, Netherlands. April 2012.

It took a few days of shooting with lots of delays thanks to rainy and cold weather, but it is finally here. I hope you like it. Dutch tulips for our memories of Holland.

Canon t3i, lenses: 17-40/4L; 24-105/4L; 70-200/2.8L; 75-300/4-5.6; tripod

The Hague ( Den Haag ), Netherlands is the home of the Dutch government and Royal Family. 

This was shot in Holland with Canon G9 in time lapse. PowerDirector 10 ultra for edit.