In the past few years Tabletalk has formed an invaluable bond with award-winning nature photographers, Frieda, 70, and Jan, 73, Prinsloo.
The Parklands couple regularly share their amazing pictures of wildlife captured at Rietvlei, a place they call their second home.
When they sold their home in Pretoria in 2009, they wanted to settle in a place close to a birding sanctuary. After doing some research, they discovered Rietvlei and “never looked back”.
“For eight years we have walked in the early mornings with our rucksacks on our backs and cameras looking for wildlife. In ice cold mornings with ice on the boardwalk and hot summer days in the dry season. We have watched many rainbows over Table Mountain and ran for cover in rain showers,” said Mr Prinsloo.
Two years ago the Prinlsoos told the Tabletalk how wildlife photography and bird watching were the ideal activities for married couples (“Couple click through nature”, Tabletalk, December 23 2015).
They pack a picnic to enjoy at Rietvlei which they visit about three times a week and Mr Prinsloo is the ultimate gentleman, carrying his wife’s camera bag which gets “very heavy”.
“We do everything together as husband and wife. We wake up at 5am and go to Rietvlei or the Milnerton lagoon and sit there for hours,” said Ms Prinsloo.
She has won a string of awards for her wildlife photography including Die Burger Buite photo competition in 2015 and her work has featured in National Geographic.
This, however, would not have been possible had Mr Prinlsoo not bought her her first camera, a Pentax k1000, in 1966. “She cried when I gave it to her,” said Mr Prinsloo.
Many years later the love birds say they enjoy spending their retirement at Rietvlei an “enhanced place full of mystery and happenings”.
The year has also been a particularly good one with two milestones for the Prinsloos: they celebrated their 50th anniversary and Ms Prinsloo turned 70.
“We have made a lot of friends here and talked to lots of overseas birders and local wildlife lovers. We also looked for a paper to share some of our photos and we decided on Tabletalk and never looked back. Happy birthday to a great paper and its people,” said Ms Prinsloo.
