South Africa: A Journey That Reset Me

I’ve been in South Africa for over a week now, and tomorrow night I fly home.

I’ve seen things my eyes still don’t quite believe. South Africa is a place that will humble you in ways you can’t explain.

The light alone is worth the trip. Until you stand in it, you can’t possibly understand how unique it really is. Yes—it’s that different. Photographers from all over the world fly here just to make pictures with this light.

Meeting Géran

I wouldn’t have had such an immersive experience without the man himself, Géran Raath.

Géran isn’t just my Chief Operations Officer for The Carty Method. After this trip, after being welcomed into his home and family, he’s become so much more.

From the second he picked us up at the airport, he became the ultimate ambassador for Cape Town and South Africa as a whole. He made this trip pure gold. Unforgettable.

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A Shoot That Almost Didn’t Happen

Of course, I came here with gear. Too much gear, as always. I wanted to do a shoot while I was here, but our first model canceled at the last minute.

Géran’s daughter Aurora stepped in, and despite the pressure of University exams, she carved out time for us. Géran went full producer, scouting three incredible locations (we settled on two) and navigating us through what felt like constantly changing scenery.

At the Cape Town Witzand sand dunes, Aurora posed while 4x4s flew by us. Géran kept watch to make sure none of them turned us into a headline. Later, at Hout Bay, I made pictures of Aurora with the Indian Ocean crashing against the rocks, just hours after we’d driven from the Atlantic side. That alone broke my brain.

One of my favorite frames was Aurora wearing Géran’s jacket. It wasn’t planned, but sometimes the best looks never are.

Building With Géran

One of my priorities in coming here was to deepen my partnership with Géran, and we did exactly that.

We spent hours talking strategy, digging deep into The Carty Method operations, and exploring new ways to grow on Substack and YouTube. The ideas we came away with are pure gold, and I can’t wait to see what Géran builds with them.

If you’re not already following him, you should: GeranRaath.photography.

Travel Changes Me

Something happens to me when I travel.

I get better. Better as a storyteller. Better as a photographer.

It’s always a challenge deciding what to shoot stills of, what to capture in video, what to film vertical for stories, and what to shoot horizontal in 4K.

I always beat myself up over what I miss. But that’s part of the process.

This trip gave me more than I can even articulate right now. I know I’ll be back. Back to this light, this energy, and these people.

Breaking the Myth

Everyone markets South Africa as dangerous. I didn’t feel any of that.

With the right guide and the right people around you, this place is nothing short of magical.

A Preview Before I Go

Before I even start editing, I wanted to give you a sneak peek of my shoot with Aurora.

Straight out of camera. No retouching yet.

I also captured some street portraits and plenty of video content that I’ll share soon on YouTube.

It’s been almost two weeks since I uploaded or live streamed, and I’m excited to get back live and start sharing this work with you.

For now, I’m laying low, battling a cold, and resting up before I fly out tomorrow night.

Every Trip Changes You

Travel is the ultimate reset button. Every plane ticket, every new place, every new light—it all shifts who you are and how you see.

South Africa did exactly that for me. It stretched me as a photographer, as a storyteller, and as a person.

If this post sparks something in you, drop a comment and let me know.

And if you know someone who needs that little nudge to finally book their trip, share this with them.

Sometimes one story is all it takes to move someone into action.

Partnership in Action

What stood out most to me though wasn’t the strategy—it was the way we worked together.

We weren’t just talking about The Carty Method in a vacuum; we were living it.

Driving to locations, problem-solving when our first model canceled, adapting on the fly—that was the method in action.

I’ve always said photography is 1% making pictures and 99% everything else.

Spending this time with Géran proved that. He anticipates, he organizes, he smooths the edges so the creative work can shine.

Watching him switch hats—from tour guide, to producer, to assistant, to storyteller—showed me exactly why I trust him to help lead this thing we’re building.

And that’s the real win of this trip.

Not just the shoots, not just the light, but knowing I’ve got a partner who shares the same obsession with doing the work at the highest level possible.

That’s rare, and it’s worth everything.

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Why Travel Makes Me Better

Something shifts in me every time I travel.

I get sharper. Better as a storyteller, better as a photographer.

The challenge is always knowing what to capture and what to let go. Do I shoot stills, or do I roll video? And when I’m shooting video, do I frame it vertical for stories or horizontal 4K for long-form content? Those decisions never get easier.

I think I did well this trip, but I still catch myself focusing on the shots I missed rather than the ones I nailed. That’s the burden of being both creator and editor—you’re always second-guessing.

Now comes the hard part: shaping all of this into the story I want to tell. Organizing, editing, and weaving it into something that does justice to the experience is almost as demanding as the trip itself.

Back to This Light

I know I’ll return to South Africa sooner rather than later—back to this light, back to these vibes.

People often market this place as dangerous, but that wasn’t my experience.

With the right guide—and I had the best one—we found nothing but warmth, generosity, and connection.

One of the highlights was a test shoot with Rory (Aurora Raath).

What I’m sharing here is straight out of camera, no edits, no retouching. That’s how excited I am about this work—I couldn’t wait to show it to you.

What’s Next

I also made some street portraits while I was here. I’m not including them in this post, but I’ve got enough material to create a couple of solid videos.

It’s been almost two weeks since I last uploaded to YouTube, so I’m looking forward to getting back live and sharing this South Africa work in a bigger way.

Right now, I’m focused on shaking off this cold. I skipped a hike with Cheryl this afternoon so I could finish this post and stay horizontal.

Once I hit publish, I’ll get outside, put some sunshine on my face, and start feeling human again.

Signing Off

I fly out Sunday at 11:30 pm ZA time and will be back in Toronto late Monday night.

If you want to see more from this trip, make sure you’re following me on Instagram and subscribed on YouTube. I’ll be sharing a lot more of this South Africa work soon.

Thanks for sticking with me through this long one. I hope it’s inspired you to get yourself lost in a new place with your camera. That’s where the growth lives.

See you next Saturday.

PS. Was impossible to live stream while I was here but I tried to make it up to you with instagram stories! Back to our regular scheduled programming next week.