Where Hippos Roam

There are times when plein aire painting does not make sense. This is one of them. Standing a short distance from the shore, at a time of day when hippos are splashing, grunting and thinking about their watery territories, is alright to be out of the vehicle taking photos. But, that safe time for humans seems to be of a mysterious length (the guides seem to know), so I'd rather not be absorbed in a plein aire painting. Instead, I bring home memories and photos that I can paint from later, reliving the feel of the air, the color of the land, the sounds of the hippos and birds of South Africa and sharing those moments with others.