Best Accommodation Cape Town South Africa

“Crowned Eagle” at Monkey Valley Resort, Noordhoek, South Africa, is certainly the most spectacular amongst the Best Accommodation Cape Town South Africa when it comes to visitors who are looking for that special, warm “Out of Africa” ambience one hardly finds anymore… as so much has become sort of the same high international ‘standard’.

Best Accommodation Cape Town South Africa

To promote “Crowned Eagle” as one of the Best Accommodation Cape Town South Africa has to offer in the UK and US, Monkey Valley Resort will market this gem of a villa – which is situated high up on the slopes of Chapman’s Peak and overlooking 8 km of pristine beach along the Atlantic Ocean – via a precious downloadable and printable brochure to their tour operators and contacts overseas – leading them to direct bookings or to their new website on Semiomantics Evolution.

As the German Tourism Industry is up, the German version of the brochure will be marketed in Germany, to reach out for some market share in the flourishing German Holiday and Travel Industry.

As many Germans and Swiss love Noordhoek and spend at least the German winter in their holiday homes down here, there may be some really positive response.

Best Accommodation Cape Town South Africa on Google

When looking at the search term ” Best Accommodation Cape Town South Africa on Google” we currently get 12,8 million returns. It’s certainly a highly competitive arena, especially when domain names contain these exact terms. However, when working on Semiomantics XO it’s never a question of getting there – it’s just a matter of how long it takes… a few minutes, a few hours or a few days? Which depends on how much we apply ourselves to the task… which depends how much we really want to focus on it.

Let’s see where we can get with a first shot – Lights Out! Action! Go!

Author: Bianca Gubalke, Art, Media, Publishing. Co-Founder of YORGOO, YCADEMY and Semiomantics. If you enjoyed reading the above, please consider following future tips and strategies by RSS reader, Email delivery, or Kindle subscription.

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Monkey Valley Resort in September

Cape Town, South Africa, is getting ready for spring… and naturally we asked Dumi Sakuinje what’s planned at Monkey Valley Resort for the new season, starting 1 September 2010?

Check out the brief projection below, recorded on a sunny but pretty windy afternoon – with nothing but the last few feet left on a NIKON Coolpix P90 digital camera – high up at Monkey Valley Resort’s gem, the “Crowned Eagle”, on what’s to be expected in terms of September Entertainment at the beautiful beach resort.

This little movie was edited in Camtasia Studio Pro with no really efficient tool to eliminate the background noise the amazingly sensitive microphone of the digital camera had captured. It is only 1 minute 35 seconds long and was produced in High Definition for YouTube. . . where it’s currently loading. It will take a couple of hours with our slow Internet connections… but here come some interesting details for those interested in movie productions for online presentations and YouTube.

Monkey Valley Resort in September

As we are still testing the best conversion and production formats, my experience with “Monkey Valley Resort in September” was the following:

My NIKON Coolpix P90 is normally set to produce digital photos in 3000 x 4000 size. I did not change these settings to 16:9 for instance. I kept all 3×4.

Camtasia Studio Pro

When starting a new project in Camtasia Studio Pro we are asked to select our format preferences.

As I plan to load the movie in HD to YouTube, I selected 1280 x 720 – which immediately reduced the original images on my Camtasia editing screen, leaving me with a large black frame around the picture.

Once the clip was edited, I published it with my personal settings – which again are YouTube/HD, meaning 1280 x 720.

The result was the display you see in the top picture here. Length: 1:35 min, 30frames per second, 214 MB.

Hmmm… I found this pretty heavy for a tiny clip like this… but I remembered that in a previous discussion it was mentioned that the whole black frame counts in terms of ‘weight’ – at least, that’s what I had understood.

Accordingly, I decided to experiment and try another version:

I did not touch the edited movie, but changed the initial settings in Camtasia to the original size I filmed it, 640 x 360 (4×3). . . but then chose the same format for YouTube/HD, meaning 1280 x 720. Being aware that I changed the 4×3 to a 16:9 … I just wanted to see the result. One never knows unless one tries… and this is not the end of the story yet :)

However, now I got double the weight: 452 MB, same time 1:35 min and 30 frames per second.

What I like here is that the picture will be seen at maximal height as demonstrated on the second screenshot above, the way Camtasia plays the movie straight after publishing.

Of course, I’d prefer to have it lighter … without losing any quality. Maybe I will get there in the next shot. . .

23% loaded… 253 minutes remaining on YouTube – duhh… what would I do with 10 minutes???

Author: Bianca Gubalke, Art, Media, Publishing. Co-Founder of YORGOO, YCADEMY and Semiomantics. If you enjoyed reading the above, please consider following future tips and strategies by RSS reader, Email delivery, or Kindle subscription.

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Arum Lily Frog

As spring has enveloped the beautiful Noordhoek Valley, South Africa, the stunning white arum lilies abound especially in meadows, wetlands and along water courses. The temptation to pick this protected species is huge and we see bunches of these exquisite flowers being sold off at traffic stops by local people. Illegally.

What most people don’t know is the tiny Arum Lily Frog – Hyperolius horstockii – that often lives in the arum lily; it actually fuses so perfectly with its environment that it’s hardly seen – by the human eye, by predators and of course by its insect prey, thus playing a very important role in pest control.

Arum Lily Frog

The above picture of the Arum Lily Frog was sent to me by a friend who actually enlightened me on this story! Probably only very few people are aware of this adorable little being and the danger of extinction when its habitat is being destroyed.

An Arum lily turns brown after about 4 hours when cut – so if we don’t pick nor buy these flowers, we add to protecting the environment.

Please do!

I have spotted an area where I might go hunting with my digital camera one of these days and try my luck of discovering an Arum Lily Frog! Fingers crossed…

Author: Bianca Gubalke, Art, Media, Publishing. Co-Founder of YORGOO, YCADEMY and Semiomantics. If you enjoyed reading the above, please consider following future tips and strategies by RSS reader, Email delivery, or Kindle subscription.

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Photographic Essay with Filters

As part of the Ycademy Seminar on Photo Media Stock, here is a Photographic Essay with Trees and Vines I captured on a rather overcast afternoon – it were the horizontals that interested me here, but I was not satisfied with the low light conditions. Let’s see, what we can create in a quick first shot using filters!

Photographic Essay with Filters

A fairylike version in soft blues of the same Photographic Essay with Filters – including the vignette:

I lost track of remembering the original . . .

But I do remember the cradle of a young, fresh Chardonnay tasting of rich pine needle soil and bursting with green Noordhoek Valley light!

Author: Bianca Gubalke, Art, Media, Publishing. Co-Founder of YORGOO, YCADEMY and Semiomantics. If you enjoyed reading the above, please consider following future tips and strategies by RSS reader, Email delivery, or Kindle subscription.

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Photo Media Stock Seminar

The Photo Stock Media Seminar by Ycademy started yesterday with an introduction to “What is Stock Photography” and , within the context, what do we understand by “Royalty-free Stock Photography” versus “Rights-managed Photos”.

Many people assume that ‘royalty-free’ equates to ‘free’ – meaning one can grab any royalty-free photo – or other media for that matter – without payment… but this is not the case. You always pay a license fee on Photo Stock sites, but the price varies according to the rights of usage. For instance, if an exclusive right for a particluar photo is being bought for say a month – because that’s when the magazine comes out and is being sold… so the publisher wants THAT picture to feature there and nowhere else – then the price would be a very different one, understandably. After the paid time frame for the exclusive usage has expired, that photo may be put back into the ‘royalty-free’ pool – open to anyone again.

Photo Media Stock Seminar

It was made very clear during the Photo Media Stock Seminar that there is a huge market for Stock Photography and other Media Stock out there in the market – and increasingly so as everything is media-oriented. While there are massive and highly successful Stock Photo sites on the Internet, there is always room for new, fresh material – likened to’ leads’ that are being bought for instance by the business industry, especially also in MLM. The fresh leads are the hottest and – accordingly – the most expensive. Why? Leads are people who just showed their interest in what is being offered, possibly with their credit card between their teeth – so they don’t need convincing or persuasion, they know what they want… and if they see what they want where they are looking, they go for it.

The Semiomantics Advantage

While we may not be professional photographers – and I do believe there is no reason why anyone with a passion for digital photography and giving himself the means to improve and evolve cannot become a professional – we are extremely strong and professional in Online Publishing, firmly grounded in what I call  “The Semiomantics Advantage”.

Being found on Google where people with a specific need or target are looking is what counts… and while the competition is huge, the brand-new kid on the bloc: PhotoMediaStock.com – has a long-term vision and will go for the Moon!

Here comes day 2 of the Ycademy Seminar August 2010…

Author: Bianca Gubalke, Art, Media, Publishing. Co-Founder of YORGOO, YCADEMY and Semiomantics. If you enjoyed reading the above, please consider following future tips and strategies by RSS reader, Email delivery, or Kindle subscription.

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Photo Media Stock Preparation

Preparation is key to results and success; in this sense I have prepared for tonight’s important Ycademy Seminar Precall as laid out HERE.

If you click on the picture here – or on GALLERY HERE – you will see a slideshow consisting of a few pictures I selected under different testing aspects.

Photo Media Stock Preparation

As requested for calibration purposes of our Lightroom Pro we have to determine the weaknesses of our individual cameras… be it in the color, tone, contrast, sharpness for example …

I added a couple of pictures as follows:

~ Daylight inside, no flash

~ Daylight outside

~ Daylight outside in the shadow

~ Low light – before sunrise, at sunset, after sunset

~ Stills where I used a Flash inside.

I am looking forward to finding those little common denominators that would improve the quality of each picture automatically as we pull them into Lightroom.

Stock Photography

For Photo Media Stock we need sharp, well focused and attractive photos that buyers then turn into works of art or integrate parts of them according to their priorities, for instance in Advertising. That’s what they pay for.

It’s really important to differentiate clearly between these two caps: am I the seller or the buyer?

I am aware that as creative people and web designers we have to switch between both. This, however, is only possible if we understand and master the basic techniques – and that’s why tonight’s Training Call and the upcoming Ycademy Seminar are so critically important for all those with a passion for Digital Photography and a willingness to enter the competitive field of Stock Photography – even without being professional photographers.

Author: Bianca Gubalke, Art, Media, Publishing. Co-Founder of YORGOO, YCADEMY and Semiomantics. If you enjoyed reading the above, please consider following future tips and strategies by RSS reader, Email delivery, or Kindle subscription.

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Destinations Expo 2010 Cape Town Interview

As the Destinations Expo 2010 in Cape Town has closed its doors on Sunday, 22nd August 2010, and as a response to various requests and comments from interested players in the Tourism Industry all across South Africa, we did an Interview with Dumi Sakuinje who attended this relatively new Travel & Holiday Expo in his capacity as the General Manager of Monkey Valley Resort, Noordhoek, South Africa – and who kindly and spontaneously agreed to give us some valuable feedback.

Destinations Expo 2010 Cape Town Interview with Dumi Sakuinje

In our brief yet informative Interview on the value, the results and merits of the “Destinations Expo 2010 Cape Town” , Dumi Sakuinje – who has a wealth of knowledge and experience in African Tourism all across the African continent -, comes to some conclusions that are of interest to anyone who wants to expand their South African Travel and Tourism Business, especially in view of the third Destinations Expo 2011 planned for next year.

Dumi Sakuinje on the Internet

Dumi Sakuinje is very positive and enthusiastic about the massive potential for Travel & Tourism in South Africa – and Africa a s a whole – however, given the fact that most bookings are being made online today, this can only happen with a strong presence and a good reputation on the Internet… meaning high visibility on search engines, like Google, as well as Social Networks, genre Facebook. Accordingly, this is where a major marketing effort and the relating investment has to be concentrated until the goal is reached. It’s the exact route Monkey Valley Resort follows – of course, on Semiomantics Evolution.

See a sneak-preview CLICK HERE.

Faster Internet lines would help; this 5 minutes 33 seconds Interview took over 6 hours to load – but it’s worth watching – enjoy!

The original video on You Tube is HERE.

Author: Bianca Gubalke, Art, Media, Publishing. Co-Founder of YORGOO, YCADEMY and Semiomantics. If you enjoyed reading the above, please consider following future tips and strategies by RSS reader, Email delivery, or Kindle subscription.

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Sunset at Monkey Valley Resort Noordhoek

Spring is here and with it, the sun will slowly travel back from its current position behind Chapman’s Peak until we see it setting in the Atlantic Ocean right from our doorsteps here in Noordhoek – just as you can admire a golden sunset at Monkey Valley Resort Noorhoek, right from the deck of the “Crowned Eagle”.

Visitors have left testimonials calling it “Paradise”.

Sunset at Monkey Valley Resort Noordhoek

If you want to know more about Monkey Valley Resort in Noordhoek, South Africa, have a look at the short video on YouTube in HD – CLICK HERE.

If you have a slow line, I recommend you let it run through once first – and then play it, watch and listen in one go!

Monkey Valley Beach Nature Resort is definitely worth a trip… and there are many things to do in the idyllic Noordhoek Valley.

Photographic Workshop at Monkey Valley Resort

This stunning sunset at Monkey Valley Resort Noordhoek was taken by award-winning international photographer David Turnley from New York, who gave a Photographic Workshop at Monkey Valley Resort in December 2009, and who will be back this year!

Watch this space for more information!

Author: Bianca Gubalke, Art, Media, Publishing. Co-Founder of YORGOO, YCADEMY and Semiomantics. If you enjoyed reading the above, please consider following future tips and strategies by RSS reader, Email delivery, or Kindle subscription.

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Chapman’s Peak Drive

Chapman’s Peak Drive near Cape Town, South Africa – connecting Hout Bay with Noordhoek – has often been called one of the “… most spectacular coastal roads in the world”.

The above picture shows Chapman’s Peak Drive to the right sneaking along the mountains towards Hout Bay in the background on a wild, stormy winter’s day…

Chapman’s Peak Drive

It was indeed a wild stormy winter’s day when I drove to my Yoga Workshop with Shimon Ben Avi on Sunday morning … all along Chapman’s Peak Drive. The pass was closed for a couple of years after a tragic accident and has since been beautifully restored. It is now a toll road – R30 (3 Euros) per trip in any direction… that’s for about 10 km of stunning vistas anywhere you look. Many people come here just to watch the sunset with a glass of champagne. . .

One does still take a risk on extremely stormy, rainy days… as who can tame Nature in such a grandeur? And this despite all the enormous road, bridge and rock retaining work that has been done with Swiss expertise.

But I can guarantee many moments that take your breath away as you inhale the beauty and majesty of Chapman’s Peak Drive…  never mind the weather.

No Cape Travel & Tourism tour that doesn’t include Chapman’s Peak Drive on their circuit towards Cape Point – don’t miss it if you get a chance to experience it!

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These incredible views across majestic mountain ranges and the endless Atlantic Ocean always make me feel humble and privileged at the same time; it was just what I needed after a memorable Yoga Workshop… to let the unique wisdom and inspiration received sink in and. . . flow. . .

Author: Bianca Gubalke, Art, Media, Publishing. Co-Founder of YORGOO, YCADEMY and Semiomantics. If you enjoyed reading the above, please consider following future tips and strategies by RSS reader, Email delivery, or Kindle subscription.

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Destinations Expo 2010 Cape Town Feedback

As the Destinations Expo 2010 in Cape Town has closed its doors today, Sunday 22nd August 2010, we are looking forward to getting some feedback shortly directly from Monkey Valley Resort who had their presence at the 4-day Tourism & Holiday Expo… which will be published here.

Destinations Expo 2010 Cape Town Feedback

Based on the Destinations Expo 2010 Cape Town Feedback we will analyze its value as a Tourism & Holiday Marketing tool and report on real tangible results or constructive criticism and thoughts as to how things could be dramatically improved within the global context – as Tourism and Travel are to be seen internationally -, and especially in view of the next year.

The fact that most bookings today are being made online puts the main focus on the Internet… and what is definitely required is a modern, high-tech and up-to-date Internet presence… which is totally lacking right now.

Time to change…

Author: Bianca Gubalke, Art, Media, Publishing. Co-Founder of YORGOO, YCADEMY and Semiomantics. If you enjoyed reading the above, please consider following future tips and strategies by RSS reader, Email delivery, or Kindle subscription.

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