IN PICS: Mauritius, like you’ve never seen it on Instagram
The Citizen photographer Michel Bega recently took an old 1970s Pentax K1000 camera and some black and white film to Mauritius and explored the island.
A view of Coin de Mire islet from Bain Boeuf, located at the northern tip of Mauritius. In English it is known as Gunner’s Quoin. Picture: Michel Bega
For many, the practice of using 35mm film to take photographs is a long forgotten past-time.
It was expensive, you were never sure you had captured the picture correctly, and it took some time before you saw your photographs.
But film photography is not dead – there is a niche group of photography enthusiasts still purchasing and developing film who are still enjoying the process and appreciating the specific tone of the images.
The Citizen photographer Michel Bega recently took an old 1970s Pentax K1000 camera and some black and white film to Mauritius and explored the island taking photographs the old-fashioned way.
Ganga Talao, commonly known as Grand Bassin, is a crater lake situated in a mountain area in Savanne, deep in-land. It is considered the most sacred Hindu place in Mauritius. Every year up to 500 000 of the island’s Hindu community come to pay homage to Shiva during the Maha Shivaratri celebrations. Picture: Michel Bega
The Maconde viewpoint at Baie Du Cap. It is a popular tourist viewpoint that can be accessed by climbing up a set of narrow stairs. There are wonderful views of the ocean, the nearby coastal village and the occasional fishermen on the shoreline. Picture: Michel Bega
A local rides his bicycle past a Tamil temple in Cap Malheureux. Tamil Mauritians are the descendants of Tamil migrants to Mauritius. The island nation has a Tamil population of 115 000. Thaipusam, the Tamil Hindu festival, is a national holiday in Mauritius and is notable in the temples. Picture: Michel Bega
A pedestrian is seen walking a main street in Port Louis. The capital is home to the biggest port facility in the Indian Ocean region and one of Africa’s major financial centers. Picture: Michel Bega
A busker performs in the Mauritian capital city, Port Louis. The unemployment rate in Mauritius is at 7.3 percent. Picture: Michel Bega
A walkway stretching out to sea off the Mahebourg waterfront. Mahebourg is historically significant as this is where the Dutch first landed on the island in 1598. Additionally it is the site of a famous battle where French naval forces defeated the British in August 1810. Picture: Michel Bega
Traders and shoppers are seen in the Mahebourg market. The market trades mostly in a variety of fresh fruit, vegetables, fish, spices and local Mauritian street food. Picture: Michel Bega
A decorated bus, featuring a flying Pegasus, is seen at the Mahebourg Bus Terminal in the South East of Mauritius. Many of the buses in Mauritius are colourfully painted, featuring a variety of characters from kitsch island scenes to superheroes, animals and fruits. Picture: Michel Bega
A view of the cemetery at Cap Malheureux, Mauritius. Picture: Michel Bega
Pedestrians walk up a hill in a small side street in Port Louis. The city is full of numerous buildings and monuments that reflect its rich and diverse colonial history. Picture: Michel Bega
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