Who am I and what is WildWild Journeys?
Byron Grobler finds the wild
At 24, an unexpected locking of eyes with a young leopard in Pilanesberg sparked something which was sitting dormant inside me. A year later I was guiding international guests in that same area of wilderness. Add an old camera borrowed from my brother and everything came to life. Searching for wildlife encounters in the untouched wilderness and interpreting nature from my own perspective was a sport and an art in itself, all while expressing myself freely through photography. I had been ‘reborn’ and this creative expression was now embraced.
a turning point
Fast forward a few years and a sequence of events coupled with the pandemic left me wondering what was next... until a profound experience and a solo two week adventure provided clear answers. Another rebirth. There was a sense of purging going on while on that North to South trip through Kruger. Nothing would align and nature seemed to be poking fun at me. I noticed this. It showed me that I was still so concerned about an outcome and what results I could achieve that I was ignoring the most important thing - The journey. This, with the fact that these journeys need to be shared in an authentic way.
the 'why'
I create videos now to share these experiences with the world. To demonstrate that it’s about the process, not the result, or ‘big’ moment at the end. In fact, there is no end. When this is done from the heart, while letting go, everything else falls into place in the best possible way, even if it might not seem like it at the time. It’s not the photograph that you remember, it’s everything leading up to it. The ups and downs. The laughter. The pure excitement created when you experience something new. For me, that’s living. That’s creating.
I’m still finding the answers from nature on each and every WildWild Journey. Even when I’m not looking for them.
I hope to now inspire others to visit wild places and connect not only with nature, but with themselves along the way.
Stay wild
Byron Grobler
