The Bay is one photogenic lady. Like a model she puts on her finest evening wear, paints her lips in bright red, she adds a touch of jewellery, slips into her high designer stilettos and gets all dollied up for the people of the Bay; day in and day out.  She poses in our city, around our museums, in front of century-old architecture. She tangoes  in the colours of sunsets, in the ocean breeze and every now and then she heads over to the wild side where lions and elephants roam side by side.

She is attractive, she is beautiful, she is a stunner and she has an audience at her feet day after day; photographers, hobbyists, Instagrammers and onlookers lift their cameras to eye level time and again to snap her captivating spirit.

It is easy to understand why the Bay of plenty is also the muse of plenty if you turn your social media fingers towards the #ShareTheBay hashtag on Instagram.

Whether you are a photographing genius or just looking for inspiration, the Bay has a little bit of everything plus a dash of a bit more. Here are 10 things – and possible places – to photograph and just enjoy in and around the Bay.

10 Things to Photograph in and around Nelson Mandela Bay

Architecture

Some ideas of where to go: Port Elizabeth Central for old Victorian Architecture and Uitenhage’s Cuyler Manor Museum for Cape Dutch architecture.
 

Sunsets

Some ideas of where to go: Schoenmakerskop.
 

Sunrises

Some ideas of where to go: Donkin Reserve.
 

People

Some ideas of where to go: Nelson Mandela Bay is perfect for portrait photography; whether you want to capture street scenes, a matric farewell, a wedding, a model or perhaps you just want photos with a loved one. Popular spots are St. Georges Park, Port Elizabeth Central, the train tracks in Despatch as well as Humerail, old museums such as Uitenhage’s railway museum and of course, the beach.
 

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City Life

Some ideas of where to go: Anywhere and everywhere.
 

Wildlife & Nature

Some ideas of where to go: Addo Elephant National Park, Kragga Kamma Game Park, SAMREC, Cape Recife Nature Reserve and Sundays River Valley.
 

 

Oceanscapes

Some ideas of where to go: One of our Blue Flag beaches, Cape Recife Nature Reserve, Schoenmakerskop and Sardinia Bay.
 

Food

Some ideas of where to go: The Bay has plenty of restaurants, fine-dining establishments as well as unique coffee shops, but if you want a place where food, drinks and friends all come together, head over the the Valley Market.
 

Art

Some ideas of where to go: For street art visit Strand Street, Richmond Hill, Baakens Valley and Bird Street and for public art installations go on a Route 67 tour.
 

History

Some ideas of where to go: Explore the museums in Port Elizabeth, the old architecture as well as the historical museums of Uitenhage.
 

 

Written by Anje Rautenbach, travel blogger at Going Somewhere Slowly. Follow her journeys around South Africa on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.