Vernon Chalmers Photography

Canon Photography Training, Conscious Intelligence and Environmental Understanding Conscious Intelligence through photography education, awareness, environmental understanding and observation with Vernon Chalmers Photography. See Deeper. Understand More. Vernon Chalmers Photography is not simply a photography website in the conventional sense. While photography forms its foundation, the platform's broader purpose extends beyond the creation and display of images. It functions as an educational environment where photography becomes a means of exploring, understanding, and documenting the natural world. Within this context, the camera serves not only as a creative tool but also as an instrument of observation, learning, and environmental engagement. Underlying this philosophy is the concept of Conscious Intelligence —a framework developed by Vernon Chalmers that emphasises awareness, presence, intentional observation, meaning-making, and reflective engagement with lived experience. ...

S.A. AGULHAS II  (IMO 9577135) : Antarctic Research, History & Marion Island Explore the history of S.A. AGULHAS II, her Antarctic predecessors, scientific role and latest 2026 Marion Island deployment from Cape Town.  S.A. AGULHAS II (IMO 9577135) Table Bay, Cape Town South Africa’s polar research and logistics vessel S.A. AGULHAS II (IMO 9577135) anchored in Table Bay, Cape Town, following her August 2026 deployment to Marion Island. Photographer's Note: AFRICAN ARROW (IMO: 9727297) was photographed by Vernon Chalmers in Table Bay, Cape Town. The image forms part of the Vernon Chalmers Photography Maritime Studies Project and is also published in the Shipspotting.com database. The S.A. AGULHAS II represents the latest chapter in South Africa’s long Antarctic and Southern Ocean tradition. From the R.S.A. and S.A. AGULHAS to modern polar research, Endurance22 and her 2026 Marion Island deployment, her story connects Cape Town with some of the world’s most remote scientif...

JESTER Passenger Ferry — Cape Town to Robben Island Passenger Catamaran  JESTER (MMSI 601180900) is a Cape Town passenger catamaran serving the Robben Island route. A VCP Maritime Observation and Shipspotting record.  JESTER (MMSI 601180900) Table Bay, Cape Town Side-profile photograph of JESTER, a South African passenger catamaran associated with the Cape Town–Robben Island ferry service. The vessel is identified by MMSI 601180900 and callsign ZR5252. Photographer's Note: Jester (MMSI 601180900) was photographed by Vernon Chalmers in Table Bay, Cape Town. The image forms part of the Vernon Chalmers Photography Maritime Studies Project and is also published in the Shipspotting.com database. JESTER — A Working Link Between Cape Town and Robben Island JESTER is one of those vessels that can appear relatively ordinary when viewed from the shore, yet becomes considerably more interesting once her identity and working role are established. Photographed in side profile during...

Canon RF 300-600mm f/5.6L: Future Expectations for Wildlife Photography What could we expect from Canon's rumoured RF 300-600mm f/5.6L IS VCM? An analysis of reach, optics, autofocus, stabilisation, weight and wildlife use. Canon's rumoured RF 300-600mm f/5.6L could occupy an important position between the RF 100-500mm, RF 200-800mm and professional super-telephoto primes. What would make it genuinely compelling?  What Should We Expect? Few prospective Canon RF lenses have generated as much sustained interest as the much-rumoured 300–600mm super-telephoto zoom. The lens has been discussed in different forms for several years, with earlier reports suggesting a variable-aperture RF 300–600mm f/4–5.6L design, while more recent reporting has increasingly pointed towards a constant f/5.6L version. There has also been uncertainty over the focusing motor designation, with both IS USM and IS VCM appearing in different reports. Canon has not officially announced the lens, so these speci...

AFRICAN ARROW IMO 9727297 — Cape Town Marine Observation AFRICAN ARROW (IMO 9727297), a 2015-built bulk carrier, documented through Cape Town marine observation, shipspotting and photography by Vernon Chalmers Photography. AFRICAN ARROW (IMO: 9727297) Table Bay, Cape Town Photographer's Note: AFRICAN ARROW (IMO: 9727297) was photographed by Vernon Chalmers in Table Bay, Cape Town. The image forms part of the Vernon Chalmers Photography Maritime Studies Project and is also published in the Shipspotting.com database. A Panamax-Sized Bulk Carrier at Cape Town AFRICAN ARROW (IMO: 9727297) AFRICAN ARROW (IMO 9727297) is a 2015-built bulk carrier whose proportions make her an interesting subject for Cape Town shipspotters. Measuring approximately 199.98 metres in length and 32.24 metres in beam , with a gross tonnage of 34,778 and a deadweight capacity of approximately 61,285 tonnes , she represents the substantial but relatively compact end of the ocean-going dry-bulk carrier fl...

BLUE MASTER II IMO 9465411 | Cape Town Ship Spotting Photography Photographing BLUE MASTER II (IMO 9465411), a multipurpose commercial vessel on the South African maritime route, from the Cape Town waterfront. BLUE MASTER II (IMO 9465411) Table Bay, Cape Town Photographer's Note: BLUE MASTER II (IMO 9465411) was photographed by Vernon Chalmers in Table Bay, Cape Town. The image forms part of the Vernon Chalmers Photography Maritime Studies Project and is also published in the Shipspotting.com database. BLUE MASTER II, IMO 9465411, a multipurpose commercial vessel photographed from the Cape Town waterfront as part of Vernon Chalmers Photography's ship-spotting and maritime photography work. A Working Ship on the South African Maritime Route BLUE MASTER II (IMO 9465411) There is something particularly rewarding about photographing a ship such as BLUE MASTER II . At first glance she is simply another large commercial vessel moving through the working environment of a major port. ...

AMAURY NEYRAND IMO 9940019 | Cape Town Ship Spotting AMAURY NEYRAND (IMO 9940019), a modern LPG carrier photographed and documented for Vernon Chalmers Photography's Maritime Observation & Ship-Spotting project. AMAURY NEYRAND (IMO 9940019) Table Bay, Cape Town Photographer's Note: AMAURY NEYRAND (IMO 9940019) was photographed by Vernon Chalmers in Table Bay, Cape Town. The image forms part of the Vernon Chalmers Photography Maritime Studies Project and is also published in the Shipspotting.com database. A modern LPG carrier at Cape Town AMAURY NEYRAND (IMO 9940019) For the Maritime Observation & Ship-Spotting (MOS) project, AMAURY NEYRAND is an interesting example of a comparatively compact, modern gas carrier whose appearance can initially be mistaken for that of a conventional tanker. The vessel carries the distinctive identity IMO 9940019 , making it possible to separate her from other ships with similar dimensions and appearance. She is a Panama-flagged LPG carr...

Canon EOS R5 Mark III: What Would Make It Worth the Upgrade? What would make the Canon EOS R5 Mark III a worthwhile upgrade from the EOS R5 Mark II? An analysis of possible sensor, AF, speed, video and workflow improvements. What Would Really Make It Worth the Upgrade? The Canon EOS R5 Mark III is already attracting considerable attention, even though Canon has not officially announced such a camera. My earlier article, Canon EOS R5 Mark III Rumors | Release Date and Future Specifications , has consequently become the most-read of my current Canon camera articles. That raises a more interesting question than simply asking what specifications the next R5 might have: If Canon eventually introduces an EOS R5 Mark III, what would actually make it worth upgrading from the EOS R5 Mark II? This is an important distinction. The EOS R5 Mark II is not a camera waiting to be completed. It is already a highly capable professional hybrid camera, combining a 45-megapixel full-frame stacked sensor wi...