Elizabeth Brooke

Costa Rica, January 2023

I am a fifty-year-long hotel business owner based in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, along with property investments in Southampton, New York. I have seriously pursued the art of photography for many years.

Carel-Louis Steemkamp guided our photography group through the Erindi Private Game Reserve in Namibia in October 2022. During a subsequent trip to Costa Rica, he was a fellow photography workshop participant.

Based on the above, I know him both professionally and personally.

I have travelled extensively globally and have been on many game drives including several with Carel. Carel is professional, informative, and knowledgeable. He was readily available to answer any questions that we had and was an expert in assisting us photographically. Carel has an extremely enjoyable personality and I wish I could take him around the world with us.

Carel-Louis is a remarkable young man. But his young age soon became an afterthought for us all. He is mature and knowledgeable beyond his years. He is capable in so many areas: scientifically about flora and fauna, technically in his skills photographically, and as an extremely capable driver over very rough terrain in the bush in search of elusive animals, such as leopards and lions. Ask him about the termite mounds, and he will tell you a complete analysis and history of termites and how they benefit the ecosystem. At night, he was an incredible spotter; we could see several owls and species not visible daily.

Although he was a fellow participant in Costa Rica, he continually asked if anybody needed help and always jumped in when he noticed something or if someone could use support. Several times, I had a photography question, and he knew the answer immediately. Other times, when my backpack and tripod got a bit heavy, he would happily carry them for me.

Any company employing Carel will be lucky indeed. I have offered him a job here in the states, but I know his heart is in pursuing his career as a photographer, guide, and educator in Africa

Ten stars!