Spitskoppe Twilight
Few moments in my photography career can rival how I felt at this exact moment I took this image. This photo was taken well after sunset as the first stars appeared in the sky. A long exposure was needed as it was quite dark, but what amazed me was the intense colour still present in the sky from the western horizon, casting beautiful pinks and purples on the clouds and peak of Spitskoppe. No people around, no sounds, no wind, no distractions from the outside world! It was just me, my camera and the incredible scene playing out in front of me! I would have done anything to share this incredible moment with my wife and daughter, it was truly humbling! This was the final image I took on my trip to Spitskoppe in Namibia in February 2020 and it represents so much for me! It was an amazing way to finish off an incredible trip. Spitskoppe, Namibia
The Ghost Trees
Incredible morning light beams in from the east across the hauntingly beautiful landscape of Dead Vlei in Namibia. These trees have been cut off from the Tsaucheb River by the ever changing sand dunes, ending their supply of flowing water, and because of the incredibly dry environment, the trees do not decompose. Dead Vlei, Namib Naukluft National Park, Namibia
Flooded Desert
Namib Naukluft National Park, Namibia
A Dusty Oblivion
Huge winds engulf the harsh landscape of the Namib Naukluft as the sun sets to the west, creating brilliant contrast between wind-swept sand and dune shadows. Namib Naukluft National Park, Namibia
Abstract Dune Field
The rising sun from the east accentuates the tops of repeating dunes in the Namib Desert, creating beautiful contrasts between light and dark. Namib Naukluft National Park, Namibia
Arid Tranquility
The morning sun rises to the east during a calm morning, casting light onto high clouds above the Namib Rand, known for immense beauty and arid tranquility. Excelsior Farm, Namib Rand, Namibia
Balance Of Light
Three forms of light balance together to create this photograph. Starlight, astronomical twilight and artificial light. The Quiver Trees are composed as if reaching up to the most fascinating form of light, the Milky Way. The challenge was to perfectly balance all three forms of light into a pleasing photograph. Quiver Tree Forest, Keetmanshoop, Namibia
Battling The Wind
A lone photographer battles the wind amongst the abstract shapes of the rolling dunes in the heart of the Namib Naukluft dune sea. Namib Naukluft National Park, Namibia
Boulder Family
What caught my eye about this scene was the three boulders on top of this rocky outcrop, which resembled a family of three, sitting together watching the storm in the distance. This image was captured just a month before the worldwide pandemic hit in 2020, and looking back at this image now, it reminds me of my small family watching the storm from a distance, hoping to not be affected by it. Spitskoppe, Namibia
Brown Hyena Track
This image is representative of one of the most amazing experiences I had in 2022...I was standing high up on a dune, in the middle of the Namib Dune Sea in the Namib Naukluft National Park south of Walvis Bay, and the sun still had about 45 minutes until it would rise.It quite literally felt like I was the only person on Earth!I was photographing the dawn twilight, when I could see a black blob moving in the distance, about 2 km away from me. I couldn't make out what it was at the time, it was that dark and that far off.I continued watching this object get closer and closer, together with it getting brighter and brighter, and to my absolute surprise, I faintly realised the black blob was a Brown Hyena!From first spotting the Brown Hyena about 2km away, it eventually got closer to me, and stopped about 30 meters away! We stared each other down for at least 10 minutes, and every time I turned my back, it would take a few steps closer. I soon realised this Hyena saw me as a food source, and I stopped photographing the sunrise, got my 200-500mm lens out and started taking images of it, at least that way I had an eye on it at all times. The light was very low and I had to use crazy high ISO settings to capture an acceptably sharp image. The Hyena eventually lost interest, and wondered off. His footprints lead off into the distance.Once the sun had risen, I went to find the footprints the Hyena left and I immediately started taking photographs of them. One of my favourite moments with a wild animal on foot!
Dawn At Kubu
Soft dawn sunrise light faintly illuminates the Earths atmosphere and iconic Baobab Trees across the incredible beauty of Kubu Island. Kubu Island, Makgadikgadi Pans, Botswana
Dawn Over Desolation
Clouds roll in from the west as morning sunrise light majestically shines through illuminating the massive dunes surrounding the Camelthorn graveyard known as Dead Vlei. Dead Vlei, Namib Naukluft Park, Namibia
Early Dawn
A very early morning at Spitskoppe in Namibia. This is a blend of 2 exposures, one for the stars and a long exposure for the land. The long exposure rendered some beautiful dawn colours on Spitskoppe. Spitskoppe, Namibia
Essence of Life
The remains of new life, delicate and fragile, blown across the barren landscape of the Makgadikgadi salt pans in Botswana. Flamingo's breed in their thousands on these salt pans, a harsh environment, demanding and hostile. The Flamingo egg was no more than fifteen centimeters from my camera. I used focus stacking for increased depth of field and filters to complete my vision for a photograph I feel is unique to the Makgadikgadi, showcasing the essence of life in this harsh environment. Kubu Island, Makgadikgadi Pans, Botswana
Final Light of Day
The very last, remaining sunlight fades into darkness across the incredibly beautiful landscape of Spitskoppe in Namibia. Spitskoppe, Namibia
Flaming Namibian Rainfall
The last light of day illuminates heavy falling rain in hues of oranges, giving much needed moisture to the barren landscape of the Excelsior Farm in the Namib Rand conservancy, Namibia. The already spectacular landscape takes on an even more spectacular mood underneath epic, stormy light. Excelsior Farm, Namib Rand, Namibia
Giant Baobab
The Milky Way burns bright across the African sky as a giant Baobab stands tall, growing from the rocky terrain of the Mashatu Game Reserve. Light pollution from the south adds a warm tinge to the sky. Mashatu Game Reserve, Botswana
Golden Atmosphere
Thick dust fills the atmosphere as heavy winds whip through the arid desert landscape just after the sun breaks the horizon at sunrise. The golden colour of the dust was incredible to witness, soaring hundreds of meters into the sky. Namib Naukluft National Park, Namibia
Iconic Kubu
Late afternoon sunlight paints the clouds overhead, looking from below an ancient Baobab Tree from the iconic landscape of Kubu Island. Kubu Island, Makgadikgadi Pans, Botswana
Into The Desert Light
The sun rises in the east, soaking the barren and hostile landscape of the Namib Dune Sea in golden light. Fog from the Atlantic Ocean rolled in overnight, creating magnificent conditions for photography. Namib Naukluft National Park, Namibia
Looking Skyward
The bright Milky Way streaks across the sky from left to right above a huge Baobab Tree in the heart of the Makgadikgadi Pans. Kubu Island, Botswana
Mud Symmetry
Cracked mud creates such incredible symmetry on the desert floor of the Namib. Water flows through the desert very rarely, creating these incredible abstract patterns. Namib Naukluft National Park, Namibia
Twilight Night
The land of dark skies, and my oh my, is the night sky impressive when seen from the arid land of Namibia. This image, however was captured well after sunset but before it got completely dark… that red glow from the sun was incredible to see, lasting for a long time! This is the night I almost stood on a Horned Adder too, very memorable! It’s tough to beat the absolute beauty of a Namibian night sky!Namib Rand Conservancy, Namibia
Namib Double Rainbow
Heavy rain falls over the Namib Rand Conservancy in Namibia, illuminated by the late setting sun, creating a very striking double rainbow. Excelsior Farm, Namib Rand, Namibia
Namib Sunrise
Morning sunlight illuminates a dune in the Namib Naukluft Park in a striking display of colour. Namib Naukluft Park, Namibia
Patterns Of The Desert
A beautiful play of light and shadow cast across the dazzling patterns of the sand dunes near Sossusvlei in Namibia. Sossusvlei, Namib Naukluft National Park, Namibia
Rage And Rainbows
Every now and then, nature puts on a display like you’ve never seen before. In February 2021, I made a last minute trip out to the Augrabies Falls National Park to see the falls in flood. Wow, I was blown away by the spectacle! Although I photographed the usual views encompassing a lot of the falls, this tighter shot was exactly what I was after. I was after a unique perspective on a well photographed location, a photograph that represented not only the location, the power of the flood, but one that also told a story. For me, the tiny tree standing against the raging water adds so much to the scene. Augrabies Falls National Park, South Africa
Rain Streaks
Heavy rain falls across the desert creating some unusual patterns across the massive sand dunes. I've always wanted a shot like this, and finally made that happen on a recent trip to the Namib. Namib Naukluft National Park, Namibia
Sands Of Time
Incredible westerly winds from the Atlantic Ocean whip up the sands of the Namib Desert, creating and atmosphere like I have never witnessed before. Namib Desert, Namibia
Ship Skeleton
The Milky Way Galaxy burns bright above the remains of the Shawnee Shipwreck on the western coastline of the Namib Desert. Namib Naukluft National Park, Namibia
Storm Through The Arch
Incredible storms roll across the barren landscape of Spitskoppe as diffused afternoon sunlight paints the landscape, creating such beautiful contrasts with the famous Spitskoppe arch towering overhead. Spitskoppe, Namibia
The Magenta Glow
I have never seen a twilight glow this strong before, and seeing that colour with stars appearing in the sky was magical. The Shawnee Shipwreck along the Namib Naukluft coastline made for an incredible subject underneath this insane light. Namib Naukluft National Park, Namibia.
Thirstland Rainbow
Incredible sunrise light expands across the sky, illuminating heavy storm clouds and rain in a striking display of colour and incredible rainbow over the desert thirstland of the Kalahari. Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Northern Cape, South Africa
Thunderstorm Over The Naukluft
Evening thunderstorms build over the Naukluft mountains to the east of Sesriem as twilight softens the colour palette. Trees dot the arid landscape below made even drier by the lack of summer rains. Namib Naukluft Park, Namibia
Twilight Colour Palette
A crescent moon hangs low in the clear, twilight sky of sunset. Beautiful colours from the setting sun tinge the atmosphere in soft hues signalling the end of a very hot day over the harsh environment of the northern Cape. Augrabies Falls National Park, Northern Cape, South Africa