A landscape photographers paradise is hidden between enormous sand dunes in the middle of the Namib Desert in Namibia, Africa. The sand dunes have surrounded a white clay pan and the area has such little moisture that the dead trees can’t decompose naturally. They have been dead for centuries but are nearly perfectly preserved.
This is a multi-award winning image. Sunset at Deadvlei
I loved the 100-400mm lens at Deadvlei on this Africa photo tour. I took my camera bag with me rather than only one camera because I knew I’d want a few different perspectives and I’d regret leaving some camera gear in our vehicle. Ben McRae’s experience was awesome at this location and it saved me a lot of time. I’d spoken to him about my vision and when we arrived he pointed me in the direction to walk as he knew what I wanted to capture…and of course I came across the perfect spot for my vision to become a reality!
I’d seen many photos of Deadvlei and when you get there you can see why. The trees that stand out are the ones you see more photos of and for good reason. I also tried a few different captures and whilst this iconic location in Africa is photographed a lot, there are always new images to be created.
There is a shuttle departure point were you can get a 4x4 safari type vehicle to take you close to Deadvlei. Then you just have a small walk towards the dunes. The bright oranges and reds reflected when the sun is low are stunning to see and capture. It’s a very similar experience to being at Uluru in Australia. Definitely worth getting their early and experiencing this location at sunrise and sunset.
I set up my iPhone using a phone connector on a small gorillapod to capture a time-lapse of the changing sand dune colours at Deadvlei at sunset.
I thought i’d put my iPhone in a discreet spot for the time-lapse, however in hindsight when on group trips it’s not a good idea to put something in a location for a length of time that might be in someone elses shot. It was something I really want to capture so I’m glad I did it and no one said it caused them anyone problems - although a few noticed it. Lucky it was a small group and no other tourists were there at this time as they’d already left for the day.
Experience, Immerse and be as close to nature as you can. When travelling try to make the most of every adventure. Even if that means taking your shoes off in the middle of nowhere!
Being connected to nature and your surrounds is always awesome.
The second night we camped at Sessrium Gate. I wanted a mixture of camping and lodge based accomodation to keep the cost of the trip reasonable. I initially had some concerns about camping in my own tent, but I absolutely loved it and I’ve really enjoyed camping in Africa on future trips. There was a shop (the last photo pictured below) where I bought some cold beer and the facilities at the camp ground were quite clean and good.
Ben McRae even convinced me and others in the group to sleep without a tent one night near Spitzkoppe. Falling asleep directly beneath the millions of stars was actually an awesome experience. I stayed up most of the night photographing so by the time I went to sleep I was so exhausted I didn’t have time to hear any possible lizards trekking past me!
