AUSTRALIAN PHOTOGRAPHY + DIGITAL SEPTEMBER 2015 AUSTRALIANPHOTOGRAPHY.COM 17
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You don’t expect to find ships in the
desert, but it does occur surprisingly
frequently in Namibia, on Africa’s
rugged and isolated southwest coast.
Canon 5D Mk III, 16-35mm lens
@ 16mm, 1/350s @ f/11, ISO 400,
hand held. Processed in Lightroom.OPPOSITE
Deadvlei (Namibia) offers huge
iconic sand dunes and unique
800-year-old mummified trees.
There is tremendous diversity in
deserts, and I can’t wait to go back in
2016! Canon 5D Mk III, 200-400mm
lens @ 232mm, 1/750s @ f/8, ISO
400, handheld, aperture priority.
Processed in Lightroom.I love shooting sand dunes. Next year
I plan to tackle new locations that were
only recently opened to travellers, like
some parts of the Namibian desert.
We’ll drive up and down massive sand
dunes, hundreds of feet high, and
through arid lands which no cameras
have photographed before. We’ll get a
bit of dust and sand, but what fantastic
photo opportunities!
Modern equipment handles this
type of diversity well. If you’ve never
photographed a sand dune you can look
forward to magic lines and patterns and
some great creative angles, despite the
often sand-filled winds. You must make
sure you carry adequate protection for
your equipment, because sand is a real
camera killer. But, if it’s calm and quiet,
don’t be shy to get down low, put on your
widest lens (or perhaps your longest one)
and aim to push yourself beyond your
traditional interests and comfort levels.
The rewards can be stunning, and you’ll
shoot images which you’ll enjoy for the
rest of your life. ❂Darran Leal has worked as a professional
photographer since 1989. Along with his
wife Julia he owns and operates World
Photo Adventures offering guided photo
tours to some of the most photogenic
locations in the world. Find out more at
worldphotoadventures.com.au