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Namibia - Sand, Stars and Wildlife
  • RobCowell
  • RobCowell

Namibia - Sand, Stars and Wildlife

Namibia - a land of huge sand dunes and desert and all-round stunning landscapes. There are inky black skies where the heavens shine brightly, contrasting colours, ancient rock formations and wildlife. Can you resist not travelling with me? Czytaj więcej
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  • Rozpocznij wyprawę
    4 września 2026
    RobCowellNamibia - Sand, Stars and WildlifePodróżnik
    Waving goodbye as I leave my daughter's for the airport - I do have two legs, honestThat is one very big aircraft

    The Adventure Begins

    4 września, Anglia ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    I have been really looking forward to this trip which has me travel with five others to various locations around Namibia. It is a varied itinerary too, which includes huge sand dunes, old deserted buildings invaded by wind and sand, long dead trees sitting on a white base, stunningly dark skies as a playground and also, along the way and at the end, an opportunity to photograph Namibia's wildlife.

    But before I can do that I must travel there, so my starting point is London Heathrow airport flying with BA on one of those huge double decker aircraft. It is two flights actually: the first is 11 hours or so to Johannesburg, South Africa, then a second flight of around 2 hours from there to Windhoek where I meet up with the group.

    I arrived at Heathrow in good time and the A380 left pretty much on time, arriving at Johannesburg on time as well. All going smoothly then ... until things all went wrong.

    My blogs might be a bit erratic over the next couple of weeks due to the nature of this trip. I will do my best to update regularly but you may find the footprints arrive in batches.     Czytaj więcej

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  • RobCowellNamibia - Sand, Stars and WildlifePodróżnik

    Help from Strangers

    5 września, Afryka Południowa ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    As I have mentioned already, my flight from Heathrow went well, leaving and arriving on schedule. I even managed a decent amount of sleep once I settled down about half midnight.. My companion in the next seat was a really friendly guy who although born in Namibia, now lives in Guernsey with his wife and three children. He was travelling to Namibia to attend a wedding.

    Having landed, we departed the plane and headed across the airport as transit passengers, so it should be simple. The great thing was my companion knew exactly where to go so it should have been really easy, but when we got to the first control point there was no-one at the desks and the queues were huge. We had less than 90 minutes to get to our flight and time was ebbing away. Eventually we got through but then there a long walk to get to security to go through to our gate.

    Then it got worse, because now people were really worried they were going to miss their connecting flights. So was I, and it was at this point we got separated but it would not have made any difference even if we hadn't.

    It was a free for all and I could tell you a whole lot more but in the end I missed my flight the flight, as did around eleven others. This was somewhat inconvenient and meant the journey became extremely stressful as it looked like I might not even get to Namibia that day.

    I won't bore you with what happened next - you've probably glazed over already - but after a lot of walking, having to enter South Africa then re-enter the airport to check-in with new boarding, we finally got a seat on a plane that would get me to join the group just in time for an evening meal. Phew!

    Whilst walking miles around the airport it was so nice of one of the passengers to help me with my luggage, which I was fine with for normal activities at an airport but not for what happened here. My Samaritan was Dara from the Netherlands and she was amazing when carried my 10kg backpack for me. She insisted.

    Isn't it nice to know that strangers can be there for you when needed. The world isn't so bad after all.     Czytaj więcej

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  • RobCowellNamibia - Sand, Stars and WildlifePodróżnik

    Windhoek

    5 września, Namibia ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    Windhoek is the capital city of Namibia with around 500,000 inhabitants. I haven't checked, but I suspect most Namibians live here. I must be honest and say I never expected the city to be this big though I'm not sure why.

    The driver, Gideon, who picked me up from the airport, was our driver for the whole trip and he was so helpful when greeting me at the airport. Before long, around half an hour or so, I arrived at the hotel to meet my fellow travellers then it was then a quick turnaround and out for dinner. What a day!

    There are no photos for this footprint I'm afraid as I simply never thought to take any, but don't despair as I'm pretty sure there are some great photos to come.     Czytaj więcej

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  • RobCowellNamibia - Sand, Stars and WildlifePodróżnik
    Our transport for the weekTypical view as we were travellingArty shot!Just to prove I crossed the lineRemi, our workshop leader takes a group selfieThe desert landscape is vastOur stop for lunchThe colours of Namibia2You get the idea?

    Travelling

    6 września, Namibia ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C

    After all the stress at Johannesburg airport the evening was so relaxing though I was getting quite tired. Everyone was, to be honest so we went to our rooms and I was asleep by 10.30pm.

    The first day of our 'expedition' started with breakfast at 9am then we loaded our bags and gear into our minibus and began the long drive south to Keetmanshoop and our first photo location.

    There are some long drives during this trip and today is the first of them - about five hours! It's very flat and dry which was not unexpected to be honest. We spotted some monkeys at one point but generally it's a desert landscape. There was the occasional pause for fuel and we stopped at a very pleasant place for lunch.

    One notable stop before lunch was at the Tropic of Capricorn where there is no option but to stop and take a photo.     Czytaj więcej

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  • RobCowellNamibia - Sand, Stars and WildlifePodróżnik
    Our accommodationA quiver tree - just so you know2

    Quiver Tree Forest Rest Camp

    6 września, Namibia ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    Arrival at our accomodation was welcome after the long drive and it was nice that we were all in the same 'cabin', with the restaurant was just across the way. Very handy given I later discovered it is very dark here.

    There was just a short amount of time to sort ourselves out, which actually means choose rooms, drop bags, unpack a few items and sort out cameras ready to photograph the soon to arrive sunset - amongst the quiver trees. I knew what a quiver tree looked like - there was one right by us (see photo) but what would a forest of them look like?

    I would soon find though as I walked with the group down the track the led to a gate.     Czytaj więcej

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  • RobCowellNamibia - Sand, Stars and WildlifePodróżnik

    What am I Doing in Namibia?

    6 września, Namibia ⋅ 🌙 19 °C

    Namibia is a country I have wanted to visit for a very long time. Iceland was another on my wishlist and I visited there in 2015 when I was treated to a surprise long-weekend adventure.

    I had seen photographs of Namibia that inspired me to go and in particular it was photos of dead trees in a white, flat basin surrounded by red sand dunes and deep blue skies. I was so jealous when my daughter Penny and her partner (now husband) visited there a while ago. But this isn't all Namibia has to offer, and I was just waiting for the day I could travel there... and now here I am!

    Naturally it is photography that brings me here so I am spending two weeks travelling with four other photographers and our guide Remi, on his tour of various locations around the country.

    As always in my travel diaries, all the photos are taken on my phone because that makes it easier to post them for you to see. Occasionally, there might be a photograph from my 'proper' camera when the phone can't cope.

    Anyway, that's enough chatter, so let's continue with the journey and the fun stuff along the way.     Czytaj więcej

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  • RobCowellNamibia - Sand, Stars and WildlifePodróżnik
    A typical scene as I searched for my photo
    A typical scene as I searched for my photoThe last of the light before the night arrived

    Quivering Sunset

    6 września, Namibia ⋅ 🌙 19 °C

    I was excited to be walking along the track with my camera gear for our first session of photography: to photograph the quiver trees at sunset.

    The gate we arrived at led over rock-strewn ground towards the trees and the realization that this forest was more a large collection of trees, rather than the vast conifer forests of Canada, or any forest really. This did not mean that photographing them was easy, because there were still plenty scattered around and close enough to make you careful when choosing a composition that would not be unduly cluttered. It wasn't easy at first but got easier after a while.

    Sunsets happen quickly the closer you are to the equator. At first you could take your time, but I knew that the sunset would arrive and be over very quickly, so laid-back panic set in as I searched for my sunset photo. Then the moment arrived and I took my first photos. My best one of the evening was when I was alongside Remi, our workshop leader. I was so pleased to get such a lovely photo before it was time to head back for our evening meal.

    It was a challenge at times, but great fun. The whole group clearly loved it, judging by the comments as we walked back.

    This wasn't the end of the day, however, because the camera would be working again after our meal.

    I'll post my favourite photo of the evening when I've processed it.     Czytaj więcej

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  • RobCowellNamibia - Sand, Stars and WildlifePodróżnik
    2From my camera
    Not sure my phone does a great job of photographing the night skyI'm the one in the middleIt's an image from a horror movie!Oh dear ...2From my camera

    An Evening Under the Stars

    6 września, Namibia ⋅ 🌙 17 °C

    When we went for our evening meal it wasn't all that dark but afterwards, when we looked up on our way back to our rooms, the sky was inky black and the stars shined so brightly. The Milky Way was incredibly clear in the night sky right above our heads, and the constellation of Scorpio shone bright and clear.

    We retraced our steps back to the gate that led to the quiver trees, negotiated the rocky floor and looked for a suitable location for our nightscape photos. It was extremely dark, so dark, in fact, the camera screen showed nothing of the scene, so it was somewhat tricky to align the composition correctly but after a while I got used to the extreme dark and felt my way towards what I wanted.

    The location was fabulous. The quiver trees were great foregrounds to the night sky, though I'm not suggesting it was easy to find something uncluttered. An annoyance was the lights from other people. We all needed to light our way at times, but there were people with exceptionally bright torches that often ruined my photos, meaning there were times of waiting for them to move or turn off their lights, or just taking the photo again. Occasionally, their lights were helpful, though not often. The main photo from my camera has the trees lit from their lights and not mine.

    I have taken photos to create a Milky Way panorama which I hope works when I process it. Hope so. Overall though, it was a fabulous evening and, as I have said, the sky was unbelievably good and there was something I had never experienced - ss the evening wore on, the Milky Way became lower in the sky. In fact, by 11:30 p.m. it was too low to work well for photos. But as it got lower in the sky, our surroundings became even darker, and we became aware of just how much the stars provided additional light. It was amazing to experience.     Czytaj więcej

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  • RobCowellNamibia - Sand, Stars and WildlifePodróżnik
    I have a version of this taken ony my cameraI was hunting to get a sun star in my photoThere was lovely golden light for longer than I expectedCan you spot my tripod?Then the golden light fadedOne of our group caught me at workFinally, a walk back for breakfastThe dining room

    Quiver Tree Sunrise

    7 września, Namibia ⋅ 🌙 10 °C

    Even though we had been up until relatively late last night, the first task for today was to photograph the sunrise. An early start then.

    It wasn't completely dark, but a head torch was still needed as we walked back along the trail to the quiver trees, where we spread out to look for a suitable tree (or trees) as a foreground for the photo.I took a few photos before the sun rose because the light was just lovely and the trees looked great in silhouette. I then set up my camera and tripod ready for the sun to appear. I was not impressed when a couple appeared from nowhere and decided they would photograph the trees I had chosen and stood so my shot was ruined. Somewhat frustrated, I picked up my tripod and looked for an alternative option. I think I have my sunrise photo, and I'll find out when I do the processing. After the sun had risen there was still time to photograph the trees in the golden sunlight.

    Remi had set a time for us to meet to head back to our accommodation and then we had breakfast. I really enjoyed the morning photography, not just because it was photography but because it was just lovely to experience the dawn and the fabulous colours that came with it.

    After breakfast we packed ready to leave for our next location - Luderitz.     Czytaj więcej

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  • RobCowellNamibia - Sand, Stars and WildlifePodróżnik
    Loading our luggageThe drive today was a long one with pretty much nothing for hoursIt was mostly flat but not slwaysWe stopped to photograph the road!Remi went first...But had to run when a car cameWe all took turns thoughWe all have a variation of this on our camerasThe scenery changed as we neared LuderitzIt was good to arrive for something to eat and drink

    Travelling Again

    7 września, Namibia ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    After an enjoyable breakfast, it was time to leave and travel once again through vast landscapes of, well, not a lot really. You will see what I mean from the photos in this footprint. You travel for miles over endless flat plains of dry ground, and it's a wonder as to how anything survives, but of course it does, as you can see.

    At one point, we stopped to photograph a road which, I realize you're thinking, is a bit weird. But, you have a group of photographers here who can't resist a long, straight road to create a scene with depth and perspective. That's their excuse, of course; they just love playing chicken and risking death from the passing traffic. It wasn't dangerous, though, because those with stand lookout and the road wasn't all that busy.

    The journey took three hours and wasn't so bad, and the town was a pleasant surprise. I'm not sure why, but I didn't expect it to look the way it did: it wasn't a big place and the buildings were colourful and not unattractive.     Czytaj więcej

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  • RobCowellNamibia - Sand, Stars and WildlifePodróżnik

    Luderitz

    7 września, Namibia ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    After the meal we went to check into the hotel but not before some fancy maneuvering by our driver to reverse the truck and trailer out of the car park. Very impressive.

    The hotel was right by the sea and the room had a nice view across the water. To the right, I could see a church on the hill, but the town was a short walk away, a little further on.

    There was a little time to settle in, but it wasn't all that long before we headed back to the car park for the next photo location. I must admit I was unsure about this because I thought the subject to be photographed, old mine buildings, might be somewhat boring. I was wrong.     Czytaj więcej

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  • RobCowellNamibia - Sand, Stars and WildlifePodróżnik
    Derelict buildings greet you
    Derelict buildings greet youThe site is much bigger than I imaginedThese buildings looked a bit dull to be honestRemi and Giulia composing photos... and me of courseThe sand has taken over hereA favourite of my phone photos hereThis one too - the sunset light was beautifulLast of the light

    Kolmanskop Diamond Mine at Sunset

    7 września, Namibia ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    I must be honest and say I wasn't sure about this photo location. Street photography and old buildings aren't something I do or a subject I'm attracted to. It was no surprise to me, then, that as we entered the site and walked up to the old diamond mine buildings, I wasn't quite sure whether I'd come away with photos I liked. Maybe I'd find a long lost diamond - now that would be good.

    Remi led us to some rectangular buildings. The windows were long gone and their interiors were now filled with sand at differing amounts. We had to enter through those windows, and so once in, I started to explore the rooms for something to photograph. The sun was low in the sky and before long its golden light streamed through those open windows to enhance walls of yellow and blue, and the sand of course. There were interesting shadows too. I was loving the photos I was taking. I hope you like them too.

    We stayed until the sun had finished for the day, then wandered back to the truck to return to the hotel. Dinner awaited, though we ate elsewhere that night.     Czytaj więcej

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  • RobCowellNamibia - Sand, Stars and WildlifePodróżnik
    We arrived in mist and fog which have this place a very different feel
    We arrived in mist and fog which have this place a very different feel2No magic light this morning2Nothing better than the end of a staircase 🙄We arrived on the only day of the year this flowersEntually the mist burned away but no sunrise light todayAn out of focus lizard - I guess he woke feeling fuzzy

    Kolmanskop Sunrise in the Mist

    8 września, Namibia ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C

    It was another early start so we could be at the mine museum for sunrise. It was 6:45 a.m. when we once again walked towards those old buildings. Today, however, fog blanketed the landscape, so it was quite eerie as we returned to those derelict buildings.

    We had visited again so the morning light would enter the room from the opposite direction, creating new perspectives and atmosphere, but there was no sunrise to be seen and it was difficult to find something worthwhile with the flat and dull lighting I was given.Everyone felt the same, but even so, I'm sure there will be something to show for the visit. Very nice coffee was available in the cafe, so all was not lost - there are definitely photos I'm pleased with that I'll process when I'm back home. The fog did clear by the way, but not until the sun was too high in the sky to be useful for photographs.

    There was one interesting thing, though, which I've included in the photos. There is a plant in Namibia that only flowers on one day in the year and not only was there a plant in one of the garden areas, it had chosen this very day to perform. Clearly, we all had to photograph it.     Czytaj więcej

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  • RobCowellNamibia - Sand, Stars and WildlifePodróżnik
    The houses are colourful and look great against that deep blue skyThe church I could see from my roomLooking nak to our hotel2The railway looks as if it hadn't been used for sges

    Luderitz Town

    8 września, Namibia ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    Having returned from our early morning photography, there was time to explore the town and some relaxation. This footprint shows the views as we discovered what Luderitz was like. The buildings are quite colourful and you csn definitely feel the mining history of the town. There was a railway station which didn't seem to have been used for a very long time and it can't have been, because the tracks were covered in sand. Czytaj więcej

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  • RobCowellNamibia - Sand, Stars and WildlifePodróżnik
    The best sunset I could get 😥
    The best sunset I could get 😥2The viewpoint with no view

    Sunset in the Mist

    8 września, Namibia ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    The decision was made that sunset photography today would be on the coast where there was a lighthouse, a viewpoint and, of course, a coastline. The weather was warm and sunny as we boarded the truck, but by the time we arrived at the lighthouse, the dreaded mist and fog returned. I tried to get a decent photograph of the lighthouse and failed, and also the sunset and failed at that too. There were some flamingoes wading in the shallow shoreline, and those photos didn't work either so not a very successful visit then!

    Fog and mist are common along the coast because the colder and damp Atlantic air meets the warm air over Namibia, hence fog and cloud. I still enjoyed the visit and being out with my camera, even if I have not a lot to show for it.     Czytaj więcej

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  • RobCowellNamibia - Sand, Stars and WildlifePodróżnik
    Simple but yummy - there were vegetables btw
    Simple but yummy - there were vegetables btwTiramisuBirthday cake for FrancescaHappy Birthday

    Dinner and a Birthday Surprise

    8 września, Namibia ⋅ 🌙 13 °C

    This evening we all enjoyed a lovely meal in the hotel restaurant. I had steak with a pepper sauce and tiramisu to finish... and wine too, chosen by Remi.

    It was also a special day because it was Francesca's birthday, so what better than a decorated table, birthday cake, and having Happy Birthday sung by the restaurant 'choir'. What a great ending to the day. Czytaj więcej

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  • RobCowellNamibia - Sand, Stars and WildlifePodróżnik
    A quick stop to photograph an old and deserted property1Our lunch stopIt was a nice place to stop but the waitress was a little grumpyOld vehicles are commonly used as features

    Travelling North

    9 września, Namibia ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    Remi had warned that today was a long traveling day, and he wasn't wrong. In fact, it turned out to be just short of 11 hours, including the lunch stop and two photo stops. Gideon, our driver, was amazing, seemingly taking it all in his stride.

    You can see the typical views as we traveled the miles, which seemed to be very repetitive, but things did change over time ... slightly.

    All of a sudden and not too long after we had left the hotel, we parked up near an old and deserted house. We stayed around half an hour trying to capture the scene - this phone photo is pretty much the same as I took with my camera.

    The next stop was for lunch at a surprisingly nice restaurant. I'm not meaning to be rude, it's just that after traveling for ages it was surprising to find a very pleasant place to eat lunch. In contrast, the waitress was surprisingly below par, being rather grumpy and none of us could fathom out why - perhaps it was just a bad day for her, we decided. Whatever, lunch was nice then we continued the journey.

    You will see the old car as one of the photos in this footprint and this seems quite common, to use old vehicles to adorn a location. It seems a bit weird at first (I thought) but actually, I think it works really well.

    Time was moving along so the planned sunset photo shoot looked as though we would not make the location in time, but all was in hand as Remi knew of a location we could be to capture the sunset.When we arrived, the location looked promising as long as the cloud on the western horizon behaved itself, so fingers crossed then.     Czytaj więcej

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  • RobCowellNamibia - Sand, Stars and WildlifePodróżnik
    All ready and waiting
    Setting up camerasAll ready and waitingThis doesn't look stunning but it works well using a proper cameraGreg comoding his photoA view from the lodge restaurant - the waterhole is lit and at times animals visitHome for three nights

    A Sunset to End the Journey

    9 września, Namibia ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

    The original plan, I believe, was for a sunset photo shoot from the lodge where we were staying, but the journey took a little longer than expected. Remi had plan B, which was a location on the side of the road with the sun setting over the mountains. So here we are setting up our cameras and hoping the cloud is kind.

    As the sun actually set, it was a lovely disc of deep red placed between those mountains, but the phone just can't do it justice. I definitely needed my telephoto lens and a tripod to get the photo I wanted. You can see there are some clouds around, and this worked to our advantage because it meant the sun wasn't so bright. I'll include this photo at the end of the trip if, when I process it, it looks half decent.

    When the sunset was over, we continued the journey to the lodge where we were staying next. The last photo is the room I stayed in, number 146, and the photo before was the view from the restaurant.     Czytaj więcej

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  • RobCowellNamibia - Sand, Stars and WildlifePodróżnik
    The dunes were stunning in the morning light
    The queue can be quite long but we were towards the front of itViews as we travelled into the parkYou can take a balloon flight over the dunesThe dunes were stunning in the morning lightLove the sweeping curvesOccasionally we stopped to take 'proper' photosThe dunes are so goodDifficult to tell, but they are truly massiveYou arrive at a car park to change vehiclesJust a sand trackway nowThis was a very bumpy ride though the video stabilisation smooths it out - think rodeo

    Sunrise and Sand Dunes

    10 września, Namibia ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    We are staying at Sossusvlei Lodge, which is just outside the first of the entry gates to the National Park. There are two gates and the outer gate opens 1 hour later than the inner gate, so it pays to join the queue earlier than the 7am opening time. You can stay in between the gates but it is more expensive.

    This morning consists of two parts, with the first spending time photographing the huge sand dunes in the early morning light. They were fabulous both in colour and the lovely sweeping curves. We even saw hot air balloons drifting over the dunes, catching those morning colours.

    On a number of occasions, we left the vehicle to walk a short way to pick out compositions involving the trees that were dotted around, with the dunes as a backdrop. The phone photos here don't do it justice, to be honest, but I loved this location, having been looking forward to it.

    At around 9:15 a.m. we arrived at a car park where we had to transfer to another vehicle. The sand trackway from here would take us to somewhere I have dreamt of visiting for a very long time, so I was very excited at this point.

    There is no way a normal vehicle can make it through the sand, and I even saw 4x4 vehicles stuck. So the rodeo ride to the final car park is quite an experience, mainly because the drivers don't hang around, presumably so they can do more journeys and earn more money. The bumps do make you feel your spine is being reformed, though. Great fun.     Czytaj więcej

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  • RobCowellNamibia - Sand, Stars and WildlifePodróżnik
    It's very difficult to get a photo with no-one in it, so patience is essential
    The start of the walk from the drop off pointIt gets steeper as you walk the trailFirst view of Deadvlie panI was surprised at how many people there areThose two identical shadows - where did they come from?I still saw people sitting against the trees thoughIt's very difficult to get a photo with no-one in it, so patience is essentialSometimes it's a long wait or I will use Photoshop to remove the peopleSo many penguins waddling aroundA classic shot of one of the 900 year old dead treesIntrepid explorer? 😂Leaving the park via the inner gate

    Deadvlie

    10 września, Namibia ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    Oh my goodness, I've wanted to photograph this location for a long time and was so envious when my daughter Penny and now husband Tom went there around eight years ago. Even so, I was a little nervous because the walk across the sand dune is around a mile (1.5km) and with my camera gear and walking across the soft sand I just hoped I would be okay given it's also hot. Remi very kindly carried my heaviest lens though, which did help a lot. I was fine.

    We arrived at the Deadvlie pan around 10:15 a.m. and I was amazed at how many people were there, which meant photography would be more difficult than I had imagined. I gave up trying to get a photo with no one in it - it wasn't impossible, just tricky, and in any case, Photoshop can sort things. I still found it challenging to photograph however, because there are quite a number of old trees and also trees which have finally fallen, or just messy backgrounds. I really enjoyed the time here with time just disappearing. It was also hard to believe just how old the dead trees are. It's an amazing place.

    This was just the practice run, however, because we are returning for an early morning session and I must say, visiting now was really useful because in the morning the great light doesn't last long, so to have visited and scouted at the location was of real benefit.     Czytaj więcej

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  • RobCowellNamibia - Sand, Stars and WildlifePodróżnik
    Not as red as I hoped for but the oryx helped make it a nice scene
    I decided to photograph those mountains that would hopefully glow redNot as red as I hoped for but the oryx helped make it a nice sceneSunset as we headed back to the lodgeBefore retiring for the night, Remi and I tried using our phones to photograph the night sky

    Sunset at Sesriem

    10 września, Namibia ⋅ ⛅ 32 °C

    The walk back from Deadvlei pan was really hot - the temperature had really risen. However, mid-afternoon was another level again, so I was pleased we spent that time relaxing at the lodge. The whole group agreed.

    Gideon drove us to a location just inside the park so we could photograph the sunset, though this was going to be tricky given that the gates closed at sunset and you are not allowed to stay later, so an actual sunset photo would be pretty much impossible.

    When we arrived at Remi's chosen location there were two choices: stay in the car park area or climb the dune there. It was still quite hot so I was happy to stay for a photo of the distant hills, which I hoped would turn red as the light changed. I didn't fancy trudging through the sand to be honest, and when Kajsa returned before the rest, she confirmed that I made the better choice. I was happy to have a little quiet time, to be honest.     Czytaj więcej

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  • RobCowellNamibia - Sand, Stars and WildlifePodróżnik
    Photographers at work
    Looking back to the lodge from our traffic queue2The dunes were looking awesome this morningOnce again, the sand track roller coasterYou do get your spine rearranged at times!Starting the walk again2Fewer people and lovely lightSome had brought costumes to pose with the treesDo you prefer this with or without the lady?Lots of people came to climb the Big Daddy dunePhotographers at workThat classic view againWaiting for the shuttle to bump us back to the car parkAn interesting visitor on the path near my (our) room

    Deadvlie Early Morning

    11 września, Namibia ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    On the journey back to the Deadvlie pan, I wondered what it would be like at this time of day. Yesterday, it was later in the morning with the light full-on and you can't get there for sunrise because you're not allowed into the park early enough. Mind you, due to the height of the dunes, you'd never see the sun that early, but the light would have been magical. I wondered if it still would be given the light on the dunes was lovely this morning.

    Once again my spine was rearranged on the high-speed dash along the sand track, though this time I was in the passenger seat on the way there, so it was luxury. The walk was better too, because it was cooler, and when I arrived at the pan the light was a lot better and there were fewer people. There was a big difference though.

    First, there were a lot of people climbing the Big Daddy dune, which is not something I wanted to do. Secondly, though there were fewer people around the old trees, this time they were women and girls dressed in costumes who posed for photos, presumably for their social media accounts. In fact, posing in front of the trees seemed to be the theme of the morning, and this meant it was still tricky to get the more fine art photos I like to take. Patience is important here.

    The light was very different now with the shadow of the Big Daddy dune creating chocolate colours as a backdrop to the trees. Occasionally, those women in their dresses worked in my favour too - I have given you an example in the photos today. Once again, I loved my time here and time simply evaporated away.

    Guilia had decided to wear a cool and flowing white dress today and at one point Kajsa and I thought it would be great to use Guilua as our model, so she posed by the trees for us, which was brilliant. She really enjoyed it and we did too so I'm looking forward to processing my photos of her then I'll send her copies.

    I must say that there was a lovely atmosphere this morning. Not just because of the moment, the light and the photographic opportunities, but because everyone was so friendly and considerate of others taking photos. This is a special place for sure and I feel so fortunate to have come here.

    Did I get the photo I came for? I'm pretty confident I did though I realise this footprint might not suggest that. I was engrossed in the moment and with using my camera and tripod so I simply forgot to use the phone at times.

    We left the pan a little after 11:00 am, when the temperature started to get a little oppressive, then headed back to the lodge to relax. It was very hot during the walk back.     Czytaj więcej

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  • RobCowellNamibia - Sand, Stars and WildlifePodróżnik
    Evening light photographyDune 40 - we spent quite a while hereHeading towards sunsetKajsa, Giulia and FrancescaThis is our dining table during our stayThe restaurantTaken on my phone using its astro mode - not really impressed

    Sweeping Curves of Sand

    11 września, Namibia ⋅ 🌬 32 °C

    It was really hot during the afternoon, so I was pleased we stayed around the lodge. Later on, though, we headed out once more to photograph the dunes in the later afternoon, arriving around 5 pm.

    Although we took similar photos to our first visit, this time we drove to Dune 40 and Dune 45 where Gideon could park the vehicle much closer. I was pleased we did this because now I could get more interesting compositions which include the lines along the dunes. I love the curves and bends formed by the wind, and there are trees that provide interest in the foreground. Once again, however, the phone photos give the general idea, though it's those taken on my camera that will bring the locations to life. I hope you like the photos I'm showing you, though.

    A highlight was having Giulia once again be our model - you can see she's in her white dress and she braved the wind and headed up the dune for us, and we were definitely in her debt for the photos we were able to take. Apologies, there's no record on my phone.

    You can see the sun heading towards the horizon but of course by the time it set we had to be out of the park. Even so, I enjoyed the photography here.

    The last three photos in this footprint are by Francesca, taken on her phone. I wanted to include them because she shows the restaurant nicely.     Czytaj więcej

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  • RobCowellNamibia - Sand, Stars and WildlifePodróżnik
    A great location for photography
    Morning lightLeaving for the last timeGreat colour to start the day2Such nice lightA quick stop for photosOur trusty vehicle, though it rattled a lot on the gravel roadsDune 40A great location for photographySome people loved climbing the dunes

    Dune 40

    12 września, Namibia ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    Today we are leaving Sossusvlei to continue north, but before leaving there was time to head out to the dunes one more time—after breakfast, of course. To be honest, we'd had early starts each morning so we could eat breakfast, so this wasn't any different other than packing suitcases and loading them into the trailer.

    There were lovely colours from the sunrise as we left, then on the way to the dunes we stopped for photos in the morning light. We then headed to Dune 40 as we all felt, having been there yesterday, that it was worth another visit. It was the right decision.

    The light seemed much better than yesterday, with some of the colours reminiscent of Deadvlie. Plus, with the sunlight shining from the opposite direction, it changed the feel of the place. And then it was time to leave and that was a little sad really, because I really enjoyed my time in the desert over the past few days. But there are more adventures waiting for us.     Czytaj więcej

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  • RobCowellNamibia - Sand, Stars and WildlifePodróżnik
    This sums up the views on the way to Solitaire - subtly changing thoughThis was actually our lunch stopOld vehicles adorned the restaurantOld and new

    Solitaire

    12 września, Namibia ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    The video shows the views for the first part of the journey today. Namibia has huge flat areas, but it's also amazing how the landscape changes as you drive through it. It's all here with varying plant life and geography. Distances are huge too.

    We stopped for lunch at a place called Solitaire which proclaims to have the best apple pie in Namibia, or even the world the way they describe it. We all tried some and the first thing you see is that it's not really a pie, more a cake with apple I think. The food was good here though and afterwards I spent some time looking at the old vehicles. There are quite a few of them and they look quite attractive in their own way.

    So, did they have the best apple pie? Now, that would be telling.     Czytaj więcej

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