Dunes of Namibia!

     

The Namib is a coastal desert in southern Africa. The name Namib is of Nama origin and means "vast place". According to the broadest definition, the Namib stretches for more than 2,000 kilometres  along the Atlantic coasts of Angola, Namibia, and South Africa, extending southward from the Carunjamba River in Angola, through Namibia and to the Olifants River in Western Cape, South Africa. The Namib's northernmost portion, which extends 450 kilometres  from the Angola-Namibia border, is known as Moçâmedes Desert, while its southern portion approaches the neighboring Kalahari Desert. From the Atlantic coast eastward, the Namib gradually ascends in elevation, reaching up to 200 kilometres  inland to the foot of the Great Escarpment. Annual precipitation ranges from 2 millimetres in the most arid regions to 200 millimetres at the escarpment, making the Namib the only true desert in southern Africa. The Namib may be the  oldest desert in the world and contains some of the world's driest regions.

The desert geology consists of sand seas near the coast, while gravel plains and scattered mountain outcrops occur further inland. The sand dunes, some of which are 300 metres high and span 32 kilometres long, are the second largest in the world after the Badain Jaran Desert dunes in China. Temperatures along the coast are stable and generally range between 9–20 °C (48–68 °F) annually, while temperatures further inland are variable—summer daytime temperatures can exceed 45 °C (113 °F) while nights can be freezing. Fogs that originate offshore from the collision of the cold Benguela Current and warm air from the Hadley Cell create a fog belt that frequently envelops parts of the desert. Coastal regions can experience more than 180 days of thick fog a year. While this has proved a major hazard to ships—more than a thousand wrecks litter the Skeleton Coast—it is a vital source of moisture for desert life.

The Namib is almost completely uninhabited by humans except for several small settlements and indigenous pastoral groups, including the Ovahimba and Obatjimba Herero in the north, and the Topnaar Nama in the central region. Owing to its antiquity, the Namib may be home to more endemic species than any other desert in the world. Most of the desert wildlife is arthropods and other small animals that live on little water, although larger animals inhabit the northern regions. Near the coast, the cold ocean water is rich in fishery resources and supports populations of brown fur seals and shorebirds, which serve as prey for the Skeleton Coast's lions. Further inland, the Namib-Naukluft National Park, the largest game park in Africa, supports populations of African Bush Elephants, Mountain Zebras, and other large mammals. Although the outer Namib is largely barren of vegetation, lichens and succulents are found in coastal areas, while grasses, shrubs, and ephemeral plants thrive near the escarpment. A few types of trees are also able to survive the extremely arid climate.

Photography in Namibia...

Namibia, the thirstland wilderness, offers a selection of the finest photographic opportunities. This land of contrast and beauty is ideally suited to the professional and amateur alike. Whether the passion is for images of people, nature or landscapes, Namibia has it all and more. This destination features a wide range of photo subjects and the superb weather provides excellent light variations. This ensures the visitor can exercise creative styles or simply record the unique beauty of the land, its inhabitants and its abundant nature. To capture prized images our visitors can travel by land or air. The country is ideally suited to both, with a good road infrastructure and a selection of aircraft for charter. Some air charter companies operate aircraft with clear windows allowing sharp aerial photography. Vehicles utilized for guided travel feature sliding windows for use where wildlife may be shy or present a danger. A selection of suitable rental vehicles is available for independent travel. Itineraries are tailor made to include the specific subject interests of the visitor. Options include group or private travel on a guided or independent basis. 

Africa, the continent of big game, has many game reserves and parks. The great Etosha National Park is probably one of the best for game numbers, variety, as well as viewing game throughout the day. The vegetation in most parts is rather sparse. Etosha is fantastic for the wildlife photographer.  Namibia photographic safaris are designed for the keen or professional photographer. Even though any tour or safari to Namibia is, and can be. Photographic safaris are different to other tours where visitors spend more time in certain areas such as photographing desert and dune landscapes or wildlife in Etosha and Kaokoland. Namibian operators know that a photographer needs more time, has to study the light, has to find the correct site, as well as having a specific interest, hence the options of guided or self-drive is available from most tour operators, world class photographic shops in all towns to assist with technical details or repairs.When travelling to Namibia please bare in mind that the country is a warm country and dusty, hence insure that camera bags seal effectively, that you bring along cleaning equipment and remember that the sun is very bright, even more in areas like Etosha where the ground is very whitish, so insure that adequate UV and polarized filters accompany you on safari.


Tips for Photography in Namibia
*A good zoom is the key for photographing wildlife 

* Fixed lenses are ultimately better in terms of sharpness, so if you're aiming to win competitions or blow your pictures up into massive prints, go for a long fixed telephoto lens, as long as you can carry. Fixed lenses also work best when photographing birds. 

*As these lenses can be heavy, you will need to bring a tripod, or at least a beanbag, especially handy when traveling by car. 

*For landscapes, the best is a short telephoto lens (110 or 135 for 35mm/ 150 for medium format), and wide angle for certain shots. Take note that the wide angle has limitations when it comes to landscapes. It's better suited for trees and buildings and other elements that are the focus of an image. 

*If you're into close-ups, bring a good micro/macro lens rather than close-up filters. Extension tubes, although tedious, also do the job.

*Close-up photography can be very rewarding in Namibia as there are many interesting insects and small reptiles, amazing textures, plants with intriguing flowers, seeds and leaves, lichen and so on. Even sand grains look great through a macro lens. 

*The best time of day to shoot is early morning or late afternoon. This is when the colors become really deep, the atmosphere has a glow (early morning light can be bleak) and if you're into sunsets, this is the time to shoot, as there's a lot of dust hanging around for strong reds and oranges and silhouettes become spectacular. 
However, this does not mean that you must never take photographs in the middle of the day. If the scene looks good to you, take the picture, because what you see is what you get. Which, incidentally, means you can take pictures of mirages although they are optical illusions. They are at their most striking in the middle of the day.