Namibia

[Peter Ryan]

I have not been to Africa but, from many images there seems to be a certain quality about the light around sunset that is special. Is that my imagination?

Hi Richard,

Namibia is one of the most stunningly beautiful places I have been to – provided you like harsh landscapes. The light is similar to Australia with harsh contrasts during the day but great warmth morning and evening.

Here are a couple of shots I took on my trip and I would go back tomorrow.

Sunset, Hoinib River.



Sunrise, Hoinib River


Sunset, Sossesvlei


This is a shot I particularly like. It is of the Namib Desert (the oldest desert in the world). There are only three elements in the desert - sand, sky and sun.

[David]

Richard - re quality of light in Namibia. I think that there is something about the quality of light in very dry places that is different from our normal towny urban light. Even the harshest of mid-day sunlight in Namibia seems to sparkle. It may be to do with lack of water vapour, the reflections from the tiny grains of sand, the clarity, the latitude, the cloudlessness, all of these things or more. I find it fascinating. There is a range of dunes near Sousosvlei, that photographers love because in the morning as the sun rises the light refracts off the grains and you get the sand changing colour. I tried with a film camera to capture this, but not successfully. That area is also used, if memory serves me well, for advertisement shoots. Peter may remember but I think it's called Dune 7.

Peter's shot of the Namib desert is so evocative. Like him, I'd go again like a shot.

Cheers

David

[Peter Ryan]

Richard - re quality of light in Namibia. I think that there is something about the quality of light in very dry places that is different from our normal towny urban light. Even the harshest of mid-day sunlight in Namibia seems to sparkle. It may be to do with lack of water vapour, the reflections from the tiny grains of sand, the clarity, the latitude, the cloudlessness, all of these things or more. I find it fascinating. There is a range of dunes near Sousosvlei, that photographers love because in the morning as the sun rises the light refracts off the grains and you get the sand changing colour. I tried with a film camera to capture this, but not successfully. That area is also used, if memory serves me well, for advertisement shoots. Peter may remember but I think it's called Dune 7.

Peter's shot of the Namib desert is so evocative. Like him, I'd go again like a shot.

Cheers

David

Hi David,

It think it is Dune 41 (or 43) - pictured below.



The next is of Big Mamma from Deadsvlei. Notice the reflection of the trees in the mirage in the middle ground.

[Dave Humphries]

It think it is Dune 41 (or 43) - pictured below.

Hi Peter,

Love that Dune 41/43 shot.

Notice the reflection of the trees in the mirage in the middle ground.

The pedant in me would have to argue this was not a reflection.

Confession time: I started this post calling it a refraction until I realised that was incorrect too

It's a wierd effect to observe, regardless of what it is called.

Cheers,

[Donald]

That's one of those that just takes the breath away. Very simply, an outstanding image.

[Peter Ryan]

Hi Peter,

Love that Dune 41/43 shot.



The pedant in me would have to argue this was not a reflection.

Confession time: I started this post calling it a refraction until I realised that was incorrect too

It's a wierd effect to observe, regardless of what it is called.

Cheers,

Hi Dave,

I have a very good friend who lives in the south of England who, when visiting Australia, asked why we only have creeks and rivers. Why didn’t we have rivulet’s and winterbournes, etc.

I explained we are a very simple people – creek covers all situation, rivers tend to be a bit bigger. The same with reflections. Like you I was not sure what word correctly described them so I stuck to what I saw - reflections.

I would be pleased to hear from anyone who can tell me the correct name.

[Peter Ryan]

That's one of those that just takes the breath away. Very simply, an outstanding image.

Thanks Donald. I had this printed at A2 size on canvass and comes up a treat.

[Peter Ryan]

Hi Peter,

Love that Dune 41/43 shot.



The pedant in me would have to argue this was not a reflection.

Confession time: I started this post calling it a refraction until I realised that was incorrect too

It's a wierd effect to observe, regardless of what it is called.

Cheers,

Hi Dave, ckeck out this link and I think they are saying the mirage is a refraction of light bu the other is a reflection.

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Peter,

I think you were right the first time.

To my mind, a refraction is when light passes between two materials of different refractive index, and it gets bent.

Since this is within one material; air, even though being subject to a temperature gradient, I don't see it as a refraction.
However, since it isn't hitting a surface and reflecting either, so I don't know what to call it.

Cheers,

[David]

Peter - It's Dune 45. There's a named picture of it in an advertisement for Windhoek Lager in the supplement of today's Times. The shot in the Times seems to have been taken from very close to your position. However, interestingly, the advert appears to show a mirror image of your shot (complete with an oryx standing on the veldt). The sand/shadow curve is reversed and the tree that is to the RHS of the division between sand and shadow in your shot is on the LHS in the advert. I was puzzled why the advertisers would do this until I realised that they had put the image of the bottle of lager on the RHS (better image appeal than on the left) so that the dune image would have to be reversed in order that you clearly see the bottle.

Anyway - thought you'd be interested.

Cheers

David

[David]

It's taken a while, but I've finally got my scanner cleaned and working with updated driver. My images of the dunes are nowhere as near as good as those already posted, so here's one of Fingerclip - an unmistakable landmark that is the remnant of a mesa that is, in turn, the remnant of a plateau that has been eroded over geological time, mainly by a river that no longer exists. Until a couple of decades ago, there was another stack like this one a few miles away. However, it fell down, as this one will soon enough.



The original photo was taken with a Canon EOS 1000F fitted with an EF 35-80 mm 1:4-5.6 lens, in about May 1998. The film was a Fuji with ISO 400. The negative has been scanned with an Epson 2450 scanner at 9600 dpi. Sharpening and LCE has been applied. I think the resolution is really limited in this case by the original lens. In the original print, the RHS of the stack is very dark, but photo-editing brings out some of the detail.

BTW, the man third from the left is the redoubtable Uli, our tour guide.

Cheers

David

[Peter Ryan]

It's taken a while, but I've finally got my scanner cleaned and working with updated driver. My images of the dunes are nowhere as near as good as those already posted, so here's one of Fingerclip - an unmistakable landmark that is the remnant of a mesa that is, in turn, the remnant of a plateau that has been eroded over geological time, mainly by a river that no longer exists. Until a couple of decades ago, there was another stack like this one a few miles away. However, it fell down, as this one will soon enough.



The original photo was taken with a Canon EOS 1000F fitted with an EF 35-80 mm 1:4-5.6 lens, in about May 1998. The film was a Fuji with ISO 400. The negative has been scanned with an Epson 2450 scanner at 9600 dpi. Sharpening and LCE has been applied. I think the resolution is really limited in this case by the original lens. In the original print, the RHS of the stack is very dark, but photo-editing brings out some of the detail.

BTW, the man third from the left is the redoubtable Uli, our tour guide.

Cheers

David

HI David,

I loved Namibia. Where abouts in Namibia was this taken?

[David]

Peter - North from Windhoek on B1 to Outjo, left along C39 towards Khorixas and left along D2743 to Vingerklip (aka Fingerclip). If you're going to visit the prehistoric drawings at Twyfelfontein, then it's off the road that goes there. According to the Web, the other stack to which I refer fell down in 1988, but this one was extant in 1998.

David

[JK6065]

The next is of Big Mamma from Deadsvlei. Notice the reflection of the trees in the mirage in the middle ground.

Hi Peter,
This ons absolutely magnificent. I love the simplicity in colours and (geometric) shapes. Very well done

[melikarish]

Peter - North from Windhoek on B1 to Outjo, left along C39 towards Khorixas and left along D2743 to Vingerklip (aka Fingerclip).

David

Hi David

Unfortunately we didn't even know this was there to go and see!! Very interesting and quite different from the other rocks and mountains in that area.

Now that you have your scanner out maybe there are a few more that you can post...?

Mel

P.S. "klip" means "stone" in Afrikaans.

[Peter Ryan]

Hi Peter,
This ons absolutely magnificent. I love the simplicity in colours and (geometric) shapes. Very well done

Thanks Jeroen. It is a magical place you must visit one.

[David]

Some more scanned images from 1998. The first is the famous Dune 45:



Due allowance has to be given to the camera, film and general inexperience of photographer in those days.

The next couple are from Fish River Canyon, in the south of the country. Although second to the Grand Canyon in the USA for length, depth and age, Fish River Canyon is arguably the more dramatic. It is utterly isolated, totally desolate, and exceedingly dry, although some small amount of water is in the river at this time of year. Fish River Canyon is a very dangerous place in that if you were to be foolish enough to venture into the canyon itself any accident would almost certainly lead to death: there are no rescue services, no phones, no friendly helicopters to come to your aid, no shelter but lots and lots of heat.







There are two major problems with photographing this Canyon. First, to see into the depths you have to have the sun well up. Thus, images are harsh. Second, without a scale figure the sheer immensity of the locality is hard to grasp.

Nevertheless, Fish River Canyon is one of the most exciting places I have ever visited.

Cheers

David

[Peter Ryan]

Some more scanned images from 1998. The first is the famous Dune 45:



Due allowance has to be given to the camera, film and general inexperience of photographer in those days.

The next couple are from Fish River Canyon, in the south of the country. Although second to the Grand Canyon in the USA for length, depth and age, Fish River Canyon is arguably the more dramatic. It is utterly isolated, totally desolate, and exceedingly dry, although some small amount of water is in the river at this time of year. Fish River Canyon is a very dangerous place in that if you were to be foolish enough to venture into the canyon itself any accident would almost certainly lead to death: there are no rescue services, no phones, no friendly helicopters to come to your aid, no shelter but lots and lots of heat.







There are two major problems with photographing this Canyon. First, to see into the depths you have to have the sun well up. Thus, images are harsh. Second, without a scale figure the sheer immensity of the locality is hard to grasp.

Nevertheless, Fish River Canyon is one of the most exciting places I have ever visited.

Cheers

David

Friends of mine are over there now at Fish River Canyon. I need another trip. Looks a great place David

[Wirefox]

It think it is Dune 41 (or 43) - pictured below.

The next is of Big Mamma from Deadsvlei. Notice the reflection of the trees in the mirage in the middle ground.

Peter

I did not continue following this thread after the first few posts....what a mistake. These two images are beautiful. The simplicity of the landscape and your chosen aspects are just perfect.

[Peter Ryan]

Peter

I did not continue following this thread after the first few posts....what a mistake. These two images are beautiful. The simplicity of the landscape and your chosen aspects are just perfect.

Thanks Steve,

Namibia is one of those places that I think you would enjoy. It is a harsh but stunning landscape and the dunes provide an opportunity to use just shape and colour.