49.9

As a wildlife photographer we only have very limited influence on our subjects and the circumstances, and for me that is what makes it so addictive - you never know what you're going to get, and you keep wanting to go back for more and better.

For most of the subjects that I shoot, I have the perfect image already inside my head, I just have to try to get it on camera. Knowing your subject and being at the right spot at the right time is part of the work, but unfortunately with wildlife you also have to be incredibly lucky.

And lucky I was when I was flying in a microlight over the giant red sand dunes of Sossusvlei during the Namibia Untamed tour. We were heading back to the lodge when I suddenly saw this small herd of oryx running right in front of us on a giant sand dune. I always have two bodies with a 24-70 and 70-200 when I'm in a microlight, because you simply cannot change lenses in an open airplane. I quickly grabbed the D3 with the 70-200 and shot a short burst before we had passed them. It was over in seconds. When I looked at the images back in our camp, I couldn't believe my eyes - the near perfect choreography. I could have never previsualized an image like this, simply because it would seem absurd to think it would be possible.

©2010 Marsel van Oosten, All Rights Reserved. This image is not available for use on websites, blogs or other media without the explicit written permission of the photographer.