49.4

This is one of my favorite images from this year's Namibia workshop. Even though I have visited Namibia countless times, it still amazes me that it is still possible to create unique and powerful compositions, even at a popular and often photographed place as Deadvlei. The trees you see here are dead camelthorn trees that are hundreds of years old. The extremely arid climate prevents them from rotting and their skeletons turn the location in a very surreal and at times eery place. For this particular shot I used the shadow of the dune in the background as a natural ND grad for the bright foreground. I waited until the shadow line reached the base of the dunes and exposed for the bright red sand, turning the trees into powerful silhouettes. If you would like to photograph these trees yourself, there are still some places available on next year's Namibia workshop. For more info, please check out my website.

©2011 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.