Night photography in the desert of Namibia
Armed with extremely bright camera equipment, we went to the photography paradise of Namibia in spring 2018. We quickly jumped into our off-road rental car and left the international airport in Windhoek directly on a mogul slope. Already from the first few meters we realized that this trip would be something very special: endless deserted expanses combined with pleasant warmth (Germany was covered under a layer of snow at this point)!
After a five-hour drive, we reached our first destination a few minutes before sunset: the town of Keetmanshoop with its famous quiver tree forest. I immediately grabbed the camera and ran to the first tree I saw. The use of ultra-wide-angle lenses enables new creative perspectives. In this case, a quiver tree, gently illuminated by the red evening light, leading into the center of the picture in interaction with a large number of other trees, including the setting sun in the distance. And all of this was quickly “snapped” by hand due to the lack of time.
Night fell quickly and Namibia literally began to light up. I had never seen such an impressive starry sky with the naked eye before! Completely euphoric, because there were at least a million twinkling stars above me, I spent the entire night wide awake taking photos. The result is truly spectacular night shots. Quiver trees are illuminated by the town of Keetmanshoop, which acts wonderfully as a light source. Our Milky Way towers impressively in the starry sky. I am impressed by this variety of colors and details.
Truly overwhelmed by the experiences and completely without sleep, the journey continued to the Namib-Naukluft National Park with the Namib Desert stretching out in the middle. What was most memorable to me was the unique red and orange gradients in interaction with the minimalist structures of the desert sand during the evening lighting atmosphere.
Unfortunately, we were only able to enjoy the sunset for a short time, because we went straight to the absolute highlight of the entire tour: stargazing in one of the most spectacular places on earth, the clay pan Sossusvlei (Deadvlei), surrounded by sand dunes and dotted with dead trees. This feeling of being the only person within a radius of more than 50 kilometers in the middle of the desert, this absolute freedom is simply overwhelming! Every landscape photographer's dream.
Which planet is this? It's our Earth! In the night panorama, high up in the distance, the band of our Milky Way arches over a tree that has been dead for more than 500 years. The white clay floor appears to glow in the reflected starlight. To the left, beneath the arc of the Milky Way, rises zodiacal light, sunlight reflected from dust orbiting inside our solar system. On the right, just above one of the largest sand dunes on earth, is the Large Magellanic Cloud.
An interactive 360° night panorama consisting of 42 individual photos could also be recorded and created. It shows in a unique way the fascination of the Namib Desert at night. Placed right in the middle!
The last stop is the Matterhorn in Namibia. At a height of 1,728 m, the Spitzkoppe towers above its surroundings. Bizarre rock formations created by erosion processes make the area the ideal playground for every photographer. The view from the air underlines the dimension of these seemingly endless expanses. In combination with a typical African sunset, a permanently manifested memory.
Here too we luckily had a cloud-free, starry night. The Milky Way stretches across the abstract landscape. A photographer stands in a huge rock arch and lets the magic work its magic.
After a good night's sleep, wonderful memories of a fascinating journey across Namibia remain. The country not only impresses with its species-rich wildlife, which is the subject of many documentaries, but also with its breathtaking, varied landscapes, which have a special charm at night. Namibia, see you again!
Finally, a big thank you to Jana Maier and Riccardoschläger who made a significant contribution to the realization of the project.
3 Responses
Selina Bläss
Die Bilder sind wirklich der Wahnsinn. Mein Mann und ich fahren nächstes Jahr ebenfalls nach Namibia und ich beginne gerade, die Astrofotografie zu erlernen. Ich habe eine Canon RP mit 15-35mm Objektiv 2.8Blende. Ich hoffe, das reicht aus.
Wie genau kann man ein solches Foto machen, dass die Milchstraße als Bogen mit Anfang und Ende zu sehen ist? Und wie Sie das 360Grad Foto erstellen würde mich auch brennend interessieren. Geht das mit einer Standard Spiegellosen Kamera?
Viele Grüße
Selina Bläss
Selina Bläss
Wahnsinnig tolle Aufnahmen! Darf ich fragen, wann Sie dort waren im Frühjahr, also in welchem Monat?
Die Sonne geht ja bereits sehr früh unter und die Milchstraße erreicht ihren Höhepunkt ja erst tief in der Nacht. Wie haben Sie es geschafft, diese tollen Sonnenuntergänge mit der Milchstraße zusammen zu fotografieren? Ich fotografiere selbst leidenschaftlich und möchte mehr in die Astrofotografie einsteigen.
Viele Grüße
Selina Bläss
Magdalena Luisi
DANKSAGUNG AN DEN SCHÖPFER DIESER SCHÖNHEIT, DANKE AN DAS TREFFLICHE AUGE DES FOTOGRAFEN und vielen Dank für den Genuss als Betrachter teilhaben zu dürfen.
Leave a comment
Comments will be approved before showing up.
Also in Travel items
My recording technique | Deep Sky
Photographing in Iceland: Volcanic eruption and Northern Lights
Stefan Liebermann
Author