Arriving in our African overland truck, we set up camp at Spitzkoppe in the Namib Desert, Namibia. An amazing place that offers much for those interested in the landscape. Here, I took a star trail photograph pointed at the south celestial pole, using a natural stone arch formation for the foreground. Photo taken in August 2015.
Category: Travel
Pottery in Afghanistan
Istalif village in Afghanistan is high up in the mountains, and surrounded by pleasant lands. It’s also rather famous for its colourful and somewhat rustic pottery. I bought a few pieces of pottery here 10 years ago. The people then were very happy to have their photos taken and to show-off their pottery. The village itself has been through quite a few traumas over the years, and its heritage and livelihood are at risk. Construction and security can certainly help, but it needs visitors, or a way to get its pottery to a wider market. Here, a young lad took me into his store and was very keen to show me the brightly coloured ceramics.
Plant leaves in Borneo
I took part in a charity event in Malaysian Borneo in 2008 to raise money for an orangutan sanctuary. That was a good fun trip, and I especially enjoyed my treks through the jungle, leeches and all! During the trip, I came across this plant in Sabah, and I liked the symmetry well enough to take a photo. The jungle can be quite a dark place, giving one a sense of foreboding, so I think this black-and-white treatment compliments that feeling quite well.
Buddhist monk with beard
Early in the morning, a large number of Buddhist monks arrive to enter the Ananda Temple in Bagan, Myanmar (Burma) during the Ananda Pagoda Festival. It’s a good idea to get there well before sunrise. Here, an older monk is sporting a look rather different than your average monk. Photo taken in January 2014.