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Author Topic: A trip into the Sahara  (Read 4542 times)

Mikes

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A trip into the Sahara
« on: May 26, 2017, 16:10:45 »
On a recent trip to Morocco, my wife and I took a three day trip across the Atlas Mountains which included an overnight stint in the Sahara from Merzouga to a Berber campsite. The transport through the dunes involved camels that were handled by Berbers - camels are about as comfortable a ride as as a pogo stick.

It was a great trip though, and the desert was fascinating, with more life than I expected. I took some images during the trip using a Fuji X-T2 held in one hand. The other hand was used to hold onto the "saddle" for dear life. While they might be cute, camels are not ideal quadripods for photography. Some images from the trip:

1. setting off

2. under way - desert grasses

3. more desert grasses

4. cornice collapse

5. consulting the compass

6. time to rest the camels

7. sunset watch

8. contemplation.

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Mike Selby - Sydney

armando_m

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Re: A trip into the Sahara
« Reply #1 on: May 26, 2017, 19:01:44 »
Absolutely fantastic series !

have you consider doing some of the dunes in b&w ?

Interesting comparison of a camel with a pogo stick LOL

how long was the ride on the camels ?
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Armando Morales
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Jakov Minić

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Re: A trip into the Sahara
« Reply #2 on: May 26, 2017, 19:36:32 »
Wicked images, Mike!
Thanks!
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chris dees

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Re: A trip into the Sahara
« Reply #3 on: May 26, 2017, 20:19:26 »
Great series Mike.
A few years back we did a trip like you. Not very comfortable on a camel. :)
Spectaculair views though.
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Chris Dees

Akira

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Re: A trip into the Sahara
« Reply #4 on: May 26, 2017, 21:17:44 »
Mike, the tranquility of the dunes wouldn't allow me to imagine such a challenging condition in which you shot these images.

I particularly like the "cornice collapse".

By the way, did you go straight to Sahara from Scotland?
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Mikes

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Re: A trip into the Sahara
« Reply #5 on: May 27, 2017, 02:23:25 »
Quote from: armando_m on May 26, 2017, 19:01:44
Absolutely fantastic series !

have you consider doing some of the dunes in b&w ?

Interesting comparison of a camel with a pogo stick LOL

how long was the ride on the camels ?

Many thanks, Armando. Yes, I did consider b&w, and probably will do so as soon as I get a chance (going away fro the weekend).

The camel ride was about two hours in each direction. That was long enough, but I wouldn't have missed it.

Jakov and Chris - thank you for your comments.

Quote from: Akira on May 26, 2017, 21:17:44
Mike, the tranquility of the dunes wouldn't allow me to imagine such a challenging condition in which you shot these images.

I particularly like the "cornice collapse".

By the way, did you go straight to Sahara from Scotland?

Many thanks, Akira. We went to Morocco for about ten days. After that my wife returned to Japan, and I went on to Scotland and caught up with Dave. It was quite a contrast location wise!

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Mike Selby - Sydney

tommiejeep

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Re: A trip into the Sahara
« Reply #6 on: May 27, 2017, 05:53:37 »
Mike, great series.  My last trip to the Desert (Thar) was unsuccessful on all levels but I had imagined getting similar images... lol... as if that would have happened .
Well done and thanks for posting,
Tom
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Tom Hardin, Goa, India

elsa hoffmann

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Re: A trip into the Sahara
« Reply #7 on: May 27, 2017, 09:09:39 »
I REALLY REALLY REALLY!!! did not have to see these. They are simply outstanding and so high on my list of wants that this particular series makes me feel very green.

But I also have to thank you for sharing - and your execution of these are perfect for me.
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David Paterson

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Re: A trip into the Sahara
« Reply #8 on: May 27, 2017, 10:40:27 »
Mike - these are absolutely outstanding and if some/any of these were shot one-handed, I suggest you buy a camel and have that XT2 surgically attached to the hand you prefer. Or maybe we all can get Nikon to come up with two new simulated shooting modes - "Camel" and "Camel 1H".

These are beautiful images, the colour is fantastic, and they look pin-sharp, at least at screen size. Congratulations on a superb series and I'm looking forward to lots more from your trip incl., of corse, Scotland.
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Mikes

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Re: A trip into the Sahara
« Reply #9 on: May 27, 2017, 16:35:55 »
Tom - many thanks for your comments. Sounds like another trip to a desert is needed!

Elsa - you must really, really get on a plane going north. It's not as far for you! Many thanks for commenting.

David - many thanks. I really value your critiques and commentary.

Your camel idea got me thinking. Maybe the next NikonGear meet up should be based at Merzouga, with the objective of perfecting the technique of camel based photography. I don't know if this has been done before.

It was hit and miss for me until I learned to synchronize with the lumbering gait of the camel. Then it became slightly less hit and miss.

I'm starting on the Scotland series as soon as I get back to Tokyo (from Hakone).
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Mike Selby - Sydney

Andrea B.

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Re: A trip into the Sahara
« Reply #10 on: May 27, 2017, 18:28:42 »
What a stunning series! The light is amazing.

Cornice collapse is fascinating.
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Mikes

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Re: A trip into the Sahara
« Reply #11 on: May 27, 2017, 22:07:34 »
Quote from: Andrea B. on May 27, 2017, 18:28:42
What a stunning series! The light is amazing.

Cornice collapse is fascinating.

Thanks, Andrea. We were told that we were lucky with the conditions  - it was windy and sand blown for the previous few days.
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Mike Selby - Sydney

John Geerts

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Re: A trip into the Sahara
« Reply #12 on: May 28, 2017, 07:54:08 »
Beautiful Series, Mikes.  Great colours too.  The cornice collapse is special. Adore the lower lights in #6
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Mikes

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Re: A trip into the Sahara
« Reply #13 on: May 28, 2017, 14:39:13 »
Thanks for your comments, John. The "cornice collapse" was a lucky find - I think that it was caused by sand movement over the previous few days...
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Mike Selby - Sydney

Bill De Jager

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Re: A trip into the Sahara
« Reply #14 on: May 28, 2017, 16:49:10 »
Wonderful lighting and compositions, Mike.
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