Huge congratulations to client/friend Craig Elson. His aerial photo of gemsbok in the dunes has garnered several awards and I could not be happier for him. He joined my Namibia tour in 2020, after several Covid postponements we finally were able to go this year. Needless to say, he made the most of his adventure.
So far this image has won-
NPOTY 2022: Runner Up, Black & White Category
Nature's Best - Mkapa Awards 2022: Highly Honored, Art in Nature Category
NANPA Showcase 2023: Best in Category, Mammals
From Craig-
I returned to Namibia in May of this year for the first time since 1998 after twice having the trip with Denise canceled due to the pandemic. Needless to say, I was beyond excited to finally return to this magical land, this time armed with much better camera gear and the knowledge of how to use it! One of the images I wanted most from the trip was a "small in the frame" aerial shot of gemsbok in the vast dunes of Sossusvlei and/or the Skeleton Coast. I love small in the frame wildlife shots, and I thought the juxtaposition of the gemsbok and the massive dunes would show environmental context and a sense of place. I had already taken two extended helicopter flights over both areas and was able to capture several good shots of the gemsbok in the dunes, but something told me to go up one last time on our final day. We were returning from Sandwich Harbor in the late afternoon when we found several oryx cresting the highest dune in the area, just inland from the Skeleton Coast and south of Walvis Bay. I felt confident that they would continue their journey inland as evening approached, descending hundreds of feet in the process. The dunes were pristine which made the tracks the gemsbok were making that much more distinct, something I knew would be a visual element to my image. Our pilot made a few passes, circling at a distance where we were sure not to disturb the gemsbok, and I waited for them to make their way into the area still lit by the sun, in between the diagonal bands of shadows. The scene set up perfectly for a B&W photo with the different textures from the sand, the chiaroscuro, and the gemsbok silhouetted – it was just a matter of getting the composition “right.” I had to wait for them to make their way far enough into the light, pause, look up at me with head angles where you could distinguish all their horns, and while they had good separation from one another and their shadows. Nature – the light, lines, and texture – took care of everything else. I knew I had something special the moment I pressed the shutter
Craig A. Elson
Instagram: @craigelsonphotography
Website: Craig Elson Photography