DUNE

KANAAN DESERT, NAMIBIA - 2024

WORDS BY DAVID

As my quest to tell layered stories has

evolved, I have a firmer understanding

of how a weak layer can kill an image

of mine. I look back at some work and

wince. I have kept hunting in my creative

process for clues as to what I am striving

for and I guess that the journey of

discovery never ends. It is the journey

itself that is the purpose of all the effort

and drive.

Namibia is the cheetah capital of the

world. Since 1990, smart conservation

efforts have resulted in the population

in the country growing from 1500 to

2500 – that’s one third of the planet’s

total. We have long worked with the

acclaimed cheetah conservationists Rudi

and Marlice van Vuuren who founded

the Naankuse Sanctuary nearly 20 years

ago and they partnered with us on this

project in the Kanaan Desert.

S T A N D A R D

L A R G E

34” x 75” Unframed

49” x 90” Framed

Edition of 12

46” x 103” Unframed

61” x 118” Framed

Edition of 12

Editions available in both B&W and Colour

Prices available upon request

YARROW

This photograph in the dunes of the

Namibian desert, was taken in September

2024. I first photographed in this desert

over 14 years ago and I hope I have

learned a great deal since then. All the

layers in this image: the textural sand, the

central characters, the desert mountains

and the clouds coalesce as one.

my camera position in the dunes and her

body angle. The moment came and it was

just a glimpse, but that is all you need.

She is smart as well as beautiful.

I like the cinematic proportions of this

photograph - it helps to tell the story.

“ THERE IS A VISUAL

OVERLOAD FROM THESE

DUNES AT SUNRISE TO

MATCH ANY LOCATION

ON THE PLANET.

My camera metadata tells me that it was

taken long before most people are out of

bed and yet we are a long way from the

nearest building. But no one in the crew

had a problem with that. There is a visual

overload from these dunes at sunrise to

match any location on the planet.

Shanina Shaik looks sensational and

elevates a photograph of a cheetah in

the desert into something a little more

special. I felt that it was vital that we

could see both her eyes and that dictated