Nikon Photo Contest 2014-2015

Category F Open theme:3rd place

Dunes: Abstract Expressions

Drew Doggett

United States of America

Comment

Spending time in a place as vast as the Sossusvlei desert, amongst its incredible sea of sand, compels you to develop a great appreciation and respect for nature. As an artist, I am driven by a desire to craft images and tell stories through them. It brings me a tremendous sense of satisfaction to be able to share the beauty of this unique environment with others. I'm deeply honored to have won this award and would like to thank all of those who made the film possible, especially Ben Louis Nicholas and Manuel Barenboim.
The footage for this piece was captured both on land and by air. Over the course of two weeks, my team and I hiked tirelessly through the Sossusvlei Desert in search of the perfect combination of light and shadow. Driven by the unknown of what we might discover as we walked over the crest of each dune, we sought images that would transport the viewer to another world. In order to capture this rapidly changing landscape, we took advantage of the dramatic light created by the rising and setting sun. It was incredibly challenging but rewarding work.
One of the things that struck me most about this location was how you can lose your sense of scale amongst these massive sand dunes. I found shooting from a helicopter above, however, better captured a true perspective of the desert.

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