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Deepest Sahara


Deepest Sahara
Photo Information
Copyright: James Parker (Jamesp) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1205 W: 0 N: 4610] (13714)
Genre: Landscapes
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-04-03
Categories: Desert
Camera: Canon EOS 1Ds MkII, Canon 24-70 mm f 2,8 L-USM
Exposure: f/22, 1/30 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Geological Wonders [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2007-08-09 4:56
Viewed: 1003
Points: 60
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
I took this shot earlier this year in Libya, close to the borders with Algeria and Niger. The air was very dusty - I almost had a fit, when, one night, I shone my torch beam up and saw how much dust was floating in the air - at that point I did not change lenses again!! I took this just after sunrise.

The Libyan Desert, which covers much of eastern Libya, is one of the most arid places on earth. In places, decades may pass without rain, and even in the highlands rainfall happens erratically, once every 5–10 years. At Uweinat, the last recorded rainfall was in September 1998. There is a large depression, the Qattara Depression, just to the south of the northernmost scarp, with Siwa oasis at its western extremity. The depression continues in a shallower form west, to the oases of Jaghbub and Jalo.

Likewise, the temperature in the Libyan desert can be extreme; in 1922, the town of Al 'Aziziyah, which is located west of Tripoli, recorded an air temperature of 57.8 °C (136.0 °F), generally accepted as the highest recorded naturally occurring air temperature reached on Earth.

There are a few scattered uninhabited small oases, usually linked to the major depressions, where water can be found by digging to a few feet in depth. In the west there is a widely dispersed group of oases in unconnected shallow depressions, the Kufra group, consisting of Tazerbo, Rebiana and Kufra. Aside from the scarps, the general flatness is only interrupted by a series of plateaus and massifs near the centre of the Libyan Desert, around the convergence of the Egyptian-Sudanese-Libyan Borders.

Slightly further to the south are the massifs of Arkenu, Uweinat and Kissu. These granite mountains are very ancient, having formed much before the sandstones surrounding them. Arkenu and Western Uweinat are ring complexes very similar to those in the Air Mountains. Eastern Uweinat (the highest point in the Libyan Desert) is a raised sandstone plateau adjacent to the granite part further west. The plain to the north of Uweinat is dotted with eroded volcanic features.
undoredo, Mikolaj, PaulH, Heaven, Proframe, ralfsworld, K9madtex, jmirah, ramthakur, vanderschelden, uleko, earthtraveler, gracious, cicindela, Aramok, nglen, rousettus, Evelynn, SelenE, gannu, marhowie, delic, mario-roberto, taba has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hello James! Wonderful and mysterious, but dangerous Sahara! Excellent colors, excellent lightnes and sharpness. Very good work. Regards!

  • Great 
  • jesst Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 353 W: 0 N: 163] (2092)
  • [2007-08-09 5:14]

Wonderful! Looks as your were in some distant planet - all seems mysterious and unreal.

  • Great 
  • PaulH Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 989 W: 23 N: 2761] (10082)
  • [2007-08-09 5:15]

Hi James,
very brave of you to take your camera here, hope it didn't suffer too much. An excellent capture of such an alien looking place, nice play of light and shadow and lot of depth...the colour of that sand is incredible.
tfs
Paul

Hi James!

Are we on earth?

The beauty of your picture is just breathtaking and it tells me once more that I absolutely have to go to the Sahara one day... The problem is, that life si too short!

I like the almost surrealistic aspect of your picture. The colors are great, the lightning management is perfect. And moreover, your picture generates emotions, what is, from my point of view, the principal goal of a photography...

And many thanks for the elaborated and interesting notes!

Kind regards
Markus

Nice view of Sahara desert, James! Looks good on the photo but probably very dusty and hot place :)
TFS
Ralf

Hello James,
The dust in the air does give this wonderful landscape image a lovely mood.
Not that good for the camera and especially the sensor ofcourse :)
Excellent composition with the rocks leading the eye in to the haizy/dusty background.
Color tones, light, patterns and lines are beautiful.
Thanks for sharing and the great note.
Best wishes,
Harry

Very imposing landscape. Excellent note.

Wouldn't be surprised if the planet Mars looked like this, James :-)!
A fantastic image from the Sahara. Those rock shapes look so wonderful.
The depth of view too is amazing in this image.
Thanks and best regards.

selam james, excellent shot and very good composition of this landscape nice pov and bg with splendid naturel colours.
Well done !
Regards ridvan

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2369 W: 164 N: 7114] (22494)
  • [2007-08-09 7:59]

Hello James,
You certainly present us with the most amazing assortment of landscapes!! One day cold, the next day hot!! Beautiful rock formations amongst the sand, all in great sharpness and wonderful warm colours.
Many thanks and best wishes, Ulla

Hi James,
Unique desert scene you have here. Almost eerie.
Well composed and good color.
TFS
Richard

amazing landscape ! TFS Ori

Hello James,
Excellent shot of the desert in such wonderful colour and details
good DOF, pov and sharpness
cheers
Tony

Very beautiful scene here.

  • Great 
  • Aramok Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 923 W: 99 N: 1396] (4795)
  • [2007-08-09 12:32]

Hi James

what a wonderful shot. definitely looks hot and dusty... Not the place for me, but the photo I like!

TFS
Emma

Hello James,
You've been to a lot of wonderful places.
Almost a shot from a video game.
Well done
TFS
Annick

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1895 W: 4 N: 5148] (19630)
  • [2007-08-09 13:16]

Hi James. wise move not to change a lens in this dust. Looks like some other planet as jesst said. fantastic shapes and colours. well done TFS. very interesting notes thanks.
Nick..

Hi James,
what a nice landscape and photo. excellent colors and composition with good notes. Your world travel series go on very well. By this way, we can see many place and living thing. thanks.
Ahmet

James,

A well composed pic that has good DOF, showing detail inthe BG, POV and sharpness.

TFS,
Sheriff

Dear James,
So from Tibet to Libya, that is a long way ;)
But I am really happy that you presented this picture today. Middle East is the place where I always wanted to go. And Sahara Desert is the area which I always wanted to see. Who knows, maybe someday... :)
But now your picture is enough to look at this interesting area :)
I like natural, but vivid colours, panoramic POV and "game of light and shadows". Note as always very informative.
TFS and best regards!
Radomir

Hi James,
WOW!!! A fantastic shot of the desert and outcroppings. Outstanding detail, color and exposure. POV and DIF are excellent. Very well captured.

TFS
Jim

  • Great 
  • gannu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 839 W: 4 N: 2079] (9752)
  • [2007-08-10 2:32]

James, While looking this picture, it gave me those pictures normally we see from outer space. Excellent and you have produced it very very beautifully. Ganesh

Great work James.
I like everything about this one.
I can't add to what the others have said..
Barren desolation at its best :)
Very well done, have a nice weekend...wherever you are today ;}
Howard

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2007-08-10 20:37]

Hello James

It is like the Mars rover took this shot.What a beautiful,desolate place.It certainly looks inhospitable,and hot.A lovely composition with excellent focus and exposure.Your locales never cease to amaze me.TFS

Rob

  • Great 
  • SelenE Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2304 W: 59 N: 3674] (11774)
  • [2007-08-11 1:49]

Hi James,
So finally you have been to Mars too :o) Lovely and mystic capture of this beautiful place. Colors, light and composition are very good.TFS
Have a nice weekend
Selen

Hello James.
Very dramatic. Great colours. I love the textures and tones in the rocks and the shapes they create. Good POV and composition. Well done.
Best regards, Steve.

  • Great 
  • delic Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 530 W: 6 N: 340] (936)
  • [2007-08-12 5:58]

Hi James,
I had a camera's mirror lock up one me in the middle of an assignment because of dust, or rather sand, entrapment. It may not be visible, the threat is always there. Fine capture here with soft daytime colors of the desert. I like it. Regards,
Hakan

Excellent landscape shot, this one reminds me of the planet Tatooine, I betcha if I look hard enough I would find Jabba the Hutt's palace. Really beautiful shot James. :)

Hi James
Amazing landscape. Like from a dream. Perfect exposure, beautiful colors and light
I like it very much
Best wishes
Krzysztof

Hello James,
Thanks for the kind comments on my dragonfly photo. :-)
I think you have an amazing and wonderful photos from the various countries. What a precious and valuable gallery!!
This one is also wonderful to me.
Excellent details and exposure here, with very nice composition & POV.
TFS and best wishes,
Kevin

  • Great 
  • taba Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 461 W: 126 N: 266] (1494)
  • [2007-12-24 5:53]

Hi James
very good this serie of the Saara.
I like this one for the view that is as an other planet...
nice colors, POV, DOF, sharpnes and composition.

regards;
Taba

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