Sometimes you have to remove yourself from familiar surroundings to realise how much they mean to you. This very fact was rammed home back in 2001 when I found myself in the UK, living in a very urban setting far removed from the small town in Namib Desert where I had grown up.

At first the new experiences were exciting and the hustle and bustle of the urban sprawl seemed agreeable. But it soon became apparent that the lack of space, masses of people and the continued lack of sunshine brought on a severe bout of yearning for the tranquil beauty of the Namib Desert.

In 2003 after being away from home for far too long, I caught a flight back to Namibia. My wife at my side and an unused camera in the overhead compartment! I had impulsively purchased a Digital SLR and two second hand lenses, took a few snaps and then stashed the camera in a wardrobe. This photography thing did not seem to be working for me! However, I hoped to find a use for the camera as I showed my wife around my home country.

What followed were a series of very memorable times spent out in the Desert and Bush of Namibia. Everything I encountered was a potential subject, but unfortunately my photographic skills did not do the subjects any justice. However something had awoken in me and I started to devour everything of a photographic nature. More importantly though I realised Nature Photography was my niche.

Hours were spent reading books and magazines on photographic technique and animal behaviour. All this theory was then unleashed in the local parks in the UK and during increasingly frequent trips back to Namibia. My experience and coverage started to grow at a rapid pace. Then one day I took a leap of faith, quit my job, packed my gear and headed home for 4 months of photography.

During that time I criss-crossed the country. Camped out in the bush for weeks at a time, photographing birds, lions and the wildlife, that makes Namibia such a special place. But through all this I seemed to be missing the desert more than ever. And so it came that I decided to document the desert around my hometown of Swakopmund!

This decision taken three years ago has set me on a path dedicated to depicting the Desert and its varied and very special inhabitants. I find myself just as happy photographing Dune Ants as I do the Desert Adapted Elephants. My equipment may not be so happy with my chosen “work environment”, as dials and focusing rings suffer from a chronic crunch disorder. The main culprit for this is my desire to be at the same level as my subject and the desert winds that sandblast everything!

Thankfully all my coverage of the desert has not gone unnoticed and images are being published in major newspapers, magazines and guidebooks. The Fine Art Prints are proving to be rather popular and a solo exhibition is planned for September in Namibia, with an invitation list filled with art buyers both private and corporate.

In the past year I have also been getting an increasing amount of requests for guided photographic trips into the Namib, concentrating on the specialised wildlife. With this in mind I do now offer a limited number of Photographic Tours into the Desert. Groups are kept small and a lot of personal attention is guaranteed. The guides used are all local experts. Participants are guaranteed a rewarding experience and will return home with more photographs then they will know what to do with. My hard drives are certainly stacking up at an alarming rate.

For me there is nothing better than being out in the desert, discovering something new each time. So for the time being you will find me happily shifting back and forth between the UK and Namibia, making the most of each new encounter!

For any information regarding the Photographic Tours or anything in general please email me at info@karlandreterblanche.com. More images and information on my photographic trips can be found in the bulletins on my website.