Dead Vlei, a photo from Hardap, South

Photographer's Note

Dead Vlei is a clay pan located near the more famous salt pan of Sossusvlei, inside the Namib-Naukluft Park in Namibia.

Dead Vlei is surrounded by the highest sand dunes in the world, some reaching up to 300 meters, which rest on a sandstone terrace. The clay pan was formed after rainfall, when the Tsauchab river flooded, creating temporary shallow pools where the abundance of water allowed camel thorn trees to grow. When the climate changed, drought hit the area, and sand dunes encroached on the pan, which blocked the river from the area.

The trees died, as there no longer was enough water to survive. There are some species of plants remaining, such as salsola and clumps of !nara, adapted to surviving off of the morning mist and very rare rainfall. The remaining skeletons of the trees, which are believed to be about 900 years old, are now black because the intense sun has scorched them. The wood does not decompose because it is so dry.

isabela_sor, cherryripe, Sne011, pauloog, Clementi ha puntuado esta nota como útil.

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isabela_sor (47748) 2009-09-07 12:05 [Comment]

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ade71 (2228) 2009-09-07 12:10

Salve Matteo, trovo che tu abbia elegantemente realizzato questa foto. Mi piace il contrasto dei colori e la luce che hai saputo cogliere. Ottimi anche i dettagli. Buona serata, Adele

john1 (4028) 2009-09-07 12:28

Hello Matteo,

The composition with the dead tree are wonderfull here.
Great colors sky and sand, amazing details of the tree.
Good shot.
Have a good week.
John

cherryripe (21033) 2009-09-07 12:36

Hi Matteo
I really like this desolate landscape and the way the trees stand out against the 3 colours of ground, dune and sky. Excellent sharpness of the tree.
Regards
Nikki

smarcell (19965) 2009-09-07 12:43

Ciao Matteo, ti invidio con tutte le mie forze per essere stato in questo posto che conosco solo in foto, purtroppo. Sembra un luogo da un altro pianeta.
Uno dei posti (tanti, purtroppo) dove vorrei andare.
Prima o poi.... Aspetto altre foto della Namibia !
Ciao Stefano

Sne011 (3084) 2009-09-07 12:59

Ciao Matteo,
I love the simplicity of the composition, those three levels and the main subject standing in perfect place. Very well done, beautiful and attractive photo!
Buona settimana
Sneza

Morac (27725) 2009-09-07 13:04

Bonsoir Matteo,

Un lieu impressionnant et une photo percutante par sa simplicité
Bonne soirée
Marc

pauloog (11751) 2009-09-07 13:17

Hello Matteo,
The clear warm colours of Namibia continue to surprise me, and this is another beautiful example. Well composed too and light very well managed with details in the white dried out soil well visible despite the harsh light.
Regards,
Paul

amaryllis (37047) 2009-09-07 13:33

bonjour
superbe cette photo de cet arbre , qui a une certaine élégance pour moi de s'ouvrir dans un endroit vraiment aride
bien vu les trois couleurs y compris celle du marron foncé de l'arbre
et l'ombre également
j'aime beaucoup
juliette

Clementi (52514) 2009-09-07 13:57

Ciao Matteo,
questa di certo non poteva mancare e' una classica immagine della Namibia,
colori saturi al punto giusto e composizione perfetta.
Giorgio

bergese (6699) 2009-09-07 14:28

Quelle netteté et quels contrastes.J'aime beaucoup la simplicité de cette photo et les couleurs.Bonne soirée Isa

gneufeld (15890) 2009-09-07 14:40

Hi Matteo,
Amazing beauty in simplicity and minimalism here. I like the color contrasts, and I think you even caught a few other photographers mid frame right. Well done and TFs. Gerald

mafegan (8626) 2009-09-07 21:20

Hello Matteo
Simple but so effective - just a dead tree against a 3 striped backgound. Colours are great and there is so much detail in the tree. Tfs, Marlene

jonathan_hart (21276) 2009-09-08 4:03

i could not be tired of these trees and this so simple landscape, i love this place
jc