Mieke Boynton, Namibia (Landscape (2018))

Years and years ago, I saw a photo of the blackened, skeletal trees reaching up out of the bleached claypan of DeadVlei and knew that one day I needed to see this desert valley for myself. Last year I had the opportunity to visit Namibia and was completely blown away by the beauty of the landscape there. Not only was DeadVlei everything I'd hoped for, but I was enchanted by the white sand that whispered through the deserted buildings of Kolmanskop... the spiky silhouettes of the boab-like Quiver Trees... the beautiful tidal patterns of Walvis Bay... the starkness of the urban desert landscape of Swakopmund... and the endless expanse of stars in the night skies. It was an unforgettable experience.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.