Our small group left the hotel in the dark and arrived at Sossusvlei in the pre-dawn light; the landscape washed in muted shades of gray. In hushed excited tones, we began our ascent across the soft fluid sand, stopping along the way to catch our breath. At the crest of the final dune, we caught our first sight of Deadvlei. As if on cue, the sun rises and its first rays hit the far dune, turning it a vivid red orange color. Conversation halts as we encounter this ancient silent scene: a bleached white clay pan dotted with stark black trees encircled by orange dunes. Jennifer, our tour leader, walked quickly to find a spot to document the eerie beauty. The juxtaposition of past and present touches the soul. We seem so very small in this timeless landscape.

The image below is at the watering hole at Onguma Tented Camp. We had just ordered our breakfast when someone spotted movement at the watering hole, a cheetah! Everyone grabbed their cameras and began clicking, in hopes of capturing "The Perfect Shot". Our tour leader Jennifer is a professional wildlife photographer and had the only true camera with an impressive zoom lens; so no matter how hard we tried, our various iPhones and Androids could not do justice to the scene. Crouched and ready, impervious to all around, we became the quintessential tourist image. How could I resist?

Photo and story by Cheryl R. Smith
Namibia | Experience Wildlife: Photography with Jennifer Leigh Warner