Update from Namibia

We are at our third camp out of three on my northern and central Namibia workshop, and this trip is turning out to be quite productive photographically. Our first camp was along the desolate skeleton coast of northen Namibia. There we photographed many different types of scenes: sand dunes, the foggy coastline, desert elephants, gemsbok (oryx), river canyons, and transition zones in between the different zones. After three nights at the Skeleton Coast Camp, we headed to Serra Cafema Camp. Serra Cafema is known to be the most remote and luxurious camp in all of southern Africa. I was last there in the spring of 2006 when I co-led a trip with Michael Reichmann.

Serra Cafema Camp yielded some amazing scenes, yet it is a difficult location to capture in photographs.

We are now at the Namib Naukluft Park, home to the tall sand dunes as far as the eyes can see. After three nights here, I will head back to Windhoek to say goodbye to John Paul and the rest of the workshop group. I will head out with my second group to explore the southern and central part of the country, which is no less dramatic.

I am off for Namibia

Well, I am up late packing my bags. It always seems to be this way before one of my African safaris. Since the packing routine is mostly the same for all of my trips, I can easily find the items I need and stuff them into a duffle bag. What makes this trip different is that it is going to be a 100% landscape trip with occasional (or not) wildlife and a few cultural photo ops. So ditch the long lens and bring a tripod. That's basically about it.

What is different on this trip is that I will be bringing all Sony camera gear. Sony has graciously loaned me the following gear:

• Sony A900 24mp camera body x 2
• Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 Zeiss
• Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 Zeiss
• Sony 70-400mm f/4-5.6 G

RRS also loaned me an L-bracket for the A900 camera, so I am all set to go.

I have to pack everything into a 48 pound weight limit, which is our main restriction for our bush plane flights. Namibia is as large as France, yet only has around 1.8 million people living within its borders. Most locations are a long way away from each other, and to be efficient with time we will be flying in a Cessna Caravan between camps. I am packing all of my camera gear into a Gura Gear Kiboko bag.

Other random accessories that are in my bags are polarizing filters, an AMOD GPS tracking device, 12xAAA Enerloop batteries for the GPS tracker, sensor cleaning equipment, extra A900 batteries, a Canon G9, a Motorola Iridium satellite phone, Blackberry Curve 8310, a Macbook Air, 250GB external USB Western Digital hard drive, 128GB of compact flash cards, an X-Rite ColorMunki for calibrating and profiling workshop participants' LCD screens in case they haven't already done so, tons of sunscreen, and a good book. Oh, and some clothes.

Whenever I can find a cell phone signal, I will attempt to post some blog entries directly from my Blackberry Curve phone. I have configured my blog so I can email in my entries, and can also attach jpg images that I transfer from my computer via a microSD memory card. Let's see if this often technically challenged person can pull it off. I know that from past experiences there will not be a signal at some of my spots, but Sossusvlei and Luderitz both have great signals.

Ok, time to pack the rest of the essentials and hit the sack for the night. Then I will spend time with Leslie and the kids before I shove off after lunch.