Fish Market Flurry Early morning beach activity on central Vietnam's coastline, as the fishermen return with their catch using small coracle boats, while the women sort, negotiate, and sell on the shores.
The Catch We followed this Jaguar female for over two hours as she scouted the river banks of a small channel in the northern Pantanal. We thought she had missed this huge cayman exposted on the beach, but instead she turned landwards, went around it, came back quietly from the other side, approaching calmy. Within 4 seconds, the spectacle was over. The cayman doesn't stand a chance once the Jaguar's bite pierces its skull.
Christ Above The Clouds Christ the Redeemer is Rio's most well-known landmark - during this cloudy afternoon, it was only visible from above.
The Moai These statues on the island of Rapa Nui, now belonging to Chile, were probably carved to commemorate important ancestors and were made from around 1000 C.E. until the second half of the seventeenth century.
Neon The busy streets of Bangkok when the afternoon rains stopped and the neon signs came on.
The Great Wall The beautiful Jinshanling section of the Great Wall about 2 hours north of Beijing during sunrise.
At the Races A camel herder looks back as he leads his camels to the race track during Dubai's Al Marmoon Camel Race Festival.
The Fishermen Three crew members empty their net into a basket on a small fishing boat in the Meklong delta of Vietnam.
Precious A young girl holds a her kitten in a home near a brick factory in the Meklong Delta of Vietman.
Moon Tower The full moon rising behind Munich's Olympiaturm, built shortly before the 1972 Olympic games and then integrated into the complex.
Watching the Stars The Milky Way over the Namibian night sky near the Spitzkoppe mountain. I climbed a boulder in the darkness, accompanied by a few questionable insects, after setting my camera on interval shooting to get myself into the frame of this panorama, composed of a total of 18 images.
Opening Nights The Museum of the Future in Dubai opens with a ceremony and laser show.
In the Gate Beautiful Patrika gate in Jaipur - unlike the historic actual gates of the city, this one was built by a local media conglomerate in 2016 on the outskirts, and features regional paintings and art on the interior walls.
In Action A photo of a Mongolia Eagle Hunter from a new perspective, using a remote controlled camera on the ground.
Couple in the Snow Snowy portraits of an elderly coupling living in the remote village of Ulley, where I stayed in March 2023, in the Himalayan mountain ranges of Ladakh at 4000m. Their daughter worked with the lodge and they invited us into their 400 (!) year old house for tea.
On the Roof A boy playing with his kite on the roof Delhi's dense old city.
Harvest Season Grass harvest season in the south of Vietman. Workers cut it, use a small machine to immediately press it, and then bundle it so it can be used to create handicrafts such as knitting cushions, hats, baskets, and more.
After The Rain The incredible islands of Ngerukewid in the Republic of Palau 🇵🇼, with rain clouds passing over the ocean in the distance. Definitely one of the most beautiful island formations I’ve ever seen and a nature reserve since 1956..Vertical bracketed panorama. Getting this photo was one of the main reasons I visited the tiny hardly known island nation in the Pacific, and making it happen proved to be challenging: Difficult and fluctuating weather conditions, having to charter a boat, getting close enough to the reserve boundaries, flying my drone in strong winds and waves, and landing it on the boat‘s sunroof. Of course, I had to get a drone permit as well.
Italy Vibes Tower The harbour of the Commune di Lazise, a small town on the shores of Lake Garda in northern Italy.
In The Water Jaguars in the Pantanal are excellent swimmers, often crossing rivers and channels to find prey and maintain their territory.
Desert Decay A camel skull decaying under the night sky in the deserts of Wadi Rum, Jordan.
Al Khazneh The most famous monument of the city ancient Nabatean city of Petra in Jordan is this mausoleum, believed to have been carved into the rock in the first century AD.
India's Mughal Marvel The Taj Mahal is the most well-known example of Mughal architecture in India. Sitting on the banks of the river Yamuna in Agra since it was completed almost 400 years ago, the building was commissioned by Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal.
Snow Leopard in Contrast I spent the last 10 days deep inside the trans Himalayan mountain ranges of Ladakh, India, at over 4000m elevation, to look for the Ghost of the Mountain: Snow Leopards. The region is a dry cold desert, with less snow than you’d expect in March. This means photographs like this one are possible, with the elusive creature traversing one of the slopes that has been coloured deep red and purple by the high iron content in the ground.
Meal Time A cheetah caught red-faced in the southern Serengeti plains.
Hunter's Tribe A few weeks ago I visited the Hadzabe tribe in Tanzania, one of the last human groups on earth following the practice of hunting and gathering, as opposed to cultivating crops and keeping domestic animals. There are only around 400 of their group left that survive this way, all spread around Lake Eyasi on the north of the country. I had the chance to spend a few hours with them and take some photos, even hunting for birds with a bow and arrow - they caught one in minutes.
Lunar Painting A single exposure with motion blur created this effect of the crescent moon.
In Partnership A Mongolian Eagle hunter admires his companion.
Moon Jellyfish The Moon Jellyfish of Palau - taken on iPhone in a lake on Eil Malk island in this tiny country in the Pacific Ocean. These creatures are up to 40cm in size and are generally stingless
Savannah King A large male lion walking towards us, his face surrounded by flies attracted by tiny leftover pieces of his last meal.
Rainbow Island Early morning Rainbow over two lonely island outcrops off the coastal areas of Palau, a small country in the Pacific Ocean.
Temple Glory One of my favourite temples in Taipei, Taiwan.
Reflecting The busy reflection of Tapei framing this man in a local cafe.
Another Milky Way The turquoise blue waters of Palau’s “Milky Way” bay - small area on the eastern side of the islands where limestone falls into the sea, turning into a grey mud covering the ocean floor. It is said to have healing powers and is responsible for these incredible hues of the sea.
Rise of the Lanterns Scenes from the (rainy) Pingxi lantern festival 2023, celebrating the new year by sending traditional rice paper lanterns with wishes for the future written on them into the sky.
Under the Lights Aurora Borealis on the northern coast of Norway.
Circling Underwater world of Palau with a few snorkelling encounters with black tip reef sharks.
After The Meal A lioness liking her mouth after a feast on the night's kill, walking closely past us.
The Beehive Festival Possibly the only time where getting hit by flaming fireworks from a short distance is considered a positive outcome of the evening, this yearly festival has its roots in the late 1800s. A parade of palanquins moves through the streets of the small Taiwanese town, where clusters of firework-bearing carts then target them - and the crowd of onlookers trying to protect themselves with helmets and coats.
In the Green Leke Leke Waterfall in Bali is one of the island's most beautiful.
Guided by the Moon A a native beduin and his camel watch the crescent moon set over the dunes of Wadi Rum, Jordan.
Hills of Bohol The chocolate hills of Bohol, Philippines. There are over 1000 of these karst hills, up to 120m in height, dotted around a relatively small area. Their colour varies due to the changing vegetation, with the brown summer hues giving them their name.
Rulers of the Ocean A pod of orca whales traversing the fjords of northern Norway, where they spend the winter months hunting for herring. Their complex social structure and intelligent behaviour makes them one of the most incredible animals to observe in the wild.
Living on Water A fishing village off the coast of Cebu, Philippines. I scouted this place on Google Maps after spotting it from the plane when flying towards Cebu, and hired a boat crew to take me there, an hour off the coast towards Bohol.
Rainbow over Axel Towers A lucky moment from the air as I was looking to find the best angles of the 5 buildings making up Copenhagen's famous Axel Towers.
Moon World The incredible mudstone badland landscape of Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
The Bay of Kotor Montengro's famous bay is home to two small islands, one of which housing the church of "Our Lady of the Rocks".
Landmark of Brunei
Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque serves as the symbol of Islamic faith in one of the last remaining absolute monarchies in the world, with the country's king holding the title of longest-reigning monarch globally.
Dubrovnik Looking west over the old city with its prominent fortifications.
A Moment While taking some photos of this arch on the shorelines of the Tasmanian island of Bruny, this meteor appeared to the south.
Creative District Hosier Lane in Melbourne is famous for its graffiti-clad walls. I caught this artist enhancing it just a little more...
Tree Tunnel The tree tunnels of Bangkok‘s suburbs are my favourite part of the city.
Sunrise over Los Cuernos One of the most incredible sunrises I've ever seen over this incredible mountain range in Patagonia, Chile.
Sugba Lagoon One of the most beautiful landscapes in Siargao, Philippines.
The Wave Interrupting this program for a beautiful wave breaking on the shores of Siargao.
Shapes of Baku The capital city of this central Asian country is home to a number of spectacular structures, arguably none more famous than the Heydar Aliyev Center, by architect Zaha Hadid, with its flowing curves and lack of sharp angles that often define man-made objects.
Pink Shapes The salt lake of Masazir near Baku fills with color during the summer months, as bacteria thrive in the mineral-filled salty waters. The lake is situated in the middle of a populated suburban area, and a factory has taken over part of its shoreline to harvest the salt for industrial use. .
Lapland Scenes Northern Lights panorama over Finnish Lapland, with the stars of the big dipper in the centre.
When the Light hits In August 2022, Iceland's Fagradalsfjall volcano on the Reykjanes peninsula erupted for several weeks, casting its web of lava over the landscape and releasing a cloud of smoke into the air. As morning approached during my visit, the smoke cloud was still present, now illuminated by the rising sun in orange hues with the moon just behind on the right.
Density Informal low income housing in Metro Manila Philinnines one ofthe most denselybuilt areas in the world, and home to almost 14 million people spread over 16 cities.
Shapes The flowing Abaya of a local women along the flowing lines of the Heydar Aliyev Center. The design was meant to break from the rigid forms prevalent in most of Baku's Soviet legacy architecture.
Just Chilin' A young orangutan enjoying his afternoon high up in the trees in the forest of Borneo.
Stairs to Creation One of the world's most important reilgious sites located on the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem and home to the Foundation Stone, believed by the Abrahamic religions to have been the place where God created the world.
Symbiosis The incredible underwater world of Raja Ampat, Indonesia - one of the most marine biodiverse locations on earth, in the heart of the coral triangle.
San Marino Sunset Guaita Tower is an 11th century fortress and a World Heritage site. San Marino’s independence has partly to do with its location on this hill. As an enclave (one of only three enclave countries), it does hold strong ties with surrounding Italy, particularly related to economic ties, and uses the Euro (although is not part of the EU).
Last Sanctuary Urangutan of Borneo. Was lucky to spot this large male during my three day expedition to the Tanjung Puting National Park in the Central Kalimantan Region of Borneo, Indonesia. This is one of the last areas where the remaining 60,000 of this critically endangered great ape species still roam our earth.
A Medieval Skyscraper Capital The Due Torri - Two Towers - Asinelli and Garisenda, both leaning and named after the families that constructed them, are the most famous of what are said to be around 100 of such towers, making the Italian city of Bologna the skyscraper centre of the 12th and 13th centuries.
Falls & Volcano The incredible Tumpak Sewu waterfall in East Java, Indonesia, creates a 120m-high curtain of water thundering into the canyon below, producing an ever-glowing rainbow. Together with Semeru, the island's highest mountain and active volcano, the scenery illustrates the forces of nature in both depth and height, as well as water and fire.
A Cloudy Summer Night At just 60 sqkm, San Marino is one of the smallest countries on earth, the oldest extant sovereign state, and one of only three countries fully enclaved by another. Its landmark fortress of Guaita and the defensive walls are visible here as low clouds roll in over Monte Titano just before sunset during this unsual August evening.
The Last Dinosaur The Komodo Dragon reaches up to three metres in size, and weighs as much as a human. They rely on their long tongue to sense prey up to 10 kilometres away in favourable conditions.
Smoking Sunrise While the summer night didn’t get fully dark owing to Iceland’s northern latitudes, seeing the sky slowly turn brighter as sunrise approached made for another set of beautiful scenes, with our home star rising behind the mountain scenery and the Fagradalsfjall volcano.
Green Lights over the Bridge The Aurora Borealis, or commonly known as Northern Lights, making an appearance over the Norwegian city of Tromsø, casting its green hues over the sky.
Escape of the Lava A top down view of Iceland's last volcano eruption in the Meradalir valley, as hot red lava escapes the crater and paints abstract patterns on the dry black dry rock that it would later evolve into.
Padar Island Part of the Komodo archipelago in Indonesia, the only region where the endangered largest lizard in the world can still be found on a handful of islands, with around 3000 individuals still surviving in the wild.
Successors While there are only about 20 Super Tuskers left, a number of bulls are growing to be their successors, such as this big boy called Esau.
Aerial View The sunset over the erupting Fagradalsfjall volcano in August 2022.
Volcano Galore Sunrise over the magnificent volcanoes of the Tengger mountains in East Java. Bromo on the left is the most active out of the five volcanoes in the sand filled caldera, while the tallest mountain in Java, Semeru in the distance, has started erupting again in December 2022, shortly before I visited.
Inferno Hike Silhouette of a person visiting Iceland's 2022 volcano eruption during the night.
Triple Crater Kelimutu Volcano in Flores island, Indonesia, features three lakes, all with slightly different changing hues of blue depending on the underlying volcanic activity.
Braided Rivers An iconic feature of the landscapes of Alaska
Eagle Hunters The Eagle Hunters of western Mongolia practice an age old tradition, working in unison with their horses and golden eagles to hunt for foxes and hare in the cold vast landscapes of the country.
Over the Dunes A camel trek making its way through the endless dunes of the Gobi desert in southern Mongolia.
Craig Kenya's Amboseli National Park and its surrounding areas are home to a very special kind of elephant: The Super Tuskers, bulls whose tusks weigh in excess of 100 pounds each, often reaching all the way to the ground. There are said to be only around 20 left on earth, with the most famous one of them all being Craig, a 52-year-old bull believed to have the largest tusks of any African elephant alive today.
Colmar One of the most famous towns of the Alsace region in full summer bloom.
The Net Menders Women working on fixing large fishing nets used on Vietman's central coast.
Tallest Storm Lightning crosses over Dubai's skyline towards Burj Khalifa on a night of heavy storms and rains in April 2024.
Tallest Storm
Volcano Streaks A long exposure of the Meradalir volcano using Olympus Live Composite.
Bed Under The Stars I admittedly didn't sleep as much as I'd have under a roof, but when you have the chance to watch the Milky Way rise from your bedroom, you don't waste time snoozing. The night skies of the Kalahari desert in Botswana didn't disappoint.
The Tallest Nairobi's National Park provides for a unique window into the conflicting requirements for space between humans and animals in Africa. While the tallest terrestrial animal roams the park in search for food, the tallest building in Kenya looms in the distant skyline of the country's expanding capital. Pressure on wildlife has been increasing due to contamination and population from nearby industrial areas, as well as the need for farmland to feed a growing population.
Access A small road running through the deep forests of Alaska.
Peaks of Nature Craig, the elephant with the largest tusks in Africa, blowing dust as he walks past the Kilimanjaro, seen from Kenya's Amboseli National Park.
In the Woods This house in the forests of Alaska was appearantly built by an Anchorage attorney - skyscraper living in the woods!
Maasai Jump Maasai men perform a traditional jumping dance, to prove their strength and maturity.
Against the Light A brown bear looking for clams on the beaches of Chinitna Bay in Alaska.
Above the Serengeti The size of herds of the Great Migration is often difficult to grasp from the ground, but a balloon flight can certainly bring some perspectives - aside from making it possible to land in the middle of them (or a pride of lions).
Chilling on Ice A group of California seals relaxing on a ice shelves that broke off from the Colombia glacier in Alaska.
A Spot to be Lazy Did you know they Lions occasionally climb trees for a nap?
Lake Heaven Alaska is said to have over 3 million lakes. I didn't count, but I'd say we saw half of them during this flight alone...
Zebra Balloon A ballon flight over the Serengeti resulted in this composition - of course one always has to be out of line.
Icey Glaciers A group of California seals relaxing on an ice shelves that broke off from the Columbia glacier in Alaska.
Moment in the Tree It’s always special to see your favourite animal in the wild, but a sighting like this makes it even more breathtaking. We spent four days, 8 hours a day, looking for this Leopard female and her 3 month old cub in the Selinda reserve in Botswana. On the very last morning, our guide - Stitcht, who called himself a legend and lived up to it - saw her sitting on a termite mount in the distance. We followed her when she called for her little one, and then climbed a nearby tree. They spent 15 min cuddling and cleaning before she rushed off to try and catch some breakfast, telling her cub to hide in the thick crown of the tree.
Built by Disney We found the Lion King rock!
Emerged A brown bear emerging from one of Alaska's many salmon filled rivers in search for the next prey.
Trails One of the many amazing arch formations in Wadi Rum frames our northerly night sky, with 3 hours of exposure showing the rotation of our earth.
Support We were driving through the Serengeti in Tanzania, in search for large herds of Gnu during the great migration, as we came across a small group of Zebra. When I spotted these four in their typical resting position, I quickly took my photo before another Zebra obscured the clear perspective.
On the Tip The full moon rising above one of the peaks in the Bavarian alps.
Protection An Elephant herd in the Tarangire National park of Tanzania protecting their youngest.
Staring Contest Mountain Gorillas are generally not aggressive, but their piercing orange brown eyes can defintely make you feel submissive. This individual was part of the Igisha family in Rwanda's Virunga mountains.
Stand Up A special species of primate in Rwanda are Golden Monkeys, an endangered animal that can only be found in the Virunga volcanic mountains, with an estimated population of 2000-4000.
A life's work in Zimbabwe When the owner couple of this lodge saw my recent Milky Way photos from Namibia they asked if I could do something for them. No one deserves it more given the passion and knowledge they put into their little paradise, so this is what we came up with! We managed to include their dog as well, and if you look closely, there’s an elephant down by the water shores, and you can see some of the sunken trees in Lake Kariba. ,span class="tags" hidden>Astrophotography, Landscape, Favourites
Shy One of the many infants in the Igisha family I was able to observe in Rwanda
In the Tree A young group of lions watching us from a tree where they spent the afternoon being lazy. Tree climbing lions are not common, but Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda is famous for them. They usually move up for a better view, shade, and to escape insects.
Mountain of God Mwenga, a local Maasai sharing his knowledge about the environment and culture, and how the community lives with the ever-present “Mountain of God” - or Ol Doinyo Lengai, in their local language. The active volcano in northern Tanzania is a unique combination of being a sacred space for the Maasai people, while at the same time presenting a one-of-a-kind window into the geology of our world, as it is the only volcano on earth producing natrocarbonatite lava.
Observing Uganda's Kyambura Gorge is a special sight - 11km long and over 100m deep, the river flowing in its middle is the source of water for the underground forest that has grown here like a green slice in the savannah. It’s home to a variety of wildlife, including a habituated Chimpanzee family. Human's closest living relatives are an endangered species due to habitat destruction, poaching, and disease.
A Large Perspective Giraffes are the tallest land-based mammal, and some perspectives make them appear even larger than the 5 metres they actually reach.
Island Lake A flight over Lake Bunyoni, Uganda. Some of its 29 islands have a dark history, such as Punishment island where unmarried pregnant women were left to starve or try swim to the shores, or Sharp’s island, a leprosy treatment isolation centre. Luckily those practices have been abandoned a long time ago and the lake is now a beautiful calm place for locals and tourists.
In Thought A baboon in deep thought, photographed in the forests of Lake Manyara, Tanzania.
Calm Uganda's beautiful lake Bunyonyi has a very serene and peaceful aura.
A Morning Drink The hide at the waterhole of our lodge in Botswana allowed for very intimate photos of animals stopping by for a drink.
Milky Way with Company We saw this somewhat lonely tree on our way back to camp after a game drive, and decided it would be a good spot for some night photography. When you're in the bush in Africa, that does come with some disclaimers, as lions, buffalo, and other animals roam around and may not feel to friendly about humans on foot in their territory. Nevertheless we parked the Land Cruiser and switched off the flash lights to start taking this panorama. In the first few minutes, this large meteor shot across the Antares region, but that wasn't the most exciting moment - just a few minutes later, we heard a sound in the tall grass a few metres from us. Flashlights were on in a heartbeat, and four green eyes stared at us. Two Hyena wanted to either see what the excitment was all about, or learn about astrophotograhy. I won't know the answer, as they left once we shone the lights on them.
Caught in Flight This beeater is enjoying a meal in the afternoon sun at the Chobe river.
Through the Grass A lonely elephant bull traversing the flood planes of the Okavango Delta in Botswana.
Contrasts The abandoned town of Kolmanskoop, Namibia, once a rich German outpost during the time of regional diamond mining, has gradually been taken over by the shifting sand dunes of the desert, as the once colourful walls slowly fade into more subdued versions of former glory.
Moments I like it when everything comes together in an image. This is one such photo: The Milky Way and Scorpius star region, the African sunrise, the blood moon, and a meteor all in one frame - it was a lucky moment paired with prepardness that enabled me to capture this.
In the Wadi A little bonfire, a tent, and the stars spinning above your head. Add some lighttrails and it’s a happy weekend in my favourite wadi.
Rare Occurence Africa's many wild and untouched landscapes are a stunning sight, but when the sun goes down you get to experience a different and less obvious kind of beauty: Darkness. The lack of light pollution from human development opens up a window into our Milky Way and beyond that many people in more densely populated parts of the world have never been able to observe. The Quiver Tree Forest in Namibia is a place where beautiful, one-of-a-kind earthly features and the magic of the stars come together.
The Blood Moon We ventured out at 3am deep into the bush to an elevated clearing to observe the slow progression of the eclipse, culminating just before sunrise. This was taken at 5:29am, with the sun still illuminating a small edge of the moon, while earth cast a shadow on the rest of our luna, glowing red due to the scattered light passing through the atmosphere.
Namibia's Quiver Tree Forest About 250 of these trees have grown here, and it's one of the only forests of this type that occurred naturally.
Gate to the Stars The Milky Way rising across the rock arch formation, illuminated from the back with a small LED light.
Gondwana Close to the Canyon at Gondwana Nature Park you can find some amazing rock formations, which obviously meant it was time for another Milky Way panorama!
Tea Country The Long Coc Tea Hills in northern Vietman stretch out for 700-hectare into the horizon.
Cat Ba Cat Ba Archipelago is a World Heritage Site in the northeast of Vietnam, also home to the Cat Ba langur, one of the most endangered primates in the world, with only 63 left.
Lasers Burj Khalifa lasers and LED screen at full display during one of the evening shows.
Star Trails Photographing north over the Spitzkoppe camp ground in Namibia for several hours created these trails as the earth rotates through the universe.
In the Air A pair of Dolphins playing in the Indian ocean off the coast of Oman.
Where the Dunes Meet the Sea A very unique place in the world, this area is where the Namib Naukluft Park meets the Atlantic Ocean.
The Tallest NYE Dubai welcomes 2022 with its incredible fireworks display on Burj Khalifa, as well as Burj Al Arab and Palm Jumeirah in the distance.
Lunar Illumination The moon shining over the outcrops as the last bit of daylight disappears in the west.
In the Fields A man working in the tea plantations of Long Coc.
Shapes The rice terraces of Tu Le Valley, Vietnam, in the early water season.
Floating Houses The floating houses of Cat Ba Lagoon on the southeastern edge of Lan Ha Bay.
Making it Fit Viewpoint over Hamriya village in Oman's north, which slowly grew into this valley of the Hajar mountains.
The Confrontation A journey of patience led me to this image, as it took many scouting trips to identify this spot, and even more visits to the location to finally find clear skies adorned by clouds, while a pair of oryx was engaging in their territorial rivalry. The resulting photograph is meant to represent both the confrontation of the animals, but also the contrast of harsh urban shapes of Dubai, with the natural soft outlines of the dunes of the UAE desert.
Remains of Deadvlei Namibia's Deadvlei salt pan in the Namib Naukluft National Park is one of the most surreal places on earth, and countless compositions present itself between the orange dunes, blue skies, white ground and the shapes and shadows of its dead trees. To try and capture the expanse of the space and its essence, I chose to photograph a panoramic angle featuring a dead piece of wood on the ground with the many trees in the background, of which it may have once been part of. Taken on May 5th, 2022.
Future Interiors The inside of Dubai's Museum of the Future, picking up the building's exterior theme.
Visitors from Afar The Eta Aquariids meteor shower was active during new moon when I was in Namibia. I’ve been shooting a lot of Timelapse in the dark skies and was able to capture this green fireball in the early morning hours of May 7th. The green hue on the horizon is from the strong air glow here, and the grass was illuminated by lamps from the lodge we were staying at on the outskirts of the desert area.
Upwards The Sultan Qaboos Mosque in Oman's capital, Muscat, is the largest in the country and opened in 2001. At the time, it was home to two records: the world's biggest single-piece carpet, made of 1,700,000,000 knots, and the world's largest chandelier, weighing over eight tonnes and featuring 600,000 crystals. Both records are now held by the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi.
Over the Dunes The scale of the dunes on the Namibian shoreline becomes evident when you see a large 4x4 crossing them, looking like a small ant in the distant endless sand.
Lights of Sharjah The yearly Sharjah Light festival fascinates with amazing 3D projection on some of the emirate's landmarks, such as Sharjah Mosque here.
Sunset Flyby Birds in formation crossing the sun as it is about to set over the Atlantic ocean.
Moody Downtown Dubai shows its moody side in this long exposure photograph.
Through the Pan This lonely Oryx crossed one of the salt pans as we flew over.
The Future “Most people talk; we do things. They plan; we achieve. They hesitate; we move ahead.“ HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashed Al Maktoum
House under the Stars We went to an abandoned small house near a railroad track to shoot a panorama of the Milky Way, but I had another photo in mind for this as well: A close up view of the house with the Great Magellanic Cloud, a galaxy which is only visible in the Southern Hemisphere and about 150,000 light years from earth. To achieve this perspective I had to reduce my exposure time to avoid the stars streaking, so I shot a lot of images that I planned to stack to avoid excessive noise in the final result. After reviewing the images, I had another idea, which was to turn them into a small star trail exposure of about 10 minute. Since we were pretty much facing exactly south, this created the typical vertigo style effect as the earth rotates, making it appear as though the stars were moving in a circle in the sky. You can see the Great Magellanic Cloud as the white patch on the right side of the image.
The Moon Chase The full moon rising behind the Hajar mountains in the UAE.
Life At Sea A fishermen in the Meklong delta sits at his stilted house, where he spends around a week at a time to help prepare the nets that are being pulled in daily by a small ship and his crew.
Daylight Transit In my quest for transits of the ISS, this was a missing piece: A daylight capture of the ISS and moon both illuminated by the sun. This was captured at 1200mm effective focal length on 10th of February 2022 in the late afternoon as the ISS flew over the UAE at a height of 473km.
Deadvlei The incredible Deadvlei clay pan in Sossusvlei, part of the Namib Naukluft National Park.
Speeding By Downtown Dubai and its massive access interchange with Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai's traffic lifeline.
Lüderitz Sunset over Lüderitz with the Felsenkirche Rock Church) on Diamond Hill, a church in vertical gothic style that opened in 1912 during the diamond rush and is now a national monument.
Beyond the Quiver Tree The Carina (NGC 3372) and Running Chicken (IC 2944) nebulae (yes, really!) setting in our Milky Way over a Quiver Tree in Namibia. This nebula is even bigger and brighter than the Great Nebula in Orion, but has been a bit overlooked as it’s mainly visible from the Southern Hemisphere, so it was definitely something I wanted to capture.
Riding the Sunset The sun sets behind Atlantis The Palm as a jet ski passes by.
Pink Hues The moon rising behind Burj Khalifa just after the setting sun fills the sky with pink hues on a humid day.
The Dark Side of the Moon We all know that there's a part of the moon that isn't illuminated by the sun for most of the month. In fact though, it still receives a little bit of light, namely the light reflected by our home planet, and then bouncing back to the moon. This is called "earth shine" and a long exposure photograph reveals it.
Dubai Sunsets Burj Al Arab, one of the world's most iconic buildings, framed by the minarets of a nearby mosque as the sun sets in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Saturn & The Burj Saturn passing Burj Khalifa, at a cool distance of over 1.5 billion kilometres. Watch closely to see its rings.
The Gazelle and the Giant The contrast and conflict of human development and natural beauty is evident in this photograph, requiring many visits to the location to finally find and document the conditions visualized here, as a group of gazelle graze peacefully in the soft rolling warm dunes, while the busy and loud cityscape with its sharp shapes and cold colors rise in the background.
Nature's Calligraphy Patterns on Abu Dhabi's mangrove beaches.
Full Moon Transit The International Space Station circles our globe around 16 times each day, and sometimes it happens to cross the skies over one's location. Even rarer than that, it happens to transit the moon in one's location. Even rarer than that, this occurs during a full moon. In the photo below, the ISS was 477km above earth, the moon was 99.8% illuminated, and the transit took 0.59 seconds. Good planning, timing, and some luck makes this observation possible.
Stairs to the Moon Our celestial neighbour coming up behind a human silhoutte in the Hajar mountains.
Dubai Marina A panoramic view over Dubai Marina just after sunset.
On Alert A gazelle in the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve tracks my every move as I position myself to photograph it with the sunset in the distance.
The Moon Wheel The crescent moon rising behind the world's tallest ferris wheel, Ain Dubai.
Oldest Town of Italy Lazise, the oldest recognised commune in Italy, from above on a sunny spring day, with its Scaliger castle on the bottom.
Kravica Falls A beautiful set of falls around 25m high and ending in a small lake in Bosnia.
Rush Hour Saigon has become notorious for its rush hour traffic, and the millions of scooters in the city. Crossing the street here is an adventure.
Watching Orion The orion nebula setting over the Hajar mountains.
Suburban Dystopia A collection of identical villas in one of Dubai's purpose built neighbourhoods.
ISS Flyover The International Space Station flying over Downtown Dubai in this long exposure photograph.
Trails Two colourful boats travelling across Dubai Marina at night.
Mostar Views One of the most famous sights in Mostar seen from above.
Wadi Rum Panorama Wadi Rum, one of Jordan's Unesco World Heritage sites, is full of beautiful sandstone formations, such as this arch under the Milky Way.
Flying to the Sun Dubai Parks & Resorts' skyflyer ride in action as the sun sets in the distance.
Contrastd A mosque built into Sharjah's desert, with the outcrops of the Hajar mountains at the top.
Sunken The sunken ancient bell tower of the town of Curon in South Tyrol was submerged after the creation of an artificial lake in the 1950s.
The Milky Way Pano Africa's many wild and untouched landscapes are a stunning sight, but when the sun goes down you get to experience a different and less obvious kind of beauty: Darkness. The lack of light pollution from human development opens up a window into our Milky Way and beyond that many people in more densely populated parts of the world have never been able to observe. The Quiver Tree Forest in Namibia is a place where beautiful, one-of-a-kind earthly features and the magic of the stars come together.
The Hunt During my time in Ladakh, nothern India, I had the opportunity to witness an incredible sight, rarely documented: A snow leopard going after an Ibex on the steep slopes of the mountain ranges. The snow leopard managed to chase its prey to the base of the mountain, where a fatal jump into the valley was the last move it made.
Invasion A drone created this surreal interplay of nightly landscape and artificial light in the vast countryside of Mongolia.
Soy Sauce Makers A backyard of a small village house on the outskirts of Hanoi is used to store pots of soy sauce, which dries in the sun for 2-3 months.
Dune Glory The smooth sands of the Gobi desert are home of the Bactrian camels and their herders.
Signature Zaha Style One of several Zaha Hadid buildings in Beijing, this one was completed in 2012 and features the Iraqi architect's distinct curves lines.
Orca Trifecta Three Orca synchronise their swimming pattern as they scout the seas in the north of Norway for herring.
Tallest Storm
Last Moment A yellow-billed stork managed to catch a frog in the Okavango Delta's flood plains, rotating it in its beak so that it can swallow the amphibian whole.
Orange Eye A young male lion stares into the lens after his meal, with dozens of flies ensuring every last leftover is cleared from his face.
Under the Surface A turtle sets off to dive into the depths after taking a breath near an island in the north of the Maldives.
Tallest Storm
The Pink Church Saigon's Tan Dinh Church is one of the city's more unusual landmark. Built in the 1870s, it features a blend of Roman, Gothic, and Renaissance architecture. And an unusual colour.
Ready to Land A Boing 747 freighter on its approach over the dunes to Dubai Airport during golden hour, with the silhouette of the world's tallest building in the distance.
Patterns A leopard traverses the high grass of the Okavango Delta in Botswana.
Water Lily Harvest While this activity has become a photographic playground, with models positioning their boats and lilies in beautiful arrangements, the lily's are actually harvested during the flooding season. They provide additional income, as the stems are edible and can be turned into sauce and other products, and the flowers are used for decoration or tea.
Split The "Perfume River" separates the old and new parts of the ancient city of Hue in Vietnam, with the architectural differences easily distinguished in this aerial photo.
Atacama Skies The dark night skies and high elevation couples with amazing landscapes make the Atacama desert a great place to watch the stars.
Rapa Nui Over a few hundred years the inhabitants of this remote island quarried, carved and erected around 900 statues in different locations.
Split The "Perfume River" separates the old and new parts of the ancient city of Hue in Vietnam, with the architectural differences easily distinguished in this aerial photo.
The Largest Macaw Hyacinth macaw are the largest of their species, reaching 1 metre in length. Seen here a breeding female of the endangered bird in the dry lands of the northern Pantanal in Brasil.
First Light The first rays of sunshine hitting the peaks and glaciers of Los Cuernos.
Painted A Cayman bathing in the morning light, with the surroundings creating a painterly reflection on the water.