Moonlight over Aloba - Marsel van Oosten - Wildlife Photographer of the Year2011

2011: Wildscapes - Specially Commended

Marsel van Oosten Enlarge image Moonlight over Aloba

Marsel van Oosten (The Netherlands)

Moonlight over Aloba

The Aloba Arch, on the Ennedi Plateau in northeastern Chad, is one of the most magnificent rock arches in the world. And with an elevation of 122 metres (400 feet), it is one of the highest, too. But its remote location means it's also one of the more seldom seen. Travel to this area can be particularly difficult because of the lack of facilities, political unrest and highway banditry, but Marsel decided to go there anyway. The plateau is, he says, 'a sandstone bulwark in the middle of the Sahara, assailed by the sands on all sides, with a geology similar to the Colorado Plateau and a number of similar landforms.' He wanted to photograph the arch in a way that would create 'a feeling of awe and wonder,' choosing a night shoot, with enough moonlight for a light source but not so much that the stars wouldn't be visible. 'The clear night sky,' says Marsel, 'made this wild place look almost otherworldly.'

Nikon D3S + 24-70mm f2.8 lens; 15 sec at f2.8; ISO 2500; Markins ballhead; Gitzo tripod; cable release.

This photograph is available to buy as a print.