Paul van Schalkwyk's Image

As a photographer with an eye for graphic compositions and a passion for wild places, Paul was always drawn to arid landscapes.

He often flew over the Etosha salt pan in Namibia, shooting through the open door of his small plane. Wildlife is rarely seen on this huge salt pan, which was once a lakebed, but these gemsbok are adapted to dry conditions. They are only active during the cooler parts of the day and night, and they can go without drinking for long periods. Despite the glare from the baked clay, sand and salts, Paul managed to highlight the pattern of their tangled tracks as they wandered the plain in search of water and shelter from the Sun.