Hannes was based in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, a protected area of the Kalahari Desert in South Africa.
The desert is a hot, harsh place, but the creatures that live there are experts at making the most of every opportunity. It had drizzled the night before, bringing out a host of insects and, in turn, geckos looking for a meal. The Bibron’s thick-toed geckos became acrobats, running, jumping and leaping from bush to bush to catch insects. ‘They would run across our tent roofs, leaping up to grab a meal mid-air,’ Hannes says. After one such leap, this individual landed on a tumbleweed (the dried, detached, seed-dispersing part of a plant, blown along by the wind) that was glowing in the light of the campfire. Gambling on capturing the Milky Way as a backdrop, Hannes risked a long exposure. Using soft flash to freeze the gecko as it paused, he managed to capture the spiky reptile, the spiky seedpods and the stars.
South Africa
Hannes’ love of nature began with childhood visits to game reserves from his South African home. He went on to study graphic design, became a river guide and travelled the world. When he returned to South Africa, he pursued his various interests until 2007, when he decided to become a wildlife photographer full time. He has won several awards and published three books.
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