The desert world, reflected in a single dew drop… That’s the beauty of this arid land through which the Dunlop Tyres SA Beyond The Desert Edge Expedition Expedition has wended its way for the past two weeks.
Sure, it’s been about the adventure, and about testing yourself and the Grand Trek tyres against an unforgiving and inhospitable environment. But being on a bicycle allows you to engage with the inner beauty of the terrain you are moving through, and then it becomes a journey of discovery.
While waiting in swirling desert fog to get imagery of Peter Van Kets yesterday morning just after dawn, I noticed the perfect droplets forming on a buffalo thorn tree, and started experimenting with the Pentax K1, fitted with my 90mm macro lens.
The depth of field tolerances are miniscule, with the best results seemingly being when you shoot through the drops, using them as a supplementary fisheye, thus capturing the image on the rear membrane of the meniscus.
And yup, that is Peter Kirk and the Isuzu South Africa KB pick-up in the reflections. More than anything, though, one could see how every bush, rock or tree started functioning as a natural and organic irrigation system, thus sustaining life here on the desert edge.
So, even though #BeyondTheDesertEdge is about #adventure, endurance and raising funds for Children in the Wilderness, we hope that it will also be a way to re-connect people with our tiny blue planet, and somehow inspire them to make a difference to ensure these fragile ecosystems survive the onslaught of humankind.