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Magazine
Kieron Long: Enthusiastic Malaysian portrait and street photographer


by Editor Miro Susta 
Edited and published by Yvette Depaepe, the 17th of February

 

Kieron Long, of mixed English and Chinese descent, is a photographer based in Malaysia. He captures real-life scenes, usually as part of long-term projects, mostly in black and white using his Leica SL2, Leica Q2 Monochrom and Leica Q.
Kieron documents life in his hometown of Kuching in the state of Sarawak in Borneo, and wherever his travels take him.
 

 

'Life on the Water'

 

Hello Kieron, welcome! Please introduce yourself and tell us about your life with photography for those of us who don't know you!
First of all, thank you for inviting me to this interview.
I am based in Kuching in the state of Sarawak in Malaysia. This is on the Malaysian part of the island of Borneo.I have been taking photographs for over 10 years as an enthusiastic hobby
photographer and have only recently started to take on professional assignments.
I enjoy capturing real-life scenes, usually as part of long-term projects, shooting in black and white with a Leica SL2 and Leica Q2 Monochrom to convey a strong visual narrative without the distraction of bright colours.

 

'Water Village Life'

 

My first solo exhibition, Borneo in Monochrome, was held in Kuala Lumpur in 2019, and I was a Leica Ambassador in Malaysia from 2021 to 2023. I was also an exhibitor at Leica Malaysia's Celebration of Photography 2023. I have conducted workshops for Leica, both theoretical and practical, online and in person, most recently in September 2024 through the Leica Academy.

 

'Girl and her House'

 

My photographs have been published in 1x and have won many awards. One of my street portraits was used as an illustrative example for 'Exploring the power of portraiture in street photography', aimed at 1x members.

 

'Man on the Street'

 

As the majority of my portfolio consists of images from Malaysia, two of my images were also selected by the 1x editors to illustrate the article ‘Malaysia Truly Asia’.

 

'Running Free'

 

My documentary on the uniqueness of Borneo was published in Leica Fotografie International (LFI) magazine (issue 5:2023). I had 490 images featured in LFI's online gallery, where photographs are curated by professional editors and presented to the public.

 

'Climbing Abroad'

 

I was also one of a select group featured by LFI in the first online edition of the magazine's popular Lightbox section, which showcases photos selected from an archive of over 1.5 million images by more than 50,000 photographers.
US-based Street Photography Magazine interviewed me and published a retrospective of selected images from my portfolio depicting real life in Borneo, along with the accompanying podcast.

 

'Grandmother'

 

I am also the administrator of the popular Facebook community B&W Humanist & Street Photography Corner, which curates the contributions of 18,000 international admirers of documentary/reportage photography. I was the first member of this global photography community to be featured with an in-depth profile.

 

'Rice Farmer'

 

As an established Leica photographer with a strong portrait portfolio, Xiaomi Malaysia chose me to contribute to the national launch of the Xiaomi 13T Pro, a phone with a camera co-developed with Leica, by shooting sample photos with the famous 'Leica look and feel'.

 

'Old Fisherman'

 

I was the lead photographer in a YouTube mini-documentary about the Xiaomi 13T Pro, which attracted 2.5 million viewers. And in 2024, Xiaomi Global invited me to be one of the three photographers from Asia to attend the Xiaomi Masters Gathering in Berlin, Germany.

 

'Glories of the Past'

 

In this interview I would like to focus on your photographs of your home state of Sarawak and neighbouring Sabah, would you agree?
Yes, I am delighted to talk about my photography of my home state of Sarawak and the neighbouring Malaysian state of Sabah, collectively known as East Malaysia or Malaysian Borneo. I am understandably proud of the region's unique cultural heritage.

 

'Museum Interior'

 

Perhaps not many people visit Sarawak as tourists, and perhaps even fewer have heard or know about it. This is a wonderful opportunity to bring this destination and its stories to a wider international audience. Thank you for this opportunity.

 

>'Boatman'

 

For many of us, photography is either a hobby or a way of life. How would you define your relationship to photography? Tell us how you came to photography and what fascinates you about it?
My original, lifelong interest is history and art history. I studied history at university, particularly ancient, medieval and early modern European history. I enjoyed collecting history books, and this, combined with my holidays in Europe, led to the collection of illustrated books on fine art and architecture, particularly Renaissance and Baroque art. But I am not a good draughtsman, and I am certainly not a painter or a sculptor. But the camera, as an artist's tool, has allowed me to express my creativity. So on my European sightseeing holidays I would try to capture the kind of photos I saw in my book collection, mainly architecture and figurative art. This was fine while on holiday. But when I came back to Malaysia, there was no figurative fine art for me to photograph. But as my photography evolved, and my own thoughts about what I enjoyed and wanted to photograph, I realised that the 'figurative art' at home was the interesting personalities on the street and the human drama of real life.
 

 

'Street Market'

 

Now that you are an experienced photographer, what were the stumbling blocks you had to overcome when you first started out? How did you learn to take such great pictures?
I think the biggest obstacle was an intellectual one. It was about deciding what I really wanted to photograph and what was available to me at home, not just for the occasional photo walk, but what I could have there most of the time. Photographers starting out are spoilt for choice: portraits, sports, fashion, studio, landscape, street, etc.

 

'People of the Sea'

 

We all experiment with different genres before we find the right one for us. It took me some time to figure out that street portrait, humanistic, documentary and a little bit of fashion photography was 'my thing' and what I really wanted to commit to.

 

'Cherry'

 

Then it was a question of prioritising my photographic activities. We all face different challenges and demands in our personal lives. But when you realise that photography is one of your most important creative and life goals, it becomes a priority and you find the enthusiasm, energy and most importantly the time to devote to it.

 

'Tropical Playground'


Another important aspect was overcoming the shyness or hesitation of approaching strangers on the street and asking them if it was OK to photograph them. I still remember the first time. I was nervous. Luckily, the person said yes, and I managed to get my first good street portrait, and it helped boost my confidence that I could do this permanently. If the person had said no, it might have made me change direction. It worked out well, so maybe it was my destiny.

 

'Matriarch'


Tell us, what is more important to you, the mood and story behind your images or the technical perfection?
For me it is the mood and the story. It is about being authentic. I try to capture someone's true personality in my street portraits. I try to capture the authenticity of a street scene as it happens in real time. That means I have to move fast and shoot fast to keep up with the pace of life as it happens.

 

'Distant Personalities'

 

A lot of the time I am shooting on the move, instinctively, anticipating, and being as proactive as possible. There are times that you do not even have a split-second to think about theory or technique. With experience, shooting on the streets becomes intuitive.

 

'Backflip'

 

I noticed that a lot of your work is portraiture - life scene photography. Why are you so attracted to this particular category?
As I mentioned before, I have an interest in figurative art. And combined with street photography, which should focus on the human drama outdoors, people became the focus of my work. There is something compelling about looking into the eyes of interesting characters, trying to interpret their expressions, analysing their personalities or understanding their lives and hearing their back stories.

 

'Head Scarf'

 

We all lead different lives, but I enjoy exploring our common humanity, interacting with other people, building relationships and making a connection. Having a camera and bonding over a portrait has helped me to break down barriers and quickly make strangers feel like friends.
I have had so many positive interactions, both before and after a street portrait, that have led to long and interesting conversations. When I look at the photos in my archive, I can still remember many of their names, the experience of taking the photo and the conversations I had with them. It is all part of the countless pleasant encounters I have had with so many friendly people.

 

'Man on the Street'

 

You have your own style, but your work is quite diverse. I see portraiture, life scene photography, architectural photography, street photography and more. Can you explain why that is? What is your photographic vision?
I photograph what is around me. Sometimes it is the street. Sometimes I shoot people against an architectural backdrop. And sometimes I photograph models in fashion shoots. I like the variety, mixing things up, adding variety to my portfolio.

 

'Vintage Borneo Style'

 

It challenges me as a photographer because I learn different skills and try different things, like experimenting with composition. And then you can apply those skills to different situations, different genres. It helps keep me fresh, so I don't feel stale shooting the same style or genre all the time. And it broadens the appeal of my photography to a wider audience.

 

You have produced excellent portrait and people life scene series which follow a strict concept. What is the idea behind it? What moved you to perfect light/make-up/decoration setup? What else is there to say?
Thank you for the compliments about my portrait photography. My approach to portrait photography, especially my street portraits, is quite simple. I concentrate on trying to capture more than just the physical likeness of the person. I try to convey a sense of their inner character. This is to honour them as a unique individual, as a real-life, unsung, everyday hero.

 

'Village Boys'

 

So I try to keep the set-up as simple as possible, with natural poses, nothing too staged or artificial. I try to capture them as they are, as I first saw them. The background should be free of clutter, even if I am shooting in busy streets. I like simplicity. This allows their personality to "pop out" of the scene.

 

There is a soft bokeh in your photographs and clear shapes in your design. Some of your style seems very focused on photographic artwork, do you have a particular philosophy for your image design?
Yes, that is a look I strive for. To achieve this, I usually shoot wide open with a prime lens, so there is bokeh and depth of field to bring the portrait subject to the fore. I only use natural light. I never use a flash or any kind of lighting system.

 

'Looking out to Sea'

 

So what you see in my street portraits is the natural, ambient light when I shoot. It is the atmosphere in which the subjects live their lives. I like this effect. It adds mood and authenticity.

 

Your portfolio is only monochrome, black and white. There are no colour images in your 1x Photogallery, why?
At the beginning of my photographic journey I shot in colour. But after reviewing my own work, I felt that the colour palette of the streets and other locations I was shooting was not visually appealing. So I started to convert some of my photos to black and white. I felt that black and white got me closer to the kind of mood and drama in the story I wanted to tell. I also wanted to emulate some of the photographic legends whose work I greatly admire.

 

'Mother and Children'

 

Then came a progression where I converted all my selected photos to black and white. Then I made the ultimate commitment to being a black and white photographer when I bought a Leica Q2 Monochrome, a camera that has no colour sensor, so I shot directly in black and white, and only black and white.

 

Portraits and people are certainly not the only areas in which you work. Are there any other photographic subjects that you prefer to deal with?
Like I said, I like to mix things up, keep things fresh and challenge myself. There might be a period, like a month, where I do a lot of street photography. Then I feel like I need to take a break, so that my photography doesn't become same-same. So I would try to do some fashion photography, like a model shoot, with some of my photography friends.

 

'Grand Window'

 

The thing for me is that I try not to fixate on labels, categories or genres. What I am really looking for is new subjects or new stories, things or places or themes that I have never shot before. Something that will last, that I can build into a long-term project, that will keep me motivated and my mind focused on producing visually interesting stories, so that I have the enthusiasm to keep getting out there with a camera and keep shooting.

 

Of course there is a bit of technology involved in photography. Have you ever tried analogue equipment? In your opinion and experience, does analogue photography still have a role to play in the 21st century?
When I started, we were already in the era of digital photography. I have never seriously used an analogue film camera. So all my work is digital. I do not have the feeling of nostalgia or romance that is often associated with analogue photography.
But to answer your question, a photographic format will survive as long as there are practitioners who produce compelling work that attracts an audience.

 

How important is digital image processing to your photography? Tell us a little bit about how you work.
Yes, we all do some form of post-processing. But my skills with popular photo editing software are limited. And because I want authenticity in my documentary-style photography, I try not to do too much post-processing. What I do focus on is brightness and contrast to maintain a consistent look throughout a particular project. I do not use any other "special effects".

 

'Life on Water'

 

For example, my project on the Sea Nomads of Eastern Borneo was shot on four expeditions over two years with three different Leica cameras: the Q2 Monochrom, the SL2 and the Q3. As you can imagine, there were different weather and lighting conditions on location, and even differences between the cameras. Yet there is a consistent look and feel throughout the project. This effort to achieve consistency in coverage paid off when my work on the Sea Nomads, entitled "Life on Water", was exhibited by Leica Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur in September 2024.

 

Are you on Facebook, Instagram or similar platforms? If so, does social media play a significant role for you as a photographer, or do you just use it to promote your work, if not, why?
Yes, I am on popular social media platforms: Facebook, Instagram and Thread.
Social media has played an important role in my development as a photographer. I post my photos there to get feedback. I can see what kind of reaction they get, to get a feel for whether they are 'good' or 'not good', what works, what doesn't, and whether they appeal to a wider audience. This is what I like about 1x. You get feedback from your peers.
As a digital showroom accessible to a wide audience, social media also helps to get noticed by influential people or decision makers in the photography world. My Facebook posts brought me to the attention of Leica Malaysia, which led to me becoming their ambassador.

'The Girl in a Canoe'

 

Instagram brought me to the attention of Xiaomi Malaysia, where I was the partner photographer for the launch of the phones co-developed by Leica, and Xiaomi Global.

 

Who is/are your favourite photographer(s) and, more importantly, how has your appreciation of their work influenced the way you approach your own photography?
My favourite photographer is Sebastiao Salgado, for the consistently stunning quality of his work over such a long career, across a range of humanistic reportage projects, as well as for his enduring commitment to black and white photography.
In his book of photographs, Gold, there are two quotes that really resonated with me:
"When I looked through the lens, I knew that these colours would be more important than the people I was photographing. Black and white offers an abstraction because in its tones and shades you can feel the dignity and power of the people".
"After Serra Pelada, people woke up to the value of black and white photography. Not just as a counterpoint to colour, but as a different means of expression, a different form of photography. A photographer can control and develop the narrative more clearly and directly in black and white, whereas colour can distract; it is a different aesthetic".

What I also learned from Salgado's work is the power of the long-term project in covering a subject. He is famous for his work on the Serra Pelada gold mine in Brazil. But he was not the only one to photograph the subject. He says photographers would come and go after shooting for a day or two. But he stayed and documented it for a month.
Although I have a long way to go to reach his level, if I ever do, those are the thoughts and feelings I try to bring to my work.

 

Are there any specific directions you would like to take your photography in the future or any specific goals you would like to achieve?
My goal is to stay motivated and keep up my enthusiasm. Sometimes you get positive results. This pushes you forward with new energy. Sometimes you have disappointments, or you do not get the results or recognition you are hoping for. But you have to dig deep and find a way to reignite that passion to keep going. Your work, and the ideas and stories that keep you going, take that little bit of extra effort and time to uncover and develop. But they are there, waiting for you to discover them. So one of my goals for this year, 2025, is to venture out of my urban environment and connect with different rural communities to shoot new subjects or themes of life in the interior of Borneo, as I have done with recent projects such as the rice harvest and durian season.
Borneo is a huge place to explore, with so many untold stories and interesting people to meet.


Finally, I would like to ask you the following 5 questions.
What was your best experience of photography?
Which photo in your portfolio do you think is your best?
What, When or Where else would you like to photograph?
My best experience? Travelling from island to island on a speedboat in the open waters of East Borneo, trying to document the sea nomads of the region.

Best photo: "Sea and Sky". It is certainly my most popular photo on 1x.

 

'Sea and Sky'


What, when and where? Based on my interest in doing more street photography in Asia, I would like to visit Bangkok, especially Hua Lamphong train station before it is permanently closed. Bangkok is one of my favourite cities to visit and Hua Lamphong is great for street photography.
To satisfy my interest in European art and culture, I would have to visit Rome again. The Vatican has declared 2025 to be a jubilee year. It would be an ideal time to visit.

 

'Life on Water'

 

Dear Kieron, thank you very much for this interesting interview. I wish you continued success and enjoyment in your work, and I look forward to seeing your future beautiful shots in the 1x photo gallery.

 

www.mrsphoto.net
[email protected]

 

Write
The Power of Colour in Photography


by Editor Lourens Durand
Edited and published by Yvette Depaepe, the 14th of Februari 2025

 

'Everything is red' by Evgeniy Popov


Colour is only one of the elements used to create a great photograph, but many successful photographers (and artists) will argue that it is by far the most important, creating the emotional and psychological foundation upon which a successful image is built. In fact, Goethe recognised the psychological impact of colour on the mood of an image as early as 1840 in his Theory of Colour. He wrote, among other things, that "people experience great pleasure in colours", especially yellow, red-yellow and yellow-red, which evoke quick, lively and aspirational feelings.On the other hand, blue, red-blue and blue-red were associated with a "restless, sensitive and anxious expression".

Today this has become a generally accepted set of associations and is universally used by artists and photographers:

-        White    =  Innocence, purity, natural, peace

-         Red       =  Passion, love, anger, danger

-         Green    =  Natural, fertile, earthy, harmony, life, growth

-         Blue      =  Sadness, coolness, calm, cold

-         Orange  =  Joy, enthusiasm, energy, autumn

-         Brown   =  Dependable, confident, stability, comfort

-       Yellow  =  Hope, happiness, friendly, brightness

-        Purple:  =  Royal, melancholy, pride, magic, luxury, mysterious

-       Violet    =  Drama, authority, strength

-       Pink      =  Airy, feminine, compassionate

            -    Black    =  Power, deadliness, evil, elegance. dramatic  


Both Newton and Goethe (centuries apart) developed colour wheels, with red, blue and yellow being the primary colours, not a lot different from the modern colour wheel.

 

Newton's colour wheel on the left, Goethe's on the right

https://annrichmanart.com/blog/goethes-color-theory


Modern Colour Wheel

 


Interestingly, the colours on the blue side of the wheel tend to recede into the background, while the reds seem to approach the viewer, which can be a useful compositional tool.
Goethe also associated the use of complementary colours, such as red and a touch of green, to balance each other and create a complex mix of emotions, which is an important part of colour theory today. Using three adjacent colours on the wheel in different proportions can also enhance mood.
These concepts propounded by Goethe still hold true today, and when used creatively, recognising these relationships between colours and their balance can have a powerful effect on the emotions expressed in the final work.Fine-tuning tools such as colour contrast, harmony of tones, saturation, desaturation, lightness and darkness, along with composition, all have an effect on the mood and dramatic interpretation of the photograph, adding to the story, even if it is just a touch of colour in an otherwise monochromatic image.
Try them all, whether in the studio, in the field or even in post-production, and see for yourself how colour affects the final product.


Lourens Durand

 

'After Harvest 2' by Jian Xu

 

'Cheese Farm' by Fernando PIçarra

 

'Donegal stories...' by Krzysztof Browko

 

 

untitled by HJ Yang

 

'Bee-eater' by Amro

 

'Persian girl' by Moein Hasheminasab

 

'purple hour' by Judith Kuhn

 

'Fine Art – Valeria and flowers' by Gila Koller

 

'Balance stem' by Jian Xu

 

 

'Whispers of Fall' by Sharon Levy

 

'Summer mood' by UstinaGreen

 

*?* by Ramiz Sahin

 

'Duc Hoa 2' by Clas Gustafson PRO

 

 

'Downtown Dubai' by Mrinal Nath



'Autumn Colors' by Grigore Roibu

 

'Beauty in the branches' by Barbara Fletcher

 

 

'Field View' by NanZ

 

'Bees at work' by Emanuel Papamanolis

 

'A True Lady' by Daniel Springgay

 

'Red Dot' by Karen Kolbeck

 

'Red Beans' by John-Mei Zhong

 

 

'caddo Lake' by Ti Wang

 

'Steampunk tea' (with a hot air balloon) by Dina Belenko

 

'La Rotonde' by Isabelle DUPONT

 

'CarMechanics' by Marcel Egger 

 

'Competitor' by HuongHoang

 

 

'Sunflower' by Anna Qu

Write
A great article. Thanks and congratulations to the authors of the images.
Lovely colour and collections, thanks to Loren’s and Yvette for this excellent article!
Genial articulo!
Many thanks, Lourens & Yvette, for choosing one of my photos, extremely honored.
Many Thanks to Lourens & Yvette for great this inspiration article! Congratulations to all!
Wonderful article and images, thank you!
Thank you so much Yvette and Lourens for this interesting article ! Congratulations to all photographers !!!
Thank you so much for the very interesting article with wonderful and great photo works!
Very interesting article with wonderful images dear Lourens. Many thanks Lourens & Yvette for publishing such an inspiring article. Congratulations to all.
Thanks for your appreciation, Mrninal Nath!
Very interesting article, thank you!
Well composed collection of beautiful photographs, very well done Lourens
Amro PRO
Such a beautiful article. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
Very interesting article and Wonderful! images. Congratulations! to All.
Wonderful article and images, congratulations!
Great work wonderful mix of subjects and moods well done all - First Class work.
Results contest: Silhouettes

by Yvette Depaepe
Published the 12th of February 2025

 

'Silhouettes' are a beautiful way to play with light and to add variety and drama to your work. One of the greatest facets of photography is the storytelling behind the images. In silhouette photography, you do not get to see the entire story. This adds to the drama and mystery of the image, thus making your audience wanting more.

The winners with the most votes are: 

1st place : Clas Gustafson PRO

2nd place : Corry DeLaan
3rd place : Adolfo Urrutia

Congratulations to the winners and honourable mentions and thanks to all the participants in the contest 'Silhouettes' 

 


The currently running theme is 'The Power of Colour in Photography'
The psychology of colours can be the key to take your images from good to extraordinary.
In the world of photography, capturing the essence of a moment isn’t just about the subjects or the composition. It’s also about the colours that weave through the frame, creating a visual tapestry that can evoke emotions, set the mood, and leave a lasting impact.
Also get inspired by the article 'The Power of Colour in Photography' which will be published on Friday the 14th of February 2025.

This contest will end on Sunday the 23rd of February at midnight.
The sooner you upload your submission the more chance you have to gather the most votes.
If you haven't uploaded your photo yet, click here

Good luck to all the participants.

 

1st place: by Clas Gustafson PRO
 
 
 
2nd place: by Corry DeLaan
 
 
 
3rd place: by Adolfo Urrutia
 
 
 
HONOURABLE MENTIONS
 
by Shamal Shakibayi
 
 
 
by Giuseppe Satriani
 
 
 
by Grant Xiong
 
 
 
by Luciano Caturegli
 
 
 
by Antonyus Bunjamin (Abe)
 
 
 
by Ralf Schoppe
 
 
 
by Emine Basa
 

You can see the names of the TOP 50
 here.  

The contests are open to everybody except to crew members.
Submitting images already published / awarded on 1x is allowed.

AI. GENERATED IMAGES ARE NOT ALLOWED.
Write
Great pictures ! Congratulations to all authors !!!
Wonderful images all. Congratulations to all winners.
Congratulations to all authors. Great work!
Congratulations to all winners. Great capture
Congratulations to the other award winners and also to the honorable mentions. Thank you very much, Yvette, for your great work.
All are beautiful!!
Thank you so much.Congratulations my friends.
Très belles images, félicitations à tous les gagnants.
Fabulous! Images. Congratulations! to all winners.
Wonderful photos. Congratulations to all winners 🏆🥇🏆
Wonderful and stunning photos. Congratulations to all my friends.
The Spirit of the Stones by Jean-Luc Billet

by Yvette Depaepe
Published the 10th of February 2025

 

This months' featured exhibition is titled  'The Spirit of the Stones'  by Jean-Luc Billet.

The images in this series are real architectural details, but taken out of context, associated with the natural elements from which they come and where they will return one day. Matter of time under the light. Man has long since deserted these places which continue their evolution, returning to their origins. 
 

To present his featured exhibition 'The Spirit of the Stones', Jean-Luc quotes: 

"From megaliths to Cistercian abbeys to the pyramids of Egypt, man has always known how to use stone to serve his imagination. Since the beginning, he has built to give shape to his visions, to celebrate the gods he invented, to honor his dead, to impress his rivals, to protect himself from the elements and aggression... In his hands, the heavy rock can be transformed into an aerial dream, express the invisible, exalt the lightness of the soul. Deep in his thoughts, there is also the desire to last, to prolong his ephemeral existence through his buildings, to transmit to future generations a spirituality or an understanding of the world."

 

I invite you to explore Jean-Luc's wonderful mystical images which convey the Spirit of the Stones.
This exhibition which will be exposed on our opening page  / 
Gallery during the whole month of February 2025. 
Click here to see the entire exhibition: 
[97] Jean-Luc BILLET

 

To trigger your curiousity, here is a small compilation of images out of this fine exhibition.

 

 


 
 
 


 
 
 


 
 
 

 

Write
Interesting and inspiring article ! Thank you so much and congratulations for these superb pictures !!!
Thank you for sharing your fantastic work Jean-Luc, it is every time of great beauty and aesthetics!
Thank you so much for the inspiring article with great photo works! Congratulations!
Congratulations on your feature. Your work is superb and inspiring. Thanks as always to Yvete.
Many thanks to Yvette for featuring this work. And thanks to all those who have left their thoughts here. It's a great satisfaction for me to be seen and to receive all these positive opinions.
Excellent photo subject, wonderfully captured with Jean-Luc camera, superb photo presentation Jean-Luc, and many thanks Yvette for publishing it.
Wow!Fantastic and inspiring! Learning. Congratulations!
Cool. And inspiring. And very well presented. And... Wow...
Fantastic motifs. Very exciting presented. Congrats Jean-Luc!
Beautiful, imaginative and thought provoking images.
ce sont des images fantastiques, super Jean-Luc!
Suddenly the stone becomes part of time
Wonderful! images. Congratulations!
awesome set of photos
Journey to Namibia


by Editor HJ Yang
Edited and published by Yvette Depaepe, the 7th of February 2025
 

 

 

Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in southern Africa. Its western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the east and south. Its capital and largest city is Windhoek. It ranges from arid in the north to desert on the coast and in the east.
 
The driest country in sub-Saharan Africa, Namibia has been inhabited since prehistoric times by the Khoi, San, Damara and Nama. Around the 14th century, Bantu peoples arrived as part of the Bantu expansion. From 1600 the Ovambo formed kingdoms such as Ondonga and Oukwanyama. In 1884, the German Empire established rule over most of the area, forming a colony known as German South West Africa. German rule ended during the First World War with defeat at the hands of South African forces in 1915. In 1920, at the end of the war, the League of Nations mandated South Africa to administer the colony. From 1948, when the National Party was elected to power, South Africa imposed apartheid on what was then South West Africa. Namibia gained independence from South Africa on 21 March 1990, following the South African Border War.


My first visit to Namibia was during our first Africa tour in September 2013. It only lasted a few hours and I saw a very small village called Buitepos. It's a small border town at the main crossing point between Namibia and Botswana. I have no memory of it except for a few huts under trees.

I have heard a lot about Namibia from my fellow photographers. Finally, in July this year, I went on a 16-day photographic trip to Namibia.

We arrived in the capital Windhoek on the 3rd of July. Our group consisted of six guests from USA, Austria, South Africa, a local driver as a local guide and a photo guide from Spain. The next day, after breakfast, we headed south towards the Quiver Tree Forest. These succulent plants with their cracked golden-white bark are a unique and perfect place for landscape photography.

Two days late, after a sunrise session in the Quiver Tree Forest, we drove to our next destination: the coastal town of Luderitz, where we visited the nearest ghost village of Kolmanskop for the first time. This abandoned mining town was one of the focal points of the greatest diamond rushes in history.

We then arrived and stayed at Sossus Dune Lodge as our base for visits to Sossusvlei. This unique eco-sensitive lodge, built of wood, canvas and thatch, is situated inside the Namib Naukluft National Park near Sesriem Canyon and the park entrance. From our veranda we could see a clear night sky. The landscape at Sossusvlei is unique in the world. The Namib Desert with its characteristic red dunes offers us a unique scenario to explore during the next 3 full days.

 

'Sossusvlei'

 

 

'Red dune'

 


During these days we will visit the iconic sites of Deadvlei and Dunes 45 & 47. Namibia is a country of contrasts. We moved from the desert to the Spitzkoppe area, crossed the Tropic of Capricorn and traversed the Naukluft National Park.

We continued over the Grootberg Pass towards Etosha National Park. Before arriving we visited the Himba tribe in Khorixas. The Himba are one of the last tribes in Africa to live strictly by tradition. We had the opportunity to see them in their natural environment, observe their culture and gain an insight into their traditional way of life.
 
Over the next two days, we visited this famous national park from Okaukuejo to Namutoni from various viewpoints at the waterholes where we stopped to enjoy the views of the Etosha Pan. This vast area, also known as the "place of dry water", offers us a unique experience. We returned to the capital on the 18th of November.


There are two interesting events during the trip that have stayed with me.

The first happened on the first night drive of the trip, when we were out under the dark, clear sky photographing the Milky Way under the Quiver trees. After three hours of shooting, we all came back to the vehicle, ready to go back to our hotel, but one person from our group was missing. Where is my wife? We all went back into the thick forest to search for her, calling her name and flashing our lights in all directions. We spent more than half an hour looking for her. When we finally found her, she turned out to be perfectly fine on the other side of the slope, completely focused on her time lap and oblivious to the concern for her.

The second memorable moment happened on our first wildlife excursion, visiting our last park of the trip in Etosha. When our photo guide pointed out some baby elephants in the distance, they turned out to be young warthogs. We all made fun of his mistake for the rest of the trip. To be fair, he is a landscape photographer, not a wildlife photographer.


However, the most memorable, impressive and unforgettable during this trip for me are the night sky and unique red sand dunes there. Night sky is so clear and stars are so bright as well as the Milky Way. They are so far but you feel so closer to them.

 

 

 

 


In Namibia, when you stand in the quiver tree forest, boulder forest or the unique red sand dunes under million stars and Milky Way in clear night sky in totally silence, it is impossible for you not to wonder, to think and feel. There is no word I could fully describe what I saw and how I felt. I felt totally lost in this wonderful nature environment in time and space.

In these moments, all I want to say is “O, My God!”  And all I want to sing is “Hallelujah!”  Most time, I just stared at the sky and did not want to do anything, just looking up and wondering. It is impossible for you not to be spiritual at that time. Yes, God is mighty and we are just so small and so insignificant in this universe. It forces you to think nature, God and yourself and how they are related to each other.

The Bible tells us that a basic understanding of God can be gained from the natural world; specifically, we can see "his eternal power and divine nature".

This scripture testifies to God's existence through nature:
The heavens declare the glory of God. The heavens show his handiwork.Day after day they continue to speak, night after night they make him known.They speak without sound or word; their voice is never heard. Yet their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world.

The apostle Paul reminds us of this: "For since the creation of the world men have seen the earth and the heavens. By what God has made they have clearly seen his invisible qualities, his eternal power and divine nature.So they have no excuse for not knowing God.

You do not have to accept the existence of God, but you do have to accept the power of nature, because you and I have observed and felt it from time to time.

In those moments, you have a sense that you are in the presence of something overwhelming, mysterious and magic. Time is suspended or at least blurs. Space is more than three dimensional since you forget where you are. One is encircled by and immersed in an enormous bliss.

The art historian Kenneth Clark, who was not religious, had one of these experiences at an Italian church: I can only say that for a few minutes my whole being was irradiated by a kind of heavenly joy, far more intense than anything I had known before.”

Then there was another man who had a similar experience, quoted by the psychologist William James in his book "The Varieties of Religious Experience": "For the moment there was nothing left but an unspeakable joy and exultation. It is impossible to describe the experience fully. It was like the effect of a great orchestra, when all the separate notes have melted into one swelling harmony, leaving the listener conscious of nothing except that his soul is being carried upward and is almost bursting with its own emotion".


Nature definitely has the power for you to be spiritual, though not necessarily religious.
Nature will cleanse your soul. So go to nature to observe, enjoy and feel the wonder, mysticism, magic and overwhelming power of nature. You may find yourself or God through nature. Who knows?

 






 

 

 

'Charged Rhinos'

 

'Charged Rhinos'

 

 

'Sunset time'

 

 

 

 

About Editor Huijun (HJ) Yang, Ph.D.
Dr. HJ Yang, Scientist, Businessman and Nature Photographer, writes about his photo trips around the world and his personal view on art, science, philosophy and life experience. Some of his writings are below:

Giving a voice to nature through photography
Journey to Baffin Island
Photography strongly connected to nature
Patagonia Special Expedition
Tracking Polar Bear Cubs
Emperor Penguins on Snow Hill Island
Jaguar and Harpy Eagle in Brazil
O' Alaska

Book / Huijun Yang: Wave Packets and Their Bifurcations in Geophysical Fluid Dynamics, Applied Mathematical Sciences, 85, Springer, New York, NY, 1991.  

 

Write
Really fantastic motifs! Unique presented. This was impressive!
Just love the night sky, beautiful work and nicely done
Out standing
Fantastic...!
Stunning Photographs . Great work. Congratulations!!
beautiful photography but with narration, the gallery gives another dimension and meaning. Thank you for this inspiring story.
One of the best articles written by HP Yang! Love it as well! Congratulations!
Fantastic gallery, congrats HJ Yang!
amazing!
Great shots. Excellent work.
Beautiful pictures and a very nice overview of wonderful Namibia. Thank you very much!
Beautiful and interesting article !!! Thank you so much for sharing and congratulations for these stunning pictures !!!
Great shots. Excellent work. Congratulations!!!
Hallo Yang, you brought to us very interesting write up about your Namibia travel accompanied with most beautiful photographs from one of best photogenic country in the world, I wish to congratulate you to an excellent photo work and of course many thanks to Yvette for publishing it.😊🥂😊
Awesome capture. I can resonate with Yang. I was there, a few years back- not necessarily religious, but uplifting spiritually . Thank you for sharing.
Stunning and inspiring images. Thank you for sharing, and thanks to Yvette for publishing.
Beautiful! Dunes, Wildlife and MW Images.
Fantastic collection
Splendid images !! .