Panorama – Rub’ Al Khali, Oman

I invite you to step into the Rub’ Al Khali of Oman via this panorama. 300m high sand dunes for endless kilometers, the Rub’ Al Khali, (the Empty Quarter), is quite simply one of the natural wonders of our world. The hot valley floors are littered with geodes, the silence is incredible and the endless shifting dunes will allow your imagination to run wild.

This panorama was created while on assignment for National Geographic Traveler in the Netherlands. To license this image click here.

Oman Travel Photography

This is a gallery my favourite photographs created on a trip to Oman for National Geographic Traveler – Netherlands. It includes the Empty Quarter, Muscat, Salalah and portraits of the people of Oman. For licensing, click an image or here.

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Images Published in National Geographic Traveler

Kids jumping off the wharf in Oman

My first travel photographs in National Geographic Traveler have been published! The June edition of the Netherlands travel magazine includes not one, but two articles illustrated with my images. One article visually highlights the wonderful diversity in Oman, where ancient cultures are clashing with modern, oil driven world. The other is a photo essay about the Salzkammergut region in Austrian Alps. To preview the articles, click here.

To celebrate, I am offering a 30% discount on prints on any of the 25 images that appear in the magazine if you use the coupon code ‘natgeocelebration’.

Go HERE to browse the images

Remember, use coupon code: natgeocelebration on checkout!

And don’t forget to share this with a friend so they can benefit from this offer as well.

Offer expires on June 30, 2010

Oman for National Geographic Traveler – Photography Assignment

I am back from my assignment for the Netherlands version of National Geographic Traveler.

I must admit, the climate in the Netherlands is much more conducive to clear thinking. From the moment we stepped onto the tarmac in Oman, it was about heat and humidity. Please note, I have become accustomed to stepping out of airplanes and being greeted with a different climate, but stepping out of the plane in Muscat was like walking in to a brick wall of fire and water. It was +45 and humid. To survive in the Capital, Omanis travel between air conditioned atmospheres as quickly as possible. When one taxi driver was asked what they did before air conditioning and he simply responded, ‘It was bad’.

The interesting thing about Oman was the layer of modern paint applied over a multi-thousand year history. It has been modernized in 30 years and once you break through that layer of paint, it shows. However, I think that I will let Thijs Joosten, the writer and editor of NG Traveler tell us more when his article is published.

On another note, I have never been to such a harsh climate for photography gear. Even the Arctic was nicer. Oman has some serious heat and some serious humidity. Stepping outside during the day with your cameras, is like stepping into a swimming pool atmosphere, the lenses fog right up. And Oman has sand so fine a simple gust of wind blows it everywhere.

A tip for future travelers, don’t wear ‘flip flops’ in the desert, the sand that gets kicked up when you ‘flop’ is at a perfect angle to cover your camera on your shoulder.

On Assignment – Oman

I haven’t been posting for a bit because I was in Prince Edward Island taking a break. I just wanted to say that I am back in the game, at least I will be when I return from this trip in Oman. I am on assignment for National Geographic Traveler and will be back in the Netherlands on the 8th. Till then…..