Aerial Photos of Namib Desert’s Sand Dunes Look Like Abstract Works of Art

Sand Dune Photos

Time and time again, aerial photographer Tom Hegen has showcased the unexpectedly abstract aesthetic of nature. From salt ponds lining the Mediterranean Sea to tulip fields blanketing the Netherlands, Hegen employs an eclectic collection of landscapes as his subjects, with the vast sand dunes of Namibia as his most recent muse.

Shot from a helicopter, The Sand Dune Series explores the organic shapes produced by shifting sands in the Namib-Naukluft National Park, a UNESCO world heritage site in the Namib Desert. Here, seemingly endless mounds of golden sand can reach over 300 meters in height, resulting in the stunning topography that has attracted Hegen.

Rather than simply document this landscape, however, Hegen opted to treat it as a work of art, culminating in a collection of photographs reminiscent of a portfolio of paintings. “My approach to aerial photography is similar to that of painters: I have a vision of what kind of photo I would like to get and, up in the air, I try to translate this vision into reality,” Hegen tells My Modern Met.

In The Sand Dune Series, this painting-like quality is emphasized by the photos' lack of context. Though shot from 2,000 feet in the air, one still cannot decipher exactly what they're looking at. To Hegen, however, this abstract ambiguity is key, as it enables us to see the world from powerful new perspectives. He reveals: “Seeing this landscape from up in the air is probably one of the most haunting ways of exploring them.”

Fortunately, thanks to The Sand Dune Series, we can all share in this emotive experience—no helicopter needed.

In The Sand Dune Series, Tom Hagen showcases the organic shapes produced by shifting sands in the Namib-Naukluft National Park, a UNESCO world heritage site in the Namib Desert.

Sand Dune Photos

Sand Dune Photos

Sand Dune Photos

Sand Dune Photos

Sand Dune Photos

Sand Dune Photos

Aerial Sand Dunes

Aerial Sand Dunes

Aerial Sand Dunes

Aerial Sand Dunes

Aerial Sand Dunes

Sand Dune Photos

Aerial Sand Dunes

Aerial Sand Dunes

Aerial Sand Dunes

Aerial Sand Dunes

Tom Hegen: Website | Instagram

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Tom Hegen.

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Stunning Aerial Shots of Iceland’s Shores Look Like Emotional Abstract Paintings

Kelly Richman-Abdou

Kelly Richman-Abdou was a Contributing Writer at My Modern Met. An art historian living in Paris, Kelly was born and raised in San Francisco and holds a BA in Art History from the University of San Francisco and an MA in Art and Museum Studies from Georgetown University. When she’s not writing, you can find Kelly wandering around Paris, whether she’s leading a tour (as a guide, she has been interviewed by BBC World News America and France 24) or simply taking a stroll with her husband and two tiny daughters.
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