Erg Chebbi

Erg Chebbi is a vast field of constantly shifting sand dunes out on the edge of the Sahara near the Algerian border. The dunes rise straight out of flat, rocky ground, some of them up to about 150 metres, so you are suddenly surrounded by a wall of orange sand. The colour shifts through the day, from pale apricot in flat light to deep reds as you get close to sunset. Early morning and late afternoon are the best times to shoot. With the sun low, the light comes in from the side and brings out all the ripples and ridges, with long shadows running down the slopes. Around midday the light flattens and the shapes disappear, so if you can it's best to time your arrival to the edges of the day. From the top of the dunes you can see ridge after ridge in every direction, giving you clean, simple compositions built around those curved lines. A set of footprints or a line of camels crossing the sand adds scale and reinforces the vastness of the area. With a bit of exploring you can usually find untouched sand with no other tracks in the frame. The wind keeps reshaping the surface, so the patterns change from one day to the next. (Merzouga, Morocco)