Saturday, May 18, 2013

The Hardy Ghaf

Ghaf Trees, near Al Ain, UAE  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved




Arabian ghaf trees grow in extremely arid conditions where water is seemingly absent. Yet, because of their deep tap roots (as long as 100 feet), they are able to survive by finding subterranean water tables. 

Ghaf trees were an essential source of food, shelter and medicine 
for desert tribes and therefore cherished by them. But in recent decades it's survival has been threatened, which is why it has been declared a protected national treasure in the UAE.

As you may have guessed by now, if you have been following our UAE posts, this image was taken from a camel as we rode through the desert.



11 comments:

  1. Magnificent. Did your camel come with built in stabilizers and an anti vibration switch?

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  2. Again that "color"that I DO LOVE! :)
    Awesome picture dear Doug,thanks for sharing.
    hugs and happy weekend
    Léia

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  3. Now I know why camels have humps - they're the equivalent of the extendable center column on a tripod. Was it a 3 legged camel by any chance?

    Frivolity aside, this is a gorgeous image. That you composed it "shooting from the hip" tells me you felt, rather than planned, the composition. I love that moment when, looking through the viewfinder, suddenly it just feels right. Or, you feel the composition before you've even raised the camera. It's usually accompanied by a tingle of excitement followed by an irrepressible itch to get the memory card into the PC to check just that one image.

    Or maybe that's just me? Either way, this image would have been one of those for me.

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  4. One wonders what they're doing these trees, this amazing and wonderful composition, I love it!
    Good photographic work again Doug ;)

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  5. A great, almost monochromatic image. Effortlessly simple - except for composing on the back of a wobbly camel!

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  6. brilliant desert image - this is how most people see them, probably ...
    amazing info on those resilient trees! too bad that man forgets too quickly what was and is essential; otherwise those trees could never be endangered !

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  7. A picture to hang at the wall!!! Beautiful!!! What a beautiful trip you made!
    Have a nice day.

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