A Dry and Thirsty Land – Orange River, Namibia
A Dry and Thirsty Land – Orange River, Namibia
“A Dry and Thirsty Land – Orange River, Namibia” presents the Richtersveld at its most uncompromising. Photographed digitally in panoramic format while following the Orange River along the Namibian side of the border, the image looks directly into a vast amphitheatre of exposed rock, gravel and sparse desert vegetation beneath an intensely clear African sky.
Only a short distance away, beyond the right edge of the composition, flows the Orange River.
Its absence from the frame is precisely what gives this photograph its strength.
In the preceding landscape, water dominates the foreground and transforms the desert into a corridor of green. Here, move only a little away from the river and the character of the land changes completely. The lushness disappears. Colour retreats into stone. The landscape becomes hard, exposed and seemingly without mercy.
Across the foreground lie fragments of ancient geology: pale layered rocks rise from beds of dark gravel, their weathered surfaces resembling miniature versions of the mountains behind them. Scattered shrubs cling to the earth, while isolated trees punctuate the middle distance—small signs of persistence beneath an increasingly powerful morning sun.
Above them rises an extraordinary mountain wall.
Grey, charcoal, silver and almost black rock fold into one another across the panoramic frame. Ridges have been fractured and eroded into angular peaks, deep creases and exposed faces. Under the hard desert light there is little softness left. Every geological detail appears revealed.
Psalm 63:1
O God, You are my God;
Early will I seek You;
My soul thirsts for You;
My flesh longs for You
In a dry and thirsty land
Where there is no water.
The words of Psalm 63:1 give this photograph its title and spiritual foundation.
The extraordinary irony is that there is water.
The Orange River flows nearby.
Yet standing within this particular landscape, one could easily believe otherwise.
That contrast gives the scripture an additional dimension. Thirst is not always created because provision does not exist. Sometimes what sustains us may be remarkably close while remaining beyond our immediate sight.
A Dry and Thirsty Land therefore becomes a companion to River Through the Wilderness. Together, the two photographs reveal the remarkable duality of this border region. One presents water as an unmistakable source of life; the other turns away from it and confronts the wilderness that begins almost immediately beyond its banks.
The Richtersveld is a landscape built upon extremes. Rainfall is scarce, temperatures can be severe, and exposed mountains absorb and radiate the sun's heat. Plants survive through specialised adaptations, exploiting whatever moisture can be retained within rocky ground, seasonal drainage lines and subterranean reserves.
Nothing here appears accidental or abundant.
Life is measured.
By this stage of the morning, the rising temperature begins to become part of the photograph itself. The light is increasingly direct, shadows are sharply defined, and the pale gravel seems almost luminous beneath the sun. The enormous blue sky offers no visible promise of cloud or relief.
Yet the scene is not lifeless.
Small trees stand beneath mountains vastly greater than themselves. Dry grasses occupy pockets between rocks. Shrubs establish themselves where the terrain appears incapable of supporting anything at all.
The panoramic composition allows these relationships to unfold slowly across the frame. The eye moves from the fractured foreground rocks through the sparse vegetation and finally upward into the monumental geological barrier beyond.
There is also an extraordinary visual correspondence between scales. The small, horizontally layered rocks scattered across the foreground echo the fractured strata of the mountains themselves. What appears monumental in the distance is repeated in miniature at the viewer's feet.
Stone upon stone.
Layer upon layer.
Time written into the earth.
For the collector, A Dry and Thirsty Land offers a more austere interpretation of the Richtersveld than the river landscapes surrounding it. Its beauty lies not in lushness but in exposure—in seeing a place where almost everything unnecessary has been stripped away.
Psalm 63 was born from the language of wilderness and longing. Here, beside one of Southern Africa's great rivers yet facing directly into the desert, those words become remarkably tangible.
Water may be close.
But the wilderness remains.
This is a signed and embossed Open Edition print.
Price range: $800.00 through $1 300.00
A Dry and Thirsty Land – Orange River, Namibia
A Dry and Thirsty Land – Orange River, Namibia
“A Dry and Thirsty Land – Orange River, Namibia” presents the Richtersveld at its most uncompromising. Photographed digitally in panoramic format while following the Orange River along the Namibian side of the border, the image looks directly into a vast amphitheatre of exposed rock, gravel and sparse desert vegetation beneath an intensely clear African sky.
Only a short distance away, beyond the right edge of the composition, flows the Orange River.
Its absence from the frame is precisely what gives this photograph its strength.
In the preceding landscape, water dominates the foreground and transforms the desert into a corridor of green. Here, move only a little away from the river and the character of the land changes completely. The lushness disappears. Colour retreats into stone. The landscape becomes hard, exposed and seemingly without mercy.
Across the foreground lie fragments of ancient geology: pale layered rocks rise from beds of dark gravel, their weathered surfaces resembling miniature versions of the mountains behind them. Scattered shrubs cling to the earth, while isolated trees punctuate the middle distance—small signs of persistence beneath an increasingly powerful morning sun.
Above them rises an extraordinary mountain wall.
Grey, charcoal, silver and almost black rock fold into one another across the panoramic frame. Ridges have been fractured and eroded into angular peaks, deep creases and exposed faces. Under the hard desert light there is little softness left. Every geological detail appears revealed.
Psalm 63:1
O God, You are my God;
Early will I seek You;
My soul thirsts for You;
My flesh longs for You
In a dry and thirsty land
Where there is no water.
The words of Psalm 63:1 give this photograph its title and spiritual foundation.
The extraordinary irony is that there is water.
The Orange River flows nearby.
Yet standing within this particular landscape, one could easily believe otherwise.
That contrast gives the scripture an additional dimension. Thirst is not always created because provision does not exist. Sometimes what sustains us may be remarkably close while remaining beyond our immediate sight.
A Dry and Thirsty Land therefore becomes a companion to River Through the Wilderness. Together, the two photographs reveal the remarkable duality of this border region. One presents water as an unmistakable source of life; the other turns away from it and confronts the wilderness that begins almost immediately beyond its banks.
The Richtersveld is a landscape built upon extremes. Rainfall is scarce, temperatures can be severe, and exposed mountains absorb and radiate the sun's heat. Plants survive through specialised adaptations, exploiting whatever moisture can be retained within rocky ground, seasonal drainage lines and subterranean reserves.
Nothing here appears accidental or abundant.
Life is measured.
By this stage of the morning, the rising temperature begins to become part of the photograph itself. The light is increasingly direct, shadows are sharply defined, and the pale gravel seems almost luminous beneath the sun. The enormous blue sky offers no visible promise of cloud or relief.
Yet the scene is not lifeless.
Small trees stand beneath mountains vastly greater than themselves. Dry grasses occupy pockets between rocks. Shrubs establish themselves where the terrain appears incapable of supporting anything at all.
The panoramic composition allows these relationships to unfold slowly across the frame. The eye moves from the fractured foreground rocks through the sparse vegetation and finally upward into the monumental geological barrier beyond.
There is also an extraordinary visual correspondence between scales. The small, horizontally layered rocks scattered across the foreground echo the fractured strata of the mountains themselves. What appears monumental in the distance is repeated in miniature at the viewer's feet.
Stone upon stone.
Layer upon layer.
Time written into the earth.
For the collector, A Dry and Thirsty Land offers a more austere interpretation of the Richtersveld than the river landscapes surrounding it. Its beauty lies not in lushness but in exposure—in seeing a place where almost everything unnecessary has been stripped away.
Psalm 63 was born from the language of wilderness and longing. Here, beside one of Southern Africa's great rivers yet facing directly into the desert, those words become remarkably tangible.
Water may be close.
But the wilderness remains.
This is a signed and embossed Open Edition print.
Price range: $800.00 through $1 300.00
Print Information
The Cameras
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Every photograph begins with the camera it was created on. Whether captured on traditional photographic film or a modern digital camera, every image is produced with the same commitment to craftsmanship and authenticity.
Film negatives and transparencies are personally developed by hand before being professionally scanned and prepared for printing. Digital photographs are captured in RAW format and carefully processed to preserve the original scene rather than alter it.
Large Format
Shen-Hao 4×5
4×10
5×7
8×10
Korona 7×17
Pinhole Cameras
Medium Format
Baby Rolleiflex
Yashica 44
Yashica Mat 124
Pentax 645N
Mamiya 645 1000S
Pentax 6×7
Fuji GX617 Professional
Various panoramic roll-film systems
35mm
Nikon F5
Nikon F6
Digital
Nikon D800E
Nikon D4
Nikon D5
Fujifilm GFX100
The Collections
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Every collection represents years of exploration, patience and careful craftsmanship. Some photographs are captured digitally, while others originate on traditional photographic film.
Film photographs are developed by hand before being scanned using professional equipment. Digital RAW files receive only careful tonal and colour refinement, preserving the integrity of the original photograph.
Collections are available as either Open Editions or Limited Editions, depending on the artwork.
The Triptych Collection Sizes
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Triptych Size Guide
For Triptych Collection artworks, the selected size applies consistently across all three panels.
In compositions where the side panels are portrait and the centre panel is landscape, the selected size refers to the maximum height of the artwork. For example, when A3 is selected, the two portrait side panels are produced to the A3 long dimension, and the centre landscape panel is scaled proportionally to match that same height.
Where all three panels are landscape or all three are portrait, the selected format remains consistent throughout the set — A0 is A0, A1 is A1, A2 is A2 and A3 is A3. Sizes are not mixed between panels.
Available Triptych Collection sizes: A0, A1, A2 and A3.
The Editions
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Limited Editions
Limited Editions are permanently restricted to 25 prints worldwide, regardless of the size or medium selected.
Once the edition has sold out, no additional prints of that artwork will ever be produced.
Signing & Numbering
Every Limited Edition print is individually signed, embossed and accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity.
Each print is hand-numbered—for example: 10/25
This indicates the tenth print produced from a total edition of twenty-five.
The Photographic Process
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Many CFP Prints artworks begin with traditional photographic film.
Each negative or transparency is developed by hand using carefully selected chemistry before being professionally scanned for printing. Every stage of the workflow is managed with the objective of faithfully reproducing the original photograph rather than digitally transforming it.
Every photograph represents a real moment, captured through experience, patience and light—not artificial intelligence.
The Printed Medium
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CFP Prints is produced exclusively on museum-quality Hahnemühle FineArt media.
Hahnemühle Cézanne Canvas
A 430 gsm, 100% cotton canvas offering exceptional colour depth, fine detail and long-term archival stability. Its natural matte surface makes it ideal for gallery-quality presentation.
Hahnemühle Photo Rag® Matt Baryta
A 308 gsm, a natural white, 100% cotton paper with a traditional barium sulphate coating. This paper offers rich blacks, luminous highlights, and refined surface texture. It is acid- and lignin-free, with certified age resistance.
Certificate of Authenticity
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Every CFP Prints artwork is accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity (CoA)—a signed and embossed document that formally certifies the originality, provenance, and technical details of the artwork.
Issued with both Limited Edition and Open Edition works, the certificate confirms that the artwork was produced exclusively by CFP Prints using museum-quality archival materials and professional printing standards.
Collectors, galleries, and institutions are encouraged to retain the Certificate of Authenticity with the artwork at all times. It forms an important part of the artwork’s provenance and assists in verifying authenticity for resale, exhibition, insurance, and archival cataloguing.
Caring for Your Print
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Every CFP Prints artwork is produced using museum-quality archival materials designed to provide exceptional longevity when properly cared for.
To help preserve the beauty of your artwork for generations:
- Avoid prolonged exposure to direct sunlight or strong reflected light.
- Dust gently with a soft, dry microfibre cloth or soft artist’s brush. Never use household cleaners, solvents, or abrasive materials.
- Display or store your artwork in a dry, temperature-controlled environment, away from excessive humidity or heat.
- Canvas prints are protected with a professional matte archival varnish and may be gently cleaned with a soft, slightly damp cloth when necessary.
With appropriate care, your CFP Prints artwork will retain its richness, detail, and archival quality for many years.