For me, Oman was a journey full of contrasts. In the space of just a few days, we travelled from arid deserts through rugged mountains to small islands off the coast. The biggest challenge was the heat. Especially in the first few days, it sapped an incredible amount of energy and made every hike more strenuous than expected. At the same time, it was precisely this heat that shaped my perception of the country. I made a conscious effort to work with warm colours, not only to capture the landscapes but also the feelings they evoked in me. Behind the scorching sun lay a surprisingly diverse wildlife and a natural world that one often only discovers once one is prepared to embrace the unfamiliar conditions.

The Desert
We spent one night in the middle of the dunes – far from any roads or sources of light. As there were no roads there, I was allowed to drive an off-road vehicle through the desert myself for the first time. Whilst the wind ceaselessly swept the fine sand across the dunes, blowing it into our faces like a sandblaster, the landscape revealed itself at its most beautiful. What has stayed with me most are the gentle curves of the dunes and the endless expanse of our campsite. My personal highlight, however, was seeing a few desert ravens which, every evening, would repeatedly dive into the updrafts by the dunes, letting themselves be carried as if weightless, and repeating this manoeuvre countless times. I also encountered wild camels here for the first time – a moment I won’t forget in a hurry.

The coast
The Daymaniyat Islands left a completely different impression. Whilst snorkelling, we came across sea turtles and an impressive variety of colourful reef fish. Above the water’s surface, too, there were plenty of photo opportunities with seagulls and the occasional bird of prey. My favourite subject, however, was right at the water’s edge: a tiny crab kept running back to the exact spot where the waves broke on the beach, letting them carry it away before immediately returning to the same spot. It almost looked as though it was playing with the waves – behaviour I could have watched for hours.

A magical evening
After a long day, all we really wanted to do was sleep. Whilst we were preparing dinner, we kept thinking we could see tiny flashes of light on the water, but put them down to the moonlight. It was only when we were already lying in the roof tent and glanced outside one last time that we realised the sea was actually glowing. With every wave, countless tiny marine organisms glowed an intense turquoise – my first experience of bioluminescent water. The spectacle lasted only about half an hour, but it was one of those moments you won’t forget in a hurry.

The Mountains
It’s hard to believe how quickly conditions can change: whilst it was still sweltering even here during the day, the nights in the mountains turned out to be surprisingly cool. Amidst deep gorges and steep rock faces, we kept coming across griffon vultures and Egyptian vultures. We often had to stop on the spur of the moment because we saw them circling high above the valleys or watched them slowly spiralling upwards in the rising warm air each morning. It was precisely these unexpected encounters that made every journey through the mountains so exciting.