January 16th, 2008
The Wondrous Beauty of Africa Depicted in Africa Photos
Africa is a continent that is synonymous with wilderness, vast spaces, glorious sunsets, shimmering heat, an extensive variety of wildlife, an amazing diversity of cultures and almost inexplicable natural beauty. Straddled by the Indian and Atlantic Oceans, Africa is the second largest continent in the world. It is the home to endless deserts, tropical rain forests, rugged mountains and fertile grasslands. Perhaps because this continent can boast of so much cultural and natural affluence, media personnel internationally continue to flock to Africa to illustrate the varieties of life that it has to offer the world.
The magnificence of Africa is a favorite theme among photographers all over the world. The reality is that due to its extensive diversity, trying to capture the splendor of this continent in images is indeed an incredible task. The continent comprises 53 independent countries, each with a diversity of native peoples, economies, and cultural history. In addition to this hundred of languages are spoken across the continent. Many of these countries provide natural habitats to unique and endangered fauna and flora, while others still have massive herds that roam their huge plains. Photographs have been internationally exhibited illustrating these animals slowly traveling along these Great Plains with the sun setting in the background. However, the true beauty of this can only be experienced personally.
As detailed in photographs and films, are also the many natural wonders that Africa is celebrated for. Stunning images of the vast Lake Victoria which is the second-largest lake in the world, Lake Tanganyika the second-deepest, and Lake Malawi which boasts of the highest number of fish species in the world have framed many books and magazines internationally. Photographers often flock to several places in this great continent such as the Fynbos Kingdom in South Africa which is the smallest floral kingdom, the Namib Desert - the oldest desert in the world, and the Fish River Canyon which is the second largest canyon.
Despite the difficulties that the continent faces economically and politically, Africa is still one of the most wondrous places that ever existed. Photographers have captured images of its raw wilderness that lend the viewer an experience that is uniquely humbling.