Category: Oman Selection

2025, Bird, Oman Selection

Sanderlings in flight (Calidris alba) – Oman

Sanderlings in flight (Calidris alba) – Oman

Sanderlings in flight (Calidris alba) – Oman.

Flying in tight flocks over the shores of the Arabian Sea, these long-distance migrants connect the coasts of Oman to the Arctic tundras every year.

Always on the move, Sanderlings skirt the shoreline in dense groups, punctuating the coast with their swift, synchronized flights. These small shorebirds travel thousands of miles annually between their Arctic breeding grounds and the temperate or tropical beaches where they overwinter. On the foreshore, they tirelessly follow the ebb and flow of the waves, feeding on tiny invertebrates revealed by the receding water.

2025, Oman Selection, Stars

Moonlight over the Rub al Khali – Oman

Moonlight over the sand dunes of the Rub al Khali desert, Oman

Under the soft moonlight, the Rub al Khali reveals itself in all its nocturnal majesty.

Under the soft light of the moon, the Rub al Khali, the vast sand desert of the southeastern Arabian Peninsula, reveals itself in all its nocturnal majesty.

The silvery dunes draw silent undulations, while the starry sky stretches to infinity above this landscape of raw and timeless beauty. An atmosphere of absolute calm and solitude envelops this legendary desert, inviting contemplation and reverie in the heart of one of the largest sand deserts in the world.

2025, Oman Selection, Reptil and Amphibian

The Gulf Sand Gecko (Stenodactylus leptocosymbotes): A Night Watchman of Oman

Gulf Sand Gecko (Stenodactylus leptocosymbotes) photographed at night in the desert, Oman

A small marvel of adaptation to the extreme conditions of the Omani desert.

The Gulf Sand Gecko (Stenodactylus leptocosymbotes) is a discreet and elusive inhabitant of Oman’s arid regions.

Recognizable by its large eyes adapted for night vision, it emerges mainly at night to hunt small insects. Its slender legs allow it to move with agility over loose sand, while its pale coloration helps it blend seamlessly into its environment. A true watchman of the sands, this small reptile is a fascinating example of adaptation to the harshest climatic conditions of the Arabian Peninsula.

2025, Bird, Oman Selection

Skimming Flight, Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) – Oman

Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) flying low over the waves, Oman

The gull skims the crest of the waves, in perfect balance between sky and sea.

In perfect harmony with the water, the Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) performs a silent dance above the ocean.

A remarkable long-distance migrant, identifiable by its slate-grey mantle and yellow legs, it travels thousands of kilometers annually to reach the shores of the Indian Ocean from Northern Europe or Russia. Its low-altitude flight is more than just aesthetic: it utilizes the ground effect to conserve energy during long coastal journeys. In Oman, it is a regular visitor to the coastlines, where its elegant silhouette stands out against the deep blue of the Arabian Sea.

2024, Insect and Arachnid, Oman Selection

Grass Jewel butterfly (Freyeria trochylus) playing hide and seek behind an Oxalis leaf

Grass Jewel (Freyeria trochylus) behind an Oxalis leaf

Grass Jewel (Freyeria trochylus) playing Hide-and-Seek behind an Oxalis leaf.

A tiny and poetic encounter where wildlife blends into flora with rare delicacy.

The Grass Jewel is considered one of the smallest butterflies on the planet, with a wingspan rarely exceeding 18 mm. This photograph perfectly illustrates its natural discretion as it shelters behind the characteristic lobes of an Oxalis leaf.

2025, Oman Selection, Stars

The Waltz of Stars Over the Dunes of the Rub al Khali (الربع الخالي)

Star trails over the dunes of Rub al Khali

Star trails over the dunes of Rub al Khali (the Empty Quarter).

In the silent immensity of the Rub al Khali, the largest sand desert on the Arabian Peninsula, the night sky becomes a giant dial revealing the movement of the stars.

This long-exposure photograph captures the slow rotation of the Earth on its axis, as stars trace perfect circles around the northern celestial pole. In the foreground, the ochre dunes are illuminated by moonlight. Shaped by prevailing winds, they create a fluid and shifting landscape where sand grains, resulting from weathered sedimentary rocks, have been molded by wind erosion over millennia. In this frozen scene, everything speaks of motion: the wind, the stars… and time itself.

2025, Oman Selection, Shellfish, Stars

Bioluminescence of Krill Rising to the Surface at Nightfall (likely Euphausia sibogae) – Arabian Sea, Oman

Bioluminescence of Krill surfacing at nightfall, (likely Euphausia sibogae) - Arabian Sea, Oman

Bioluminescence of Krill surfacing at nightfall, (likely Euphausia sibogae) – Arabian Sea, Oman.

At nightfall, krill rise from the depths to the surface, driven by the planet’s largest daily animal migration.

There, tossed by the waves, it releases a cold, bluish light. Its bioluminescence, emitted by small organs called photophores, creates fleeting flashes on the water’s surface. This shimmering sometimes transforms the nocturnal ocean into a sea of living stars, shifting and silent.

2025, Oman Selection

Birth of the Day over the Dunes – Rub al Khali desert, Sultanate of Oman


Daybreak over the dunes - Rub al Khali Desert, Sultanate of Oman

Daybreak over the dunes – Rub al Khali Desert, Sultanate of Oman.


👁️ View the 360° virtual tour

As night slowly gives way to light, the dunes awaken in a golden breath.

Shadows glide along the ridges, colors stretch out, and the desert reveals itself, silent, in all its majesty. At dawn, every wave of sand becomes a mountain, every ray of sunlight a promise of infinity.

This virtual tour allows you to immerse yourself in the heart of these sand giants and contemplate the purity of the lines shaped by the wind in one of the most arid deserts in the world.

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