Grass Jewel butterfly (Freyeria trochylus) playing hide and seek behind an Oxalis leaf.
Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus) – Djibouti
Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus) – Djibouti
In the deep, dark waters of the Gulf of Tadjourah, off the coast of Djibouti, emerges a majestic silhouette: the whale shark (Rhincodon typus), the largest fish in the world. With its enormous mouth agape, it filters thousands of liters of water each hour, harvesting plankton and tiny prey suspended in the ocean. Despite measuring between 12 and 18 meters long, this gentle giant is completely harmless to humans.
Its feeding strategy is simple yet remarkably efficient: it swims slowly with its mouth wide open, filtering up to 6,000 liters of water per hour. Each day, it can consume several dozen kilograms of plankton, fish larvae, and small crustaceans. The nutrient-rich waters of Djibouti, especially between October and February, attract these giants in search of food, offering rare and unforgettable encounters.
When the Desert Remembers – Algeria, Immidir Massif
When the Desert Remembers – Algeria, Immidir Massif
In the heart of the Immidir Massif, in southern Algeria, the rocks tell a story that spans millennia. On the ochre walls of the desert, ancient paintings and engravings bear witness to human presence at a time when the Sahara was still green. Stylized human figures, hunting and dancing scenes, animals now long gone from the region—each stroke, each shape reveals a fragment of life, an ancient link between humans, nature, and the sacred. The rock art of Immidir, discreet yet powerful, carries the memory of a forgotten world.
The Smile of Tea – Kyrgyzstan
The Smile of Tea – Kyrgyzstan
By the flickering glow of a storm lamp, each movement is precise, repeated since childhood. In this Kyrgyz yurt high in the mountains, black tea simmers in an enamel teapot. The hostess, her face lit by the firelight, pours the drink carefully into piala — small handleless bowls.
In Kyrgyzstan, serving tea is more than a daily habit: it’s a way of life, a ritual of hospitality deeply rooted in nomadic culture. The bowl is never filled to the brim — a gesture of respect and modesty — and is handed over with a warm smile, often accompanied by boorsok, homemade jam, or fresh bread.
Here, over tea, stories are shared, silences are welcome, and bonds are woven. Tea is the heart of the home, the warmth of welcome, the beginning of every encounter.
The Waltz of Stars Over the Dunes of the Rub al Khali (الربع الخالي)
The Waltz of Stars Over the Dunes of the Rub al Khali (الربع الخالي)
In the vast, silent expanse of the Rub al Khali (الربع الخالي), literally “the Empty Quarter,” the largest sand desert of the Arabian Peninsula, the night sky turns into a celestial clock.
Captured with a long exposure, this image reveals the slow rotation of the Earth on its axis, as stars draw perfect arcs around the North Celestial Pole.
In the foreground, moonlit dunes glow with warm ochre tones. Shaped by prevailing winds, their flowing forms shift over time. The fine sand is the product of ancient sedimentary rock, weathered and eroded by wind over thousands of years.
Though seemingly still, this landscape speaks of constant motion: of wind, of stars… and of time itself.
Smile, Burkina Faso
Rainbow Over the Rocks of the Immidir
Rainbow Over the Rocks of the Immidir – Algéria
In the Immidir mountains, south of Algeria’s Hoggar range, the arid landscape occasionally unveils surprising scenes.
Here, a partial rainbow breaks through heavy skies, though no rain is in sight. This optical phenomenon, caused by suspended micro-droplets, stands in stark contrast to the surrounding dryness.
The landforms glow with coppery tones in the low evening light.
For a fleeting moment, geology and atmosphere converge in harmony.
The Abyssinian Wolf, Watcher of the Ethiopian Highlands
The Abyssinian Wolf, Watcher of the Ethiopian Highlands
Alone on the highlands of Abyssinia, the Ethiopian wolf scans the horizon. This slender predator, perfectly adapted to life at high altitude, is now one of the most endangered mammals on the African continent. Threatened by habitat fragmentation and diseases transmitted by domestic dogs, only about 500 individuals remain in the wild.
Bioluminescence of Krill Rising to the Surface at Nightfall (likely Euphausia sibogae) – Arabian Sea, Oman
Bioluminescence of Krill Rising to the Surface 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, they emit a cold, bluish light. Their bioluminescence, produced by tiny organs called photophores, creates brief flashes across the surface of the sea. This shimmering glow — both camouflage and communication — sometimes turns the night ocean into a living sea of stars, drifting and silent.