Dec 1, 2017 | Holbrook Travel

Photo of the Month: December 2017

I love going to the ends of the Earth to find dramatic, uncommon, extraordinarily beautiful subjects. One of those subjects is the clear night sky. It’s fascinating, especially when viewed from remote locations where there is no light pollution. Here, in Namibia, the Milky Way stands out from a velvet backdrop with the stark black shapes of quiver trees in the foreground.  
Below: We stood on the edge of a Cape fur seal colony on Namibia’s rugged Atlantic coast. With 180,000 seals it seemed like an easy task to go out there and make great photographs. However, the challenge was to find a scene-within-a-scene—a graphic composition or an action-filled moment that would turn into a powerful photographic image. Hidden in this massive gathering of animals were scenes of conflict, humor, and in this picture, protection and love. Four seal pups nestled against a mother with her flipper snuggling them tells a powerful story.

 

 

 

 

Todd Gustafson
Gustafson photo safari
Namibia | Gustafson Photo Safari: The Wild Namibia

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Photo of the Month: November 2025
Above: On the way to see baobab trees at sunset on the red dirt roads in the bush of Madagascar, we stopped as the young goat herders crossed directly in front of us, looking like majestic figures in the sunlit, dusty glow. It felt like the scene of a movie, and this photo captured the feeling of that moment perfectly.
eBird Trip Reports: South Africa
Want to know which species other Holbrook travelers have seen on their birding trips to South Africa? Check out these eBird trip reports shared by past groups to see their checklists and get an idea of what you might encounter on your own birding expedition.

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