Featured Photographer 4: Catherine Gibson-Poole

Our trips offer photographers, both amateur and semi-professional, the opportunity to take amazing photographs! Over the next few weeks I will feature work from a few of our guests – I hope you like their pictures as much as I do.

Catherine has joined me on every trip she possibly can since August 2018, and has done maybe 20 or more, including a week in Oman on our Rocks, Sea and Sand trip. She has a real talent for finding the best angles and frames for all her shots – and is proof indeed that you don’t need an expensive camera to take wonderful snaps!

When we wake up at camp in the morning, if there is a figure high on a dune or a rock, chances are it is Catherine, in position to capture a beautiful sunrise.

Here’s a few words by Catherine herself.

” I grew up in a seaside town on the south coast of the UK in Sussex and spent much time outdoors with my nature-loving family.

My Dad had a particular interest in caving, and every year our annual family holiday was camping-based with the caving club in somewhere like Yorkshire, Derbyshire or Wales. It was during these holidays that I cultivated an interest in rocks, leading to my eventually decision to pursue a career in geology.

After many years working as an academic in Australia, I was persuaded to return to the UK to work for BP in their Alternative Energy company as a Carbon Capture and Storage specialist, which is also where I met my lovely husband Steve. My current role within BP is somewhat different, as for the past two years I have been working in Abu Dhabi as BP’s Senior Geologist in country, supporting BP’s participation in the ADNOC Onshore oil concession.

Having never been to the Middle East before my posting, the desert environment held a particular fascination and I was delighted to discover Marina, aka the Desert Diva, who ran offroad 4WD desert trips with the added bonus of camping. Since joining Marina on her trips, I have not looked back. I enjoy the vastness and sculptural beauty of the desert and get equally excited over the amazing mountains and rock-scapes in Oman.

I have no photographic training or experience, so use only an iPhone camera (with default settings and no filtering or editing) and hope that I manage to capture and do justice to the beautiful landscapes that I see.”

Liwa Crescent

Catherine’s very first outing in the sand was in the Liwa Crescent. It was a Liwa Hotel based trip, held in mid-April 2018. Since then she has joined me in the Crescent a number of times, including on a crossing from Arada to Hameem.

Other Desert

Catherine and Steve have experienced all our itineraries, indeed, helped me develop one or two. If a picture tells 1000 words then her i-phone must have created a whole book by now!