SAND AND FOG

Once again, a noted photographer (To the Top of the World: Adventures with Arctic Wolves, 1993) visits an apparently desolate region and finds it full of life and beauty. In Namibia (``place of no people''), Brandenburg treks empty dunes to find tracks of the elusive oryx and one perfect picture of a lone animal on a wind-sculpted dune (reproduced in full splendor on the jacket; unfortunately guttered within). Visiting Himba and Herero tribes on the Skeleton Coast, he discovers the many tricks animals use to find and hoard precious water; and he locates flamingoes, jackals, lions, and giraffes where there are no trees. In the south he sorts priceless diamonds and sees seals and penguins; and in the Etosha National Park in north-central Namibia he has just a few seconds at sunrise for ``...only 10 to 15 frames'' of ostriches, their backlit necks dramatically echoing the luminous sky. The subtexts here may be as important as the color photos: the enormous dedication required, hardships endured, and thousands of shots taken for a few matchless photos; and the ability to bring a sense of wonder, joy, and discovery to a place where others might find only discomfort. (Nonfiction. 10+)