Camel thorn trees in Namibia

The above image (via BoingBoing), by Frans Lanting was published by National Geographic about five years ago, and ever since has been fooling viewers into thinking it's a painting, rather than a photograph.  The altered perspective of a telephoto lens positioning the trees against a sunset-illuminated giant sand dune is really quite  startling.  I had to search for a while to find a more prosaic view:

Credit Martin Heigan.  

Other images here and here.  The trees are sometimes described as being "petrified."  I doubt whether that's technically correct; they certainly are desiccated.

(Reposted from 2012 for Arbor Day 2015)