by Jemma Brewitt
on September 11, 2017
4 min read

If I have ever seen magic, it has been in Africa  – John Hemingway

From breathtaking sunsets, sunrises, rainbows and thunderclouds, to enchanting full moons and highways of stars – Africa truly has the most magical skies. A canvas silhouetting the wildlife walking home after a long day, the African skies exhibit a wonderful phenomenon. Here are some of the entries from Africa Through My Lens in  Africa’s Photographer of the Year capturing Africa’s beautiful horizon:

Sunset over boat and the sea by Pierre Bassani Photoman

Pierre Bassani Photoman: Rest, tomorrow’s another day

 “Surely, of all the wonders of the world, the horizon is the greatest” -Freya Stark

Giraffe fighting with the sun setting

Alex Hill: Necking at Sunset

“I know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of the stars makes me dream.” – Vincent van Gogh

An African tree under the stars and milkyway

Travis Bester: This is Africa!

“It is almost impossible to watch a sunset and not dream” -Bern Williams

Silhouettes of African animals against a beautiful sunset

Conny Müller: Beautiful Morning

“Where does the rainbow end, in your soul or on the horizon?” -Pablo Nerunda

Antelope at the end of the rainbow in Kenya, Africa.

Bhargava Srivari: The Magic Called Africa It was an overcast afternoon and we were on the lookout for a feline of the spotted variety (read Leopard). Out of no where, clouds gathered and it started to pour. We knew that the rain had to stop soon, giving way to a rainbow. We drove around the plains in search of any subject to shoot against the backdrop of the rainbow, and stumbled upon this Waterbuck just in time! Masai Mara, Kenya

“Never go too long without watching a sunset” -Atticus

Fighting topis before sunrise

Arnfinn Johansen: Fighting topis before sunrise

“Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add colour to my sunset sky.” -Rabindranath Tagore

Cliff Rosenberg: Wildebeest beautifully-highlighted by the rays of the setting sun in Amboseli National Park Kenya

Cliff Rosenberg: Wildebeest beautifully-highlighted by the rays of the setting sun in Amboseli National Park Kenya

“Sunlight! The most precious gold to be found on Earth” -Roman Payne

Conny Müller: A beautiful sunset with a hornbird in the foreground. Seen and experienced in the crisp national park in South Africa

Conny Müller: A beautiful sunset with a hornbird in the foreground. Seen and experienced in the crisp national park in South Africa

Chris Minihane: Lone rhino on the shores of Lake Nakuru Kenya

“The sky broke like an egg into full sunset and the water caught fire” -Pamela Hansford Johnson

David Cox: Luangwa Sunset

A hot air balloon in the sunset of the Serengeti

George Blatt: A morning trip over the Serengeti

“The moon is magic for the soul and light for the senses.” -Anonymous

Safari drive under the stars and in a full moon

Neil Preyer: Soetwater Vlakte

“The sky takes on shades of orange during sunrise and sunset, the colour that gives you hope that the sun will set only to rise again.” -Ram Charan

elephant silhouette against the African sunset

Jacha Potgieter: Sundowner

Chris Minihane: Mother rhino and baby head home after a long day of grazing

Chris Minihane: Mother rhino and baby head home after a long day of grazing

Mike Geyer: Sunrise Fisherman off East London

Mike Geyer: Sunrise Fisherman off East London

“Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue, and the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true.” -Dorothy

François Jorion: Rainbow in Kenyas savannah

François Jorion: Rainbow in Kenyas savannah

“Be clearly aware of the stars and infinity on high. Then life seems almost enchanted after all.” -Vincent Van Gogh

African stars and milkyway with trees

Alex Hill: African Stars

Arnfinn Johansen: Lioness calling for her cubs in the sunset

Arnfinn Johansen: Lioness calling for her cubs

“There’s never one sunrise the same or one sunset the same” -Carlos Santana

Dionysius Hungerbühler: Rhino Africa

“The sun is such a lonely star. Whenever he comes out to see his friends, they all disappear.” -Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Michael Le: Sunset at Victoria Falls

Michael Le: Sunset at Victoria Falls

“Lost – yesterday, somewhere between sunrise and sunset, two golden hours, each set with sixty diamond minutes.” -Horace Mann

Conny Müller: Breakfast in the Kruger National Park, sunrise with a giraffe silhouette

Conny Müller: Breakfast in the Kruger National Park

Jaymin Patel: Kenya zebra with amazing African sunrise

Jaymin Patel: Kenya zebra with amazing African sunrise

Brigitte Cottet: Sunrise in Namibia

Brigitte Cottet: Sunrise in Namibia

“Delight in the little things.” -Rudyard Kipling

Agnes Schildorfe: Kokerboom in Namibia Southern Africa

Agnes Schildorfe: Kokerboom in Namibia Southern Africa

Greg Metro: 6 giraffe stop and pose at the horizon in the Serengeti in Tanzania

Greg Metro: 6 giraffe stop and pose at the horizon in the Serengeti in Tanzania

“I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night.” -Sarah Williams

John Mullineux: Quivers in evening under the African stars

John Mullineux: Quivers in evening

Sunset at Amboseli National Park by Harald Pieta

Harald Pieta: Sunset at Amboseli National Park