Namibia, formerly South West Africa, peacefully gained its independence in 1990 and was always a destination I longed to explore. My love of the desert developed early on, and here was a country almost entirely desert and vast, multifaceted dunes. So many dune formations lie near the coastal town of Swakopmund that they have numbered them. Dune 7 is the biggest, so there I headed on the first morning after I arrived. I must admit, I didn't climb to the top of Dune 7, as it is over 600 feet high, but explored the lower appendages and found this extraordinary formation, one of many. When I isolated this section with a long lens, it took on a sensual mood, more sensual than many of the nudes I have photographed over the years. The early morning light took care of the rest-and the cover of the book was made. Who knew!