This spectacular scene shows one of the most contrasting and fascinating landscapes of the Kawah Ijen volcano. In the foreground, a blackened, almost charred shrub seems frozen in the face of nature's brute force. Its twisted silhouettes tell of plant life struggling to exist in an environment dominated by toxic fumes. Further on, we see steep, rough rocks sculpted by eruptions, time and the corrosive action of gases. At the foot of these rough grey cliffs, the water takes on a surprisingly green, almost unreal hue: an acid lake of extreme chemical power, rich in dissolved sulphur and minerals. In the centre, a white column of steam rises from the crater, like a burning breath. The contrast between the vibrant green of the lake, the whitish rock and the dark vegetation in the foreground gives the image an almost unreal aesthetic, as if we were observing a primitive world or a landscape from another planet. We feel the fragility of life and the violence of nature, brought together in the same image.
Passionate about photography, I travel the world in search of the most beautiful shots.
Currently in Thailand..
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