The Play of Light

Gallery: LandscapePosted May 29, 2011859 views26 comments

Lencois Maranhenses National Park, Brazil.

Contours of light and shadow sweep and dance across the remote lakes and dunes of Lencois Maranhenses, one of the most surreal landscapes on earth.

This vast field of coastal sand dunes lies only 3 degrees south of the equator. Intense tropical thunderstorms gather over the dunes, cracking the silence while heavy rains fill the depressions in the dunes, creating thousands of crystal clear freshwater lakes. I was trekking through the dunes when I crested this high point and was treated to a dazzling show of light and shadow drifting and swirling over the contours of the dunes, accenting all of the fine details of the rippling sand and the intense aquamarine colors of the freshwater lakes. The silence was overwhelming.

-Mike

Comments

26 comments

Comment posted by Anand Narayanan on May 29, 2011 at 8:12 PM

Terrific as usual

For sand to hold water like that is unbelievable

Registered on October 25, 2009, 110 Posts, 835 Comments

Comment posted by Nick Bristol on May 29, 2011 at 8:16 PM

Wow, this is so interesting...and nice! What a view to come across. Must have been really something to see and feel this. The light and shadows here are wonderful. That sky adds a lot of drama to the scene too. Awesome shot Mike.

Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, WI

Registered on February 1, 2004, 752 Posts, 14140 Comments

Comment posted by Bret Edge on May 29, 2011 at 8:32 PM

Nobody does it better, Mike. This is mind-bogglingly gorgeous. I can only imagine how sweet would be a huge print of this.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 711 Posts, 6363 Comments

Comment posted by Eva McDermott on May 29, 2011 at 8:39 PM

WOW Mike! I love the graphical nature of this. The light and foreground arch are superb.

Registered on January 4, 2009, 1015 Posts, 13229 Comments

Comment posted by Stan Rose on May 29, 2011 at 9:00 PM

Awesome, Mike! Very surreal indeed. Love the bg light especially. I think id crop the bottom to the diaganol; the negative space at bottom is appealing to me, but for widest appeal i think a narrower presentation would be stronger, due to the wide nature of the scene here and horizontal lines--plus that would put center lake at the sweet 1/3 point. Great shot!

Registered on September 15, 2005, 836 Posts, 17099 Comments

Comment posted by Sarah Marino on May 29, 2011 at 9:35 PM

I love the mystery in this image. The pools of water add so much interest to this incredible scene. Quite stunning.

Registered on November 10, 2008, 23 Posts, 393 Comments

Comment posted by John Mumaw on May 29, 2011 at 9:48 PM

You own this place, sir.
Excellent job of capturing and crafting this unique image! The play of light and shadows is remarkable. I really like the muted colors and ominous skies.

Registered on September 9, 2005, 62 Posts, 2289 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Chambers on May 29, 2011 at 9:49 PM

Wow - incredible Mike. This is so powerful, both in composition and feeling. Exquisite in every detail.

Registered on April 10, 2005, 753 Posts, 21216 Comments

Comment posted by Mark Metternich on May 29, 2011 at 10:30 PM

Just unbelievably awesome as usual! This is simply stunning Mike.

BTW I did not know your prints are on display at the Sorella Gallery in Zion. I will certainly come by and see them next trek that way!

Registered on June 19, 2009, 276 Posts, 6240 Comments

Comment posted by Kyle L. Krause on May 29, 2011 at 11:55 PM

Very mysterious and moody,this is just fascinating Mike. Wow,a large print must be beautiful. Excellent work!!!

Registered on June 15, 2010, 29 Posts, 605 Comments

Comment posted by Vance Gese on May 30, 2011 at 12:18 AM

Amazing, Michael, simply amazing. Surreal indeed, even other-worldly, but so extraordinarily beautiful. Love the strong graphic lines and the phenomenal color and tone.

Registered on November 13, 2008, 298 Posts, 6629 Comments

Comment posted by James Fougère on May 30, 2011 at 2:15 AM

This a pretty cool image

Well Done

Registered on October 25, 2010, 41 Posts, 831 Comments

Comment posted by Neale Dyster on May 30, 2011 at 3:12 AM

Everything about this, I find superb. Wonderful subject and light, beautifully composed and exposed image.

Registered on February 19, 2008, 94 Posts, 738 Comments

Comment posted by Stuart Williams on May 30, 2011 at 3:34 AM

mike, gorgeous scene - what a place! superb composition. not sure but sky/clouds appear over processed but this could just be the compression/size here.

Registered on December 7, 2007, 247 Posts, 4792 Comments

Comment posted by David Edwards on May 30, 2011 at 4:52 AM

Looks like another planet, Mike. The lush green of the water is very nice amongst the soft yellow of the dunes. The foreboding sky adds a lot of drama, but I can't help but feel I want to see more of it in the frame. Sure looks like an amazing place.

Registered on December 6, 2008, 142 Posts, 2623 Comments

Comment posted by Hamed Musharbak on May 30, 2011 at 8:09 AM

more than Wow !!

this is super

Hamed

Registered on June 1, 2009, 372 Posts, 2282 Comments

Comment posted by Harley Goldman on May 30, 2011 at 9:36 AM

What a unique locale and beautifully captured. I love the oblique view of the lake and the great colors. Gorgeous!

Registered on November 19, 2003, 586 Posts, 11271 Comments

Comment posted by Chris Chamberlain on May 30, 2011 at 11:56 AM

A dreamscape! This must be the only place where this sort of thing occurs. The weather is awesome and the storm light really makes this shot come alive. My initial reaction was that it might be a tad dark, but I would have really liked to see this in person under these conditions.

Chris

Registered on March 13, 2007, 500 Posts, 8365 Comments

Comment posted by Rick Lundh on May 30, 2011 at 1:42 PM

Mike,
Your work is different than any other photography I've seen. You have and edge and an eye to invoke moods in an image that puts you at the top of the pack. This image is no different... I've never seen such gorgeous water midst such beautiful dunes anywhere!
Critique wise, this feels just a tad dark to me. I know you are trying to portray the storm and darkness here, but my eye feels like it is struggling a bit to see everything. I feel a little guilty critiquing this because it is so damn cool!

Registered on April 28, 2004, 774 Posts, 4351 Comments

Comment posted by R.Bill Moser on May 30, 2011 at 1:49 PM

Excellent

Registered on January 29, 2010, 285 Posts, 4281 Comments

Comment posted by Scott Lawson on May 30, 2011 at 2:25 PM

An amazing scene. I especially like the water and the light on the distant dunes.

Registered on March 3, 2008, 29 Posts, 337 Comments

Comment posted by Ed Lowe on May 30, 2011 at 7:00 PM

This is surreal, Mike. The areas of light and shadow along with the textures in the FG dune are visually stunning. The small thumbnail does not do this justice.

Registered on February 7, 2004, 414 Posts, 7115 Comments

Comment posted by Guy Tal on May 30, 2011 at 11:23 PM

Other worldly and alluring. Amazing image of a fascinating place. I love the mysterious light.

Guy

Registered on November 1, 2003, 566 Posts, 15507 Comments

Comment posted by Aaron Feinberg on May 31, 2011 at 2:42 AM

The quality of light here hurts my brain. Nuts

aF

Registered on October 26, 2009, 399 Posts, 2789 Comments

Comment posted by Matt Anderson on May 31, 2011 at 9:04 AM

Welcome back!
I really like this shot, but IMHO, I think it needs some tweaks for it to be ready for mass consumption (if that was your intent)
Because the top 1/3 (which has the most interest IMO) is so compressed and dark, I think it needs to be opened up for a more fluid intake by a viewer. Also, a possible crop. I could see a second version of this being a kick ass panoramic. My humble 2 bits.

Registered on September 6, 2007, 346 Posts, 2696 Comments

Comment posted by Jimmy Gekas on June 1, 2011 at 12:54 PM

I can feel the silence you mention. This is wonderful.

Registered on July 26, 2007, 244 Posts, 2807 Comments