2005: Wildscapes - Runner-up
Olivier Grunewald (France)
Lava by moonlight
Looking like a highway out of Hell, this lava stream has been regurgitated from the belly of Ol Doinyo Lengai, Tanzania's Rift Valley volcano. The lava is the fastest flowing in the world, containing very little silicon and therefore being 'cold', merely about 510°C (950°F), compared to more than 1,100°C (2,012°F) for most other lavas. It's not hot enough to glow in the day, when it just looks like a mud river, but at night it's spectacular. What Olivier hoped to capture was a blood-red eruption lit by the moon. But to take such a picture, he first had to climb the volcano and camp at the summit. He then had to wait for the full moon and a clear sky unobscured by gas and steam from the vent, and finally to get as close as he dared to a lava flow. It took a week, but the result was a unique picture lit by celestial light.
Nikon F100 with 28mm f1.4 lens; 30 secs at f2; Fujichrome Provia 100 rated at 200; tripod.
View other winners in this category
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Adult awards Ice rainbow Staffan Widstrand
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Adult awards Rainforest dawn Thomas Endlein
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Adult awards View from Panorama Ridge Adam Gibbs
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Adult awards After the thunderstorm Henrik Lund
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Adult awards Cascade Mountains Jeremy Walker
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Adult awards Frosted pines Christophe Sidamon-pesson
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