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Bence Máté's Image
Walking back one evening from his hide to the farm where he was staying, Bence first smelt the fire.
Turning off the trail, he came to 'the awe-inspiring sight' of a curtain of fire stretching across the Pantanal. It may have been started naturally or by cattle farmers clearing the land to stimulate grass growth. 'The tallest flames must have been nearly 5 metres [16 feet] high,' says Bence. 'With such intense firelight, it was a challenge to work out how to photograph the scene. I used a long-exposure and stretched out my arm to cover the flames with my hands to expose the stars. Then, for the last second or so, I took away my hands to expose the flames.' With the crackling noise and the intensity of the heat, it was a memorable event. 'At times, the smoke was terrible. But at least it kept the mosquitoes away.'
Behind the lens
Bence Máté
Hungary
Bence is a wildlife photographer from Hungary. Since 2008 he has been designing wildlife photography hides around the world, including in Hungary, Costa Rica, Brazil, Norway, South Africa and Transylvania (Romania). He was named Wildlife Photographer of the Year in 2010.
Image details
- Nikon D700
- 20mm f2.8 lens
- 20 sec at f2.8 • ISO 1000
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