Festooned with bulging orange velvet and trimmed with grey lace, the arms of a Monterey cypress tree twist to create an otherworldly canopy. After several days experimenting, Zorica decided on a close-up frame. She focus-stacked 22 images, merging the sharp features in each of the photographs to reveal the colourful maze in depth.
Point Lobos State Natural Reserve in California is the only place in the world where natural conditions combine to conjure this magical scene. The spongy orange cladding on the Monterey cypress is in fact an alga that gets its colour from beta-carotene, the same pigment that is in carrots. Both the orange alga and the grey lace lichen are harmless to the cypress.
Serbia / USA
Having received a formal education in anthropology, Zorica has an interest in not only world cultures but also the planet's rich biodiversity. She is driven by her attraction to the natural world, and her photography is a celebration of the nature and wildlife that she is so passionate about.
Help us harness the power of photography to advance scientific knowledge, spread awareness of important issues and nurture a global love for nature.
