EDITORS’ PICK
Letters from Home
PLANET EARTH
PLANET EARTH EDITORS’ PICK
Following Melissa Farlow’s selection of winning images for our recent Planet Earth competition, this compilation of 20 images represents some of the other talented photographers whose work struck us and left a mark. Each a stunning image worthy of exposure and attention…
When selecting for editor’s picks we’re always searching for those striking photographs that make for an unforgettable single image, whether from a broader series or not. We enjoy the accompanying text some photographers submit with their images, and while not always necessary it can be relevant when understanding the work in full context.
These are intended to be a conversation starter… so feel free to join the discussion on our social networks.
BANNER IMAGE: MICHAEL IVSHIN JOHANSEN
A wash of color and vibrancy attracts the viewer to this spectacular nightscape. The natural phenomenon of the Aurora Borealis never ceases to engage and evoke wonder and appreciation for those lucky enough to witness it in person – for the rest of us, striking and uncomplicated images like this must suffice. An impressive occurrence on our planet, enchanting and exciting. – LIFE FRAMER
ANDRE HIDAYAT
The photographer carefully presents this overwhelming and unsettling scene with a symmetrical and balanced perspective. There is an overall sense of detachment depicted here – while the enormity of the issue is highlighted through this low angle of mounting waste, there is also a sense of calmness created with the surrounding blue sky and repetitive figures of diggers. The image appears as one which echoes the overall attitude this environmental crisis regularly receives – the disaster is in plain sight yet action doesn’t always follow and daily life goes on regardless. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – Piles of garbage in big cities and become an environmental problem.
F. GONZALEZ CAMACHO
The photographer merges themselves into this abstract landscape scene through waste material – an ambitious concept that is exquisitely executed with this photographic piece. Although the climate crisis is well documented, from images like this it’s clear landscape photographers are finding new perspectives on showcasing how ingrained our waste is with the natural environment. A poignant and creative piece of work, where the process is as profound as the result. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – This work is part of a visual research project on materiality on the commoditization of nature in the context of the tourist industry in Iceland. Developed in Reykjavík with SIM artist-in-residence program. During my stay, I photographed highly visited natural locations, which I reinterpreted in combination with the creation of my own handmade recycled paper from waste. This exploration mirrors the transformative process of manifesting something from the void –a form of alchemy of waste– with the delicate equilibrium of our environment, and the perpetual cycle it follows.
NINGXIN ZHANG
To capture a scene like this the photographer must forget about their destination, so they can be fully present on their journey to frame the overlooked little spaces where nature prevails and persists within urban concrete cultures. The image is less about the contrast between the manmade and natural space and more about the merging of both and its unexpected beauty. The black and white adds a poetic elements, and the 90 degree rotation is a subtle way of reframing the scene into something less expected. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – From the series A Visual Quest for Wanderlust. From the vast expanse of deserts and rivers to the captivating dance of the flowers and moon, my project aims to encapsulate the essence of wanderlust and awe-inspiring natural beauty that await beyond the city’s hustle and bustle. These are not mere travel photographs, but a celebration to the realms untouched by the glare of urban lights and the cacophony of human activity.
STEFAN KONKOLY
Ice and frost cover this scene of desertion, emphasizing the sense to isolation while giving it an additional layer of texture and pattern. The photographer’s predominant use of blue and grey tones echo the chill in the air, allowing the viewer to feel the scene as well as just observe it. The image serves as a reminder of the power of nature over human efforts and endeavours in such harsh territories. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – Olkhon Island shipwreck, October 2021.
GONZALO BOTET
A splendid scene of color and scale immediately engages the viewer, evoking questions on this location and origins of this unusual landscape. The photographer’s comprehensive captioning of the image is insightful and captivating, allowing the viewer to comprehend this natural phenomenon and truly consider the importance of this topography, and the relationship it has with the surrounding communities and landscapes. Any sense of tranquility is subtly eroded by the presence of the subject’s weapon – what are they seeking protection from? Or what are they hunting? – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – “Afar: A Journey to the Origins of the Planet”. In northeastern Ethiopia, the Afar Depression is a place where the earth breathes fire and beauty arises from the most extreme elements. The Salt Sea, with its vast salt plains, reflects the sun like an infinite mirror, creating a landscape of silence and blinding purity. In the Danakil Depression, the earth opens into deep fissures, revealing a primordial and timeless world. The Erta Ale volcano, with its bubbling lava lake, illuminates the night with its infernal glow, showcasing the Earth’s raw power. In Dallol, the vibrant colors of sulfur, iron oxide, and salt combine into surreal forms, like a natural work of art. Afar is a region of contrasts and wonders, where nature’s majesty is displayed in its fullest expression. In the fiery heart of Ethiopia, the earth reveals its splendor and power, reminding us of the grandeur of our planet.
TAD FETTIG
The photographer describes the icebergs as silent witnesses, but their additional copy and sentiment depicts them more as silent victims of the climate crisis – powerless against a warming planet. Beautifully balanced, the image captures sea, ice and sky in a subtle gradient tone, allowing the exactness of this natural landscape to be appreciated without any enhancement or manipulation. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – I am enthralled by the raw beauty and profound fragility of our natural world. My work delves deep into the theme of impermanence, focusing on the delicate majesty of melting icebergs–silent witnesses to our changing planet. Through my lens, I capture the ethereal essence of these icy giants in their fleeting glory. These images serve as poignant reminders of the critical juncture at which we now stand, observing beauty that may soon vanish from our world. My photography aims to evoke both awe and urgency. I showcase the breathtaking splendor of these Arctic and Antarctic wonders, while subtly highlighting their vulnerability.
FABIAN WIKTOR
A detailed image of reality is presented to the viewer, one where nature has seemingly adapted to the human-made, concrete urban structures that have enveloped their natural environment. As the photographer has pointed out these scenes are more common than not, the world has become used to this ‘symbiotic’ relationship where humans force nature to fall in line with the redevelopment of planet Earth. A thought provoking scene that would work well as part of a wider series on this topic. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – “Pinnacles?” Humans have explored and conquered almost every place on earth. They have created settlements imaginably large. Yet life would not be possible for us without all the creatures that surround us. And it would most certainly not be enjoyable either. So even if we believe to be the pinnacle of evolution, are able build the highest towers and drill the deepest holes – we will never truly rule this planet.
The story I want to tell is inspired by a documentary I recently watched about our planet and its never ending transformation over the billions of years of its existence. Forged by fire and primal forces and horrendously disrupted for numerous times, life always found a way to thrive. It’s been like that and always will be, even long after we’re gone at one point in time. This fact alone is as astonishing as it can be. Yet the forms of life that have developed and what they have achieved in constant interaction with each other to me is beyond comprehensible. I therefore want to provide a glimpse of the steps that have led to modern human civilisation as the (questionable) pinnacle of life’s existence.
TYLER DAVIS
Heat and energy are emitted from this image, with the sky as animated as the lava lake below it. An abstract display of black and orange engages the viewer further, as the photographer’s use of slow shutter speed allows for the movement of elements to become a main character in the scene. An animated and alluring landscape that truly engages the senses. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – The Smoking Mountain. One of eight active lava lakes in the world, Ethiopia’s Erta Ale means “Smoking Mountain” in the local Afar language.
OLIVIER CAUNE
There is a ‘film noir’ element to this scene, like it has been created and structured in a particular way to depict a wider, unseen narrative. However it’s the viewer’s imagination that will conjure up the accompanying storyline here as they investigate the immensity of the surrounding, white space and contemplate the unknown that awaits in the distant pocket of trees. An ominous but intriguing image. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – Path, Rigaud, Quebec.
ANNIE DENTEN
The viewer takes in this perfect merging of a manufactured monolith against the naturally formed terrain – both components fill this frame to compete for attention and dominance. The rusty, earthy tonal range adds to the tangible element of this large scale scene, allowing an abstract quality to embody the image. A very aesthetically pleasing photograph, well framed and presented, and with an interesting message about the tussle between the natural and built worlds. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – The natural meets man-made. The canyons of the Colorado River coexist with The Hoover Dam on the Arizona-Nevada border.
LAWRENCE UMENHOFER
Reminiscent of an old computer screen saver, this perfect picture of green and blue appears almost artificially composed, encouraging the viewer to study it in greater detail. The manicured lawn is as appealing as the open blue sky, seemingly endless and unchangeable. The image is simultaneously unusual and ordinary, making for a captivating photograph. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – Serene Green.
ANDRES GOMEZ SALAZAR
Appearing like a mirage at sea the small stretch of land becomes both a sign of hope and a confusing perspective as it breaks up into the horizon. The photographer has intentionally created a scene to attract and intrigue the viewer, subtly involving a pattern of code into the disappearing landscape. A simple but complex scene all at once as we take on this photographer’s unique view of the natural world. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – Nature Code Morse. An image shot in San Blas Islands where optical aberrations create a metaphor in the horizon and I took the opportunity manipulating colors to turn a landscape into a code.
WILL SHOTWELL
The image presents more like a painting than a photograph with its smooth appearance, minimal color pallet and balanced textures of sand and wood. An aesthetically pleasing picture that echoes its caption in an obvious visual sense, the decaying trunk representing time changing as the tree returns back to the earth where it once grew and prospered. A well composed image. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – The Sands of Time.
ANDREW CLIFFORTH
At first the image appears like the page of a newspaper, the repetitive linear pattern of this Lavender field reveals itself like blurred lines on a page – the structured layout of the crop going against any organic formation that the natural landscape would produce. The scope of this harvest shows the amount of work for these labourers, the task ahead seeming daunting. An interesting perspective where the viewer is drawn into the reality of mass harvesting and the artificial structuring behind the beauty. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – Late Harvest – Cadeilhan, France. A 3 year old Lavender Aspic crop, before the harvest.
CELINE FRERS
Scale becomes the dominant subject within this intense landscape scene, allowing the wildness of the sky to overpower the presence of the derelict building standing solitarily on the horizon. The darkening and intimidating storm clouds seem to be attempting to consume the golden rays of light, however both are at play in a powerful tussle as they consume the majority of the image. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – The allure of the wilderness and adventure took me, almost unconsciously, to choose a profession which has led me into the heart of many wild and secret places. I seek for the beauty of remote places, trying to convey in my photos the force of nature, those given moments when it seems to explode and everything takes on a new meaning.
CHRISTOPHER RODRIGUEZ
Landscape becomes dreamscape as the photographer realizes their Arctic vision through multiple perspectives and processes. They outline their appreciation for this unique, icy terrain through the care they take creating this welcoming visual, both colorful and light. An abstract photograph that allows the viewer to appreciate the multiple layers it presents from aesthetic to conceptual to environmental. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – Svalbard’ explores the slippery relationship between reality and the imagination within the otherworldly landscape of the Arctic-a place where the Anthropocene is most acutely observable. It is a subset of my project ;Afterlife’, where I create landscapes inspired by early 19th-century naturalist Alexander Humboldt, credited with identifying that nature is a web of interdependent systems. Humboldt ignited public interest in nature and landscape and stood at the forefront of scientific inquiry, not merely as a scientist, but also as a polymath advocating for using poetics to uncover nature’s essential truths. The original title ‘Afterlife’ refers to landscapes reborn, transformed and re-imagined in-camera for the ultimate purpose of encouraging the viewer to consider nature and our disintegrating landscapes. I aim to impart an other-worldly feeling to the landscapes, with disembodied figures, unusual lighting, and other techniques, to allow the viewer to question whether or not the images are real and of this place and time.
My first approach to the Arctic landscape was to convey its hallucinatory quality through sculptural compositions with augmented lighting. The vastness of the Arctic environment and the realization of its potential disappearance disoriented and overwhelmed me. The ever-shifting light further renewed my sense of awe minute by minute. These surreal experiences eroded my trust in my own perceptions, ultimately blurring the line between reality and my imagination. I created images that sought to embrace this ambiguity, and interpreted the Arctic’s white landscape as a wonderful canvas to ‘paint’ on.
My second approach was to capture the overwhelming sense of change and movement by incorporating in-camera painterly glitches that trace the motion of sea ice and our ship. All matter in nature is in flux, but this is especially evident in the Arctic, where sea ice and glaciers constantly melt and retreat. Most of the landscape I experienced was fleeting and sublime as I traveled by ship. Several times a day, I would disembark to explore further, often not on land, but upon a 6-9 foot thick ice sheet floating atop the undulating ocean. You could feel it move, and it was disorienting. Using a special ‘gigapixel’ setting on my camera designed to photograph subjects with no movement, I made conventionally composed landscapes that might otherwise belong to a more outdated genre of landscape photography–But the movement in these photographs from the ship, my body, or the ice sheet traced itself onto the photographs, compressing time and movement into colorful inventions at the scale of each pixel.
The concept of nature as an isolated island, apart from humanity, is a myth perpetuated by our complete domination and commodification of it, which ultimately threatens us all. In truth, nature is a fundamental concept that we influence through the landscapes we create. As an artist, my goal is to cultivate a genuine connection with nature through the act of creation to draw attention to these larger ideas. Svalbard is my continuing dialog with nature for these purposes.
HEIDI VICTORIA
A stark warning accompanies this whimsical picture – while celebrating nature’s resilience it is also highlights the issues of humans’ continuous invasion of the natural world. The photographer allows the penguins to explore and navigate this unfamiliar set-up, as they patiently wait to capture the perfect moment. A well framed moment that quietly reflects an ever growing issue of human sprawl and interference. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – Nature is full of wonder, wherever the location and whatever the climate. Mother Nature’s creatures have learned to adapt to much of humankind’s intrusion but now, more than ever, humans must learn from and respect Mother Nature to ensure the cycle of co-existence can continue. There is no ‘Planet B’.
CHRISTOPHER HENDRIKS
The remnants of this structure strike a stunning sculptural piece within this natural landscape. Almost perfectly formed and exact, the concrete and stone appear both foreign to and belonging to this calm coastal scape. From the reflective waters to the smooth sand and stone, the tactile aspect of the image adds another dimension to the scene with subtle textures and surfaces complementing one another. By framing this structure quite tightly, it dominates the frame, emphasizing humankind’s impact on the natural world. A forgotten monument to our folly. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – These selected frames encompass what I set out to observe when I travel. Fun angles, strange compositions which make sense and teleport me/anyone into the scene. This image: Concrete and Sea, France, digital.
ANNA KALINICHENKO
Darkness fills the frame as the sky hangs low and an electrical atmosphere builds on the horizon, the viewer is drawn in and encouraged to observe the deepening blackness of the scene. Although small in comparison to the rest of the skyline, the lightning strikes illuminate the distant backdrop while displaying their powerful force. Allowing so much surrounding negative space to the scene really emphasizes the natural force within, stressing rather than blunting the power of this natural phenomenon. – LIFE FRAMER
