Behind the Lens: From another world
Anticrepuscular Rays is an image of the Cono de Arita that I captured with my Mavic 4 Pro in the remote region of La Puna, Argentina.
The Cono de Arita is one of those surreal places that feels like it was dropped straight out of a dream or a sci-fi film. Rising almost 200 meters from the middle of the vast Arizaro Salt Flat in northwestern Argentina, this near-perfect cone stands completely alone in the landscape.
It looks exactly like a volcano, but surprisingly, it isn’t. It’s made of rock and salt, not lava. Its symmetry and isolation make it visually striking and a bit mysterious. Locals consider it a sacred site.
Sunset is the best time to photograph the cone if you're hoping to capture that iconic long shadow stretching across the salt flat. But weather conditions and cloud cover out here are notoriously unpredictable. I was traveling with a group, leading a photography workshop in the region, and we were all hoping for something special.
At first glance, it might seem like there’s just one obvious shot to take here. But over the years, each visit has given me something new. From wild cloud formations that made it look like the cone was erupting, to this year’s once-in-a-lifetime moment with anticrepuscular rays.
When I noticed the rays starting to form, I grabbed my tripod and quickly shot from the ground with my Nikon Z9 and a 14–24mm lens at f/8, ISO 64. It was a good frame, but I instantly realised that if I could get the drone in the air quickly, and high enough, I could align the rays, so they appeared to radiate perfectly from the tip of the cone.
The drone shot came together in seconds, just before the light faded. I managed only a couple of frames before the rays disappeared, but it was enough. That single image went on to become easily the most successful of my career, winning International Aerial Photograph of the Year, a Gold Award at the Australian Photographic Prize, and being named a Head On Landscape finalist. It was also recognised at both Nature Photographer of the Year and the Siena Drone Awards—all in the same year.
I love photographing La Puna with a drone. It’s such a remote area that there are no restrictions, and the composition possibilities are endless. Some photographers didn’t believe the shot was real—they assumed it was a long exposure or a radial blur effect in Photoshop. But it’s a single capture, exactly as it appeared in that unforgettable moment.
La Puna remains one of my favourite places on Earth. It never fails to surprise me. Every trip delivers something wild and beautiful. I’ll be heading there later this year, and I honestly can’t wait to go back.
