WPY 2014

Photograph Details

Finalist 2014

Earth's Environments

Alessandro Carboni, Italy

Ice land

Alessandro decided to visit Iceland, a ‘place of fire, ice and stormy seas’, very different from his Mediterranean homeland of Sardinia. He travelled to Jökulsárlón, a glacial lagoon famous for its blue ice. He wanted to convey the remoteness, the power of the elements, and the beauty of the colours. Focussing on a single block of ice stranded on the volcanic beach, he set it centre frame. Using a long exposure and low‑level view, he concentrated on the pattern of black sand left by the withdrawing surf. High winds and spray meant it took many attempts to capture both the pull of the ocean and the subtle colour contrasts of sky, sea and ice.

Technical specification

Nikon D700 + Zeiss Distagon 21mm f2.8 lens + Lee 0.75 ND graduated filter; 1.3 sec at f16; ISO 200; Gitzo tripod.

Jökulsárlón, Iceland: latitude 64.0672, longitude -16.223 Jökulsárlón, Iceland: latitude 64.0672, longitude -16.223

Jökulsárlón, Iceland



Alessandro Carboni

Alessandro Carboni, Italy

The landscape of Alessandro’s Sardinian homeland is his primary inspiration. He prefers to escape the urban environment in search of unspoilt places, where he can photograph the landscape and its wildlife and unveil its magic. His aim is to raise public awareness and to inspire others to care for the environment, which he believes begins with an appreciation of its beauty.