The enchanting primeval Fanal Forest on Madeira is one of the last laurel forests in the world and is therefore listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Also known as the Laurisilva, it once covered all the islands of Madeira. (The endemic trees are from the Lauraceae family, from which the Laurisilva forest takes its name.) Over the centuries, the laurel forests have largely been cleared, and the remaining forests are now protected. Regular cloud cover ensures very humid conditions in which the laurel trees thrive. They currently cover an area of approximately 15,000 hectares, which corresponds to 20 per cent of the island. Madeira is now the proud guardian of an ecological heritage of inestimable value.
The mysterious atmosphere of Fanal is greatly enhanced by all the gnarled and twisted trees, which contrast so beautifully with the misty backgrounds. They can be covered by as many as 20 different types of moss. Photographers roam the grounds, especially when the mist envelops the forest and the mystical atmosphere amongst the ancient trees becomes apparent. But the fog often clears as the day goes on. This was also the case at sunset, when the clouds (mist) retreated to a lower level and the sun emerged. As the sun shone down on the sea of clouds beneath me, a beautiful blue, white, and green layered image appeared, and I simply sat down for a moment to enjoy the view. As the sun sank lower, a touch of orange appeared in the sky, but without any clouds higher up, I thought it would give me a rather dull photo.
After wandering around for about ten minutes, I found this dead tree stump, which provided me with a nice frame around the disappearing sun. I closed the aperture as much as I dared to create a starburst effect. There’s still a lot of negative space in the photo, but for me this picture is a cherished memory from a beautiful spot on Earth.
