by Editor Michel Romaggi in collaboration with the author Carlos Gonzalez 
Edited and published by Yvette Depaepe, the 18th of Ocotber 2023

Stunning landscapes and magical lights are what make the images of Carlos so unique and magnificent.

'Mar de nubes' (Sea of Clouds)

Dear Carlos, can you give us some information about 'Mar de nubes' (Sea of Clouds)? How did you get this amazing result?

I had a bit of luck when I took this photograph. It is a well known peak by mountaineers.  Under its summit is the Riaño reservoir, commonly known in Spain as the Spanish Lofoten, as it is pretty similar to the Norwegian fjords. Even in the winter, it is a place where a lot of snow accumulates. 

At certain times of the year it is a place where the temperature differences create fog over the reservoir, a dense fog that gives a special touch to the already magic of the place.
After an impressive sunset and a good dinner I went to sleep for a while in my sleeping bag and waited for the previously planned winter milky way to become visible. The magic of the place did the rest with the mist hanging over the valley.
It is a panoramic picture with three rows and 9 pictures per row.
I used a Sony A7III and a Sony 16-35 Gm 2.8.
The parameters were ISO 6400, 20 sec exposure and f2.8 all at 16mm.
The resulting photo was merged and processed in Lightrroom and Photoshop with the typical adjustments of brightness, contrast, saturation, some adjustments in curves and treating some areas separately. Enjoying those conditions and that specific night were the reasons of 99% of the result.

You always show us special light such as starry nights, sunrises, sunsets, through the clouds, northern lights. The places where you go, are mostly isolated places where nature is everywhere. I suppose these choices are not only for aesthetic purposes?

Not at all, I think that being in a privileged environment, is not available to everyone and always is a bonus for the motivation. Being able to discover new places, mountains... that's what keeps me going. I can't conceive a trip without night photography, which leads me to try to discover the best places possible. Long walks with 20 kg on my back make me plan everything conscientiously, nothing is left to chance.

'Hamnoy'

Can you tell us  a little about yourself and how you came to photography?

I am a Spanish photographer living in the North of Spain, specifically in Asturias, a land that can boast of being one of the best coasts in the world, if not the best. My start in photography was with the digital era. Being able to do all the photographic procedures by myself was something that opened my eyes and awakened my interest. From then on, I developed my passion even more.
I have always been a self-taught photographer. When I began there weren't a lot of trainings available, so it was a real challenge for me to understand photography. With time and a lot of perseverance I acquired the knowledge that I have today.

'Waterfall'

My passion for nature and search to discover new places made me acquire a whole winter mountain equipment, tent, bag, mat, clothes and ...etcetera.

'Ice mountains'

Thank you, Carlos, for sharing your passion for nature through photography.