Iokin Gonzalez, Ocean of Fire (LANDSCAPE 2025)

At midday in Broome, Western Australia, smoke from a distant bush burn transformed the coastline into another world. The sun deepened to a red-orange glow—more like the twin suns of Tatooine than Earth’s familiar sky. Its light ignited every cresting wave, turning the turquoise Indian Ocean into what looked like molten lava. Captured at Gantheaume Point, these images freeze an ephemeral moment when land management practices and natural elements combined to create a fleeting spectacle. Standing there, I felt small and awestruck, reminded that nature’s beauty often appears when least expected. Using a 200 mm lens, I focused on isolating the waves and compressing the glowing horizon to highlight their fiery illusion. Rather than chasing technical perfection, I embraced experimentation and perspective to reveal the drama of the scene—an “ocean of fire” that will remain etched in my memory.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.