20th Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Natural World
Reaching out

The photo shows a particularly contorted laurel tree in an ancient forest in Madeira. Its branches grew outwards as well as upwards to capture as much light as possible, given that there were no other trees in the immediate vicinity blocking the light. This photo was taken during a magical moment of very thick fog, in which the branches of the tree seemed to reach out toward me from beyond the fog.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 10.2022
Date Uploaded: 11.2022
Photo Location: Portugal
Camera: ILCE-7RM3
Copyright: © jacopo fruchter