18th Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Mobile
Sunset at the shores of Loch Shiel

With the sunset framing her like a halo, an exchange student looks down at her phone while standing at the shores of Loch Shiel in the Scottish Highlands. To me, this shot is a visual representation of how technology can both enrich and erode our awe of the natural world. I used my phone to capture this image, and it will always be a way for me to remember the clarity of that winter day - the crisp air, the smooth lines of the landscape, and the cold touch of the silvery water. But the girl bent over her phone in the shot might as well be somewhere else, for she doesn't see the once-in-a-lifetime beauty around her. Her silhouette reminds me of how easy it is to forget to look up from our screens nowadays and truly engage with the world around us.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 02.2019
Date Uploaded: 11.2020
Photo Location: Glenfinnan, Scotland, United Kingdom
Camera: SM-G950F
Copyright: © Orunima Chakraborti