The Man and the Galaxy in the Mirror
Yes, also I am now one of the lucky people who witnessed of beauty of the largest salt flat in the world, the Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia. At 10582 square kilometers of 3700 meters above the sea level, is nothing but natural salt and very little water, which can work beautifully as a large natural mirror. In the deep night of 29 April, 2025, I made this beautiful and lucky shot. The galaxy in the picture is the Large Magellanic Cloud, located about 170 thousand light-years away. It is only a third larger than our entire Galaxy across. And it contains only about a tenth of the number of stars compared to our star island. Yet, like a strange cloud, it quietly guards the southern Bolivian night and reminds good souls that the universe does not end with our comfortable world. I captured the Large Magellanic Cloud reflecting in the lake, while a distant photographer and my friend Matej Fuchs appeared in the view to take a similar shot as well. Perspective of the distant person below the seemingly large galaxy brings lots of thoughts to ponder. Is there a habitable planet in the galaxy, too? Is there a life? And how about the people on Earth? Will they ever face the mirror that nature set for them? Truly magical place when making you ask so many questions. Used Canon Ra, Sigma 50mm, f1.4, ISO 6400, 30x5s exposures on tripod (H-alpha enhanced from modified camera image).
Between two Arcs of Unyuni
Little Planet of Uyuni
The Wor(l)ds of Uyuni
Between two Arcs of Unyuni
Whoever was lucky to stand on this miraculous place of our planet, must have felt it. It is place of two worlds, so close to each other like nowhere else. Standing on the natural mirror placed on our planet, you can literally see the world of the visible Universe all around – up above, but also under you feet in the reflections. It gives you a chance to ask simple questions with a very not simple answer: Where do we come from? Are we alone? Where do we belong? And is there a hope that everything’s gonna be alright, eventually? Well, the words like “miracle” and “hope” actually come actually come in your mind once you get deep in this natural mirror and stay in it all by yourself. Used Canon Ra, Sigma 35mm, f1.8, ISO 6400, 123x10s panorama from tripod (no tracking).
The wide view of Uyuni reflections
Enjoy the virtual reality… and many more
