Salineras de Maras

Nathan E.

Full-Spectrum Converted Sony a6400, 590nm Infrared Filter, modified disposable camera lens

• Artist Statement

  I captured this photo on a trip to Peru, visiting the “Salineras de Maras,” or salt mines, of Cusco. Many of the landscapes in Peru were dreamlike: with tall mountains piercing the sky, glassy rivers, mysterious sites of ancient ruins that seemed to defy reality. I wanted to convey this feeling of surreality through this image. I utilized a full spectrum camera with a 590nm infrared filter to make the trees and foliage bright red in hue (after performing a color channel swap), conveying the otherworldly feeling of the landscape. And I furthered this theme of surrealism by using a plastic disposable camera lens, which I connected to my digital camera by a self-designed 3D-printed adapter. This lens added a soft and fuzzy haze, making the scene feel distant and almost improbably beautiful.

• Creative Statement

  To me, creativity means a state of freedom in the mind. One cannot force creativity; it comes naturally but exists in everyone.