Chromatic Photographer of the Year
Ring of Fire and Ice
DESCRIPTION
A “Ring of Fire” solar eclipse reaches annularity as two ice climbers summit the Glacier Leones in Patagonia. A drone illuminates the ice’s textures and colours, battling fierce winds that whip up plumes of snow that burn in the sun’s rays. In the foreground, the ice is strewn with rocky debris, remnants of a landslide triggered upstream. As the glacier receded, its retreat destabilised the valley walls, making them prone to collapse. This initiated a self-perpetuating cycle with the debris darkening the ice, increasing infrared absorption and further accelerating the glacier’s melt.
Recent years has seen this glacier retreat at an alarming rate, in places loosing ten metres of thickness every year. A trend that is consistent across the globe. Amplified by greenhouse gasses, it signals the demise of our frozen landscapes. By the time an eclipse passes this location, forecasts predict that there will no longer be a glacier for anyone to stand upon.
AUTHOR
Liam Man is a British photographic artist whose work combines technology, art, and reality. His signature work with drone-mounted lighting transforms environments into otherworldly visions that shimmer with a surreal clarity. Self-taught, Liam has earned recognition as Sony and Epson Ambassadors and his images have won many prestigious awards including the Sony World Photography Award (Open Photographer of the Year), Muse, Fine Art and International photography awards. Exhibited worldwide, his work has been featured in the National Geographic, BBC, New York Times, CNN and Forbes.
Liam approaches landscapes with a perspective that goes beyond traditional photography, capturing more than just objective truths. He views the natural world as alive, with personality, character, and story. By using artificial light to illuminate his subjects, he breaks free from the limitations of ambient lighting conditions, allowing him to craft bold, atmospheric portraits of the planet that feel both intimate and monumental.
Fuelled by an expeditionary spirit, Liam is no stranger to extreme environments. From braving negative 35 degrees Celsius nights in the arctic circle to perching atop 150m high sea-cliffs in Iceland, Liam often endures harsh conditions and remote terrains in pursuit of a single frame. His images are more than documentation, they are love letters to the Earth, crafted with relentless care and conviction.
