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After eight centuries of silence, a volcano in southwestern Iceland began erupting again in December 2023. Following its third recent eruption, in February of this year, photographer Marco Di Marco captured this image of lava after it crossed the main road to Grindavik, heading toward the area of the popular Blue Lagoon spa.
Di Marco was keeping a safe distance in the Blue Lagoon parking lot when he took this photo by drone. Knowing that he might have to move to an even safer spot soon, he still attempted to create the most effective image. “I wanted to get a closer view of the lava-flow front, trying to frame all the elements that can describe the situation: the molten lava, the road, the burning asphalt, and the snow-covered terrain,” he says.
The image, while beautiful to look at, still conveys a sense of urgency, as you witness the lava enveloping the road, contrasting with the cold snow underneath it. “I think it resonates because the photo shows an unusual combination of natural elements that most viewers don’t get to see on a daily basis,” explains di Marco. “Both lava and snow frame the road, the only witness of human presence between these two powerful forces of nature.”
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