The Lost City

Gallery: Man & NaturePosted June 13, 20101,356 views37 comments

The warm rays of sunrise begin to burn off the morning fog over the lost city of Machu Picchu, Peru. I was lucky enough to be on the first train back to the ruins after the disastrous floods of winter, 2009. This was the first day in nearly 4 months that the park had received any visitors. And it was empty at sunrise! This is a fairly standard composition, but the light was pretty special...

Thanks for looking.

-Mike

Hasselblad H2D-39 with 35mm lens.

Comments

37 comments

Comment posted by Ken Smith on June 13, 2010 at 7:14 PM

Yes, a common composition...my daughter was there last year...delivering and fitting wheelchairs to locals ...included was a visit to this area. I got to see a photo quite similar ...only with respect to pov. But, what you've captured is ...simply off the charts...that golden light and fog lifting gives a fantastic mood of discovery and enchantment. Excellent!

Registered on September 5, 2008, 449 Posts, 2444 Comments

Comment posted by Morris McClung on June 13, 2010 at 7:19 PM

Hmmm, seems a higher power continues to put you places where your talent will make the most of the gifts He gives. I have seen photos from here for years, but none I can remember have the mystic, magical, still dwelling of spirits quality that this one has. Unbelievable!

Registered on May 7, 2007, 670 Posts, 19650 Comments

Comment posted by Luke Ormand on June 13, 2010 at 7:26 PM

Beautiful lighting and the fog is just amazing. My brother has been there and he said it's virtually impossible to get a photo of anything without people in it - so congrats, that's a feat in and of itself!

Registered on February 4, 2009, 1093 Posts, 7035 Comments

Comment posted by Nick Bristol on June 13, 2010 at 7:44 PM

The light, the detail and the view is amazing. Love this!

Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, Wi

Registered on February 1, 2004, 752 Posts, 14140 Comments

Comment posted by scott lanz on June 13, 2010 at 7:52 PM

Wow.

Registered on November 14, 2003, 840 Posts, 12902 Comments

Comment posted by Carol Nichols on June 13, 2010 at 8:16 PM

Mike, I've seen many photos of Machu Picchu, but none that have captured the mystical nature of this area like your image. Kudos to you for getting here before the masses start descending (or should I say ascending) on this location again.

Registered on November 7, 2007, 161 Posts, 1420 Comments

Comment posted by INGOMA on June 13, 2010 at 11:06 PM

Hands down the best image of Machu Picchu I have ever seen!

Registered on July 2, 2004, 231 Posts, 3110 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Wong on June 14, 2010 at 1:02 AM

Mike - you've been to a lot of amazing places and have done amazing things with these scenes. This is pretty special.

Registered on February 2, 2006, 79 Posts, 2629 Comments

Comment posted by Zack Schnepf on June 14, 2010 at 1:46 AM

This is incredible Mike! This is one location I've always wanted to photograph, and you've captured it in epic conditions here! Fantastic light and atmosphere. The fog clearing off the ruins really sends this one over the top. Congratulations on such an epic capture!

Registered on November 1, 2003, 403 Posts, 2528 Comments

Comment posted by Gary McGhee on June 14, 2010 at 5:55 AM

The light is special as you say Michael, it's a great shot.

Gary.

Registered on April 15, 2010, 142 Posts, 2416 Comments

Comment posted by Stan Rose on June 14, 2010 at 11:44 AM

That is just sick, Mike, fabulously sick!

Registered on September 15, 2005, 836 Posts, 17099 Comments

Comment posted by Zack Schnepf on June 14, 2010 at 11:51 AM

Mike, I keep coming back to this one. This is one of your all time best IMO. Incredible work my friend! Did I mention how jealous I am?

Registered on November 1, 2003, 403 Posts, 2528 Comments

Comment posted by Mat Malone on June 14, 2010 at 1:37 PM

Amazing view, Mike. The fog and light are really nice. I think I would do a little dodging in the ULC.

P.S. Nice camera!

Registered on December 15, 2008, 91 Posts, 882 Comments

Comment posted by Dorin Bofan on June 14, 2010 at 1:51 PM

Incredible image, Mike! Easily one of your best. This is epic!

Registered on April 30, 2007, 122 Posts, 3086 Comments

Comment posted by Jeremy Kessler on June 14, 2010 at 6:30 PM

yep this is absolutley epic. Couldn't dream of better conditions.

Registered on September 13, 2007, 36 Posts, 1283 Comments

Comment posted by Anand Narayanan on June 14, 2010 at 9:02 PM

that eerie fog plus absence of people puts it over the top

Registered on October 25, 2009, 110 Posts, 835 Comments

Comment posted by Michael Anderson on June 14, 2010 at 9:33 PM

Thanks for all of the feedback! I appreciate it. Machu Picchu certainly deserves it's designation as one of the seven wonders of the world.

-Mike

Registered on January 31, 2006, 228 Posts, 3072 Comments

Comment posted by Edward Nunez on June 14, 2010 at 10:43 PM

Man, everything I have seen from your latest trip is just fantastic!
Great light, and mood for this location. The best I've seen from there!

Registered on April 19, 2007, 65 Posts, 711 Comments

Comment posted by Dietrich Gloger on June 15, 2010 at 12:51 AM

Wow, must be the best image of this "icon" I have seen. Amazing!

Registered on January 26, 2007, 360 Posts, 9876 Comments

Comment posted by Grant Collier on June 15, 2010 at 1:18 AM

This is spectacular! The clouds are perfect. It does seem a bit too yellow to me.

Registered on July 29, 2005, 73 Posts, 430 Comments

Comment posted by Kah Kit Yoong on June 15, 2010 at 1:20 AM

Totally amazing. I love how ghostly the lost city is looking. Talk about right place right time.

Registered on September 27, 2006, 636 Posts, 10682 Comments

Comment posted by Harley Goldman on June 15, 2010 at 6:51 PM

Killer fog really makes this image. Very cool and other-worldly.

Registered on November 19, 2003, 586 Posts, 11271 Comments

Comment posted by Rick Lundh on June 16, 2010 at 5:34 PM

WOW! Common scene...but jeez-louise, not so common of a take on this. Best I've seen of this local...and actually one of my favorite of yours! Magic sums this one up!

Very minor nit pic here, but I would like to see that bright spot on the cliff cloned out as it pulls a tad bit of my attention to it.

Registered on April 28, 2004, 774 Posts, 4351 Comments

Comment posted by Verena & Georg Pop on June 17, 2010 at 1:57 PM

Sweet. a worn-out location photo-wise but the way the fog meanders around like a snake is really special. it gives the scenery that ancient ghostly touch it needs to spark the fantasies we have of Mayas and Incas.
the sky is a bit odd and I think I detect some nd grad-lines, but thats truly minor and easily repaired.
well done!
georg

Registered on July 5, 2006, 272 Posts, 2823 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Hackley on June 18, 2010 at 4:33 PM

Stunning, one of the best images from Machu Picchu I have ever seen, fantastic light. Well done, a pleasure to view.

Registered on September 17, 2009, 302 Posts, 5535 Comments

Comment posted by Kevin McNeal on June 20, 2010 at 9:56 PM

Without a doubt one of my all-time favorite images. This image seems so surreal and so out of this world yet every detail comes through in the atmospheric conditions really enhanced the depth of this image. The unique light ain't too shabby either.

Registered on May 19, 2006, 209 Posts, 3202 Comments

Comment posted by Greg Cope on June 21, 2010 at 10:33 AM

Such an iconic location and photographed so many times, but the unique light and fog pushes this far beyond.

Registered on January 22, 2007, 212 Posts, 2737 Comments

Comment posted by Benjamin Glatt on June 22, 2010 at 3:14 AM

Wow, the quality of light here is just unbelievable. Top notch, Mike. Your recent best, imo. Great shot.

Registered on July 15, 2007, 171 Posts, 3566 Comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on June 22, 2010 at 8:05 PM

Beautiful light and scene - hope to be there one day.
Congrats on the EP!

Sandy r

Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments

Comment posted by Anthony Vincent on June 22, 2010 at 8:06 PM

congrats on the ep Michael

I do think I see a few people

What a location and hope to visit sometime in my life. Curious if the ruins are lum. blurred, I browsed through and nobody mentioned it. Just wondering
Well deserved

Registered on February 5, 2009, 199 Posts, 2775 Comments

Comment posted by Doug Benner on June 22, 2010 at 8:48 PM

I've never seen this scene captured as beautifully. Congratulations.

Registered on December 8, 2003, 482 Posts, 1868 Comments

Comment posted by Jim DeWitt on June 23, 2010 at 1:46 PM

A stupendous view of an iconic image. The light and fog transform the shot. Congratulations on a wonderful shot and on the EP.

Registered on August 28, 2006, 1240 Posts, 8506 Comments

Comment posted by Cliff Dodge on June 28, 2010 at 12:58 AM

Beautiful!

Registered on March 25, 2006, 125 Posts, 507 Comments

Comment posted by SimonRumford on July 7, 2010 at 9:30 AM

great shot, lots of detail the mist really adds to the lighting effect, I really like this shot

Registered on June 25, 2010, 28 Posts, 80 Comments

Comment posted by Ian Haskell on July 13, 2010 at 6:28 PM

This shot is amazing...I think one of my favorite of your. Congrats.

Ian

Registered on October 30, 2008, 24 Posts, 673 Comments

Comment posted by Patricia Brundage on July 14, 2010 at 6:07 AM

In addition to the physical characteristics of the place, its the mood of the light and haze that bring it to a higher level. Wonderful image... congratulations on a well deserved WP.

Registered on March 23, 2006, 1111 Posts, 6531 Comments

Comment posted by Eric Mannino on January 28, 2011 at 8:43 AM

Amazing! Best shot of Machu Picchu I've ever seen. Seems dreamlike. Great work and be sure to thank God for allowing you to be there at that perfect time.

Registered on November 16, 2009, 22 Posts, 65 Comments