FINALIST IN TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 2017 - EARTH & CLIMATE PORTFOLIO
Fumarole on Mount Pico, the highest peak of Portugal (2351 metres). This dormant stratovolcano is located right in the mid-Atlantic and its fumarole is more likely to be observed in winter and early spring, when cold air maximises the difference in temperature between the expelled gases and the environment, allowing enough water vapour to condense. On the other hand, clear skies and very weak winds are also needed to make the phenomenon clearly observable and these are less likely to occur in winter and spring. This explains why, overall, the fumarole on Mount Pico is very rarely seen, let alone photographed. A lucky sunrise in spring, out of dozens of unsuccessful ones, finally allowed me to capture it.