Chiara Zonca Photographs New Zealand’s Other-Wordly Landscapes

Zonca flew to New Zealand to photograph the active volcano and surrounding rocky terrain of Whakaari, or White Island, on the east coast of the country’s North “I am hoping this collection will inspire a true sense of mystery and renewed respect for nature” Island. The entire island is an accessible and active volcano and some of the photographs were taken at the inner crater. Images are subtly color-graded to enhance the contrast of the green hues and misty greys of the area. The results feature foggy cliffs, green lagoons, and snow-capped mountain peaks across a vast lake; creating the feeling of being lost in a foreign kingdom, in a world beyond the one we know. Of the series, Zonca recently described to Boom: “Ultimately I am hoping this collection will inspire a true sense of mystery and renewed respect for nature and our surroundings, that way too often we tend to forget and should instead be re-discovered.” Zonca’s emphasis on color palette and composition are evident in ‘It Devours’; and the evocative landscapes indeed devour the viewer. She skillfully captures the environment at exact moments in time when weather conditions and altering light levels combine to remind the viewer how awe-inspiring nature is.