This black & white photograph features a group of laurel trees in the beautiful and often mystical Fanal forest in Madeira, Portugal.
The Fanal forest is part of the UNESCO World Heritage site Laurisilva of Madeira. It lies on the Paul da Serra plateau within the Parque Natural da Madeira in the north-west of the island.
Established in 1982, one of the goals of the park is to conserve one of the last remaining laurel forests or “laurisilva”. These forests now only remain on the Azores, Madeira and the Canary Islands. Some of the trees there are centuries old!
The laurel trees in the Fanal forest are a bit crooked and often oddly shaped. Their imperfections make them perfect subjects for landscape photography though. This photograph is the first one of a series of photographs taken there.
Johan spotted this composition a few days earlier and went back to photograph it on a foggy afternoon. Luckily, the sun still illuminated the scene sideways. The fog gives the photograph a mystical feel and nicely fades out the laurel trees toward the horizon. A black and white treatment seemed to fit the mood best.
The Fanal forest of Madeira also is a great starting point for hikes. There a many well-marked trails and some of the views are truly remarkable. So, make sure to visit when you are in Madeira!
Please, visit the Forest & Trees photography theme for more landscapes like this one. Alternatively, check out our Black & White Photography portfolio.
Also, consider visiting our Minimalist photography theme. It features more images with a minimalistic look and feel, like this photo of the Fanal forest in Madeira.
Sofie van Buuren –
Lovely! Especially love that small tree in the back framed by the others 😊
Johan Peijnenburg –
Thanks 😊