Most photographers approach landscape photography as a showcase of the beauty of the natural scene before them. Others bring attention to the mesmerizing shapes, patterns and textures of nature. However, it’s also interesting to see photographers experiment with the landscape for some otherworldly night photos. Today’s photography inspiration is a fine example of that.
A quick peek at the portfolio of Budapest-based freelance photographer and Sony Alpha Ambassador Gabor Nagy shows us the most stunning locations he has been to for his landscape photography. It’s easy to see that many of them definitely require multiple visits. Among them is Madeira Island in the southwest of Portugal, known for its historic wine, culture, and beautiful landscape.
On his first visit in 2018, he did an aerial photography series featuring the rugged coastline of Ponta de São Lourenço in the easternmost part of the island. Since then, he wanted to go back to visit another iconic spot, the magical Fanal Forest.
“I wanted to travel back to the island and visit Fanal forest, because the place just stole my heart,” Nagy said. “I felt constantly inspired by the surreal landscape and the ever-changing weather conditions.”
Madeira by Night
On its own, the forest was already popular among travelers and photographers for its otherworldly beauty that seemed straight out of a fairy tale. But, he also wanted to capture the forest’s seemingly enchanted trees in a unique way. Fortunately, he came up with an idea for his visit in July 2021.
“I was thinking about how I could show a never-before-seen face of Fanal in a new series of photos. Lately, I started to experiment with RGB lights in natural environments. During my research, I found out there isn’t a lot of nighttime shots about the forest. So, the idea was born.”
The result is “Madeira by Night,” a collection of fine art landscapes that highlighted the forest in a different light — literally and figuratively. “I envisioned the photos months before our arrival to the location, and the final results have come out just as good as I saw them in my head.”
It’s also worth noting that Nagy made the series while he working on another project. The short film titled “The Unquestionable” was commissioned by Sony Europe for the Alpha 1 flagship camera. Make sure you also watch it below:
Transforming a landscape at night
The series is a great example of what we can achieve in photography when we explore ideas and possibilities. By taking his RGB lights experiment to Madeira, Nagy was able to transform parts of Fanal Forest into colorful nightscapes. Just as he visualized, the results gave a different mood and effect to the island’s famed forest.
We can also see the series as an option for instances when daytime shooting situations are less than ideal. Sometimes, the weather can shift unexpectedly and make scenes look drab or dreary for the usual landscape photography. Ideas like Nagy’s can make the most out of your time in a location, especially if you can’t go back as often as you’d like. If you can, why not bring some lights and color gels with you and see what you can make out of the landscape at night?
Liked this colorful series? Don’t forget to check out Gabor Nagy’s website and Behance portfolio to see more of his impressive landscape work.
Photos by Gabor Nagy. Used with Creative Commons permission.
