The Canadian Chapter of SATW (Society of American Travel Writers) held their annual awards on March 26, and we’re thrilled to announce that our photo won Gold (First Place) in the Best Photo of Places category. Titled “Bewitched”, it shows Arlene next to an unusual tree that has been dubbed the Witch. With its twisted form, elaborate headdress, and leaning stance, the Witch seems to be reaching out to beckon visitors. Who can resist a high five with a tree?
The setting is the Fanal Forest on the Portuguese island of Madeira. Part of the Laurisilva of Madeira UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Fanal Forest holds the largest and best-preserved laurel forest in the world. These ancient trees, with moss-covered trunks and gangly limbs, seem to twist and contort in every direction.
Getting the Shot
The trees look ghostly at the best of times, but when the fog rolls in, the spooky atmosphere is cranked up a few notches. Because we can only see a short distance in thick fog, the Witch becomes isolated from the distracting background, as if she is coming to life out of the mist.
The biggest ingredient in the shot is waiting for the fog. We were fortunate to be surrounded by fog several times during our visit. However, the fog wasn’t constant. We could be under a bright and clear sky one moment, then watch the fog roll in almost unexpectedly, only to disappear again in short order.
The changeable conditions have a lot to do with the lay of the land. It’s fairly level near the Witch, but nearby, the land drops sharply. The forest lies in the mountains, but close to the sea, with the mix of warm and cool air and the contours of the land adding to the instability.
Being Prepared
The key is to be ready because the conditions we want may not last. Once we have fog, taking the photo is fairly straightforward. We used a Nikon Z9 with a 16mm lens, but practically any camera with a wide-angle lens could do the job. Settings were 1/320 sec., f/8, ISO 200. We didn’t need a lot of depth of field, so f/8 provided plenty on such a wide-angle lens. A shutter speed of 1/320 sec. made it possible to hand-hold the camera.
We brought a tripod and used it for a few shots, but most of the time there was sufficient light to simply hand-hold the camera, which made it easier to move around and try different angles.
We did a more extensive blog posting on Photographing the Enchanted Fanal Forest, including background on why this area is so special.