Behind the Shot
A tropical squall was raging when photographer Alex Van Kampen took this shot in the Maldives, an island state in the Indian Ocean. Making the most of the moment, Alex elected to freeze the raindrops with a fast shutter speed, while also allowing them to remain on his camera lens. The result: a dramatic image that, says Alex, “freezes the raindrops in time, showcasing their individual shapes and movements.”
At the same time, the frozen raindrops sparkle like stars in the night sky, adding a mesmerizing touch to the image. “Raindrops and stars both evoke a sense of wonder and awe, showcasing the beauty of the world around us and reminding us of the vastness of the universe,” says Alex. So too does the sense of being surrounded by water, with its unique power to create a sense of tranquility and peace—a feeling of being at one with nature and its elements. That sense draws us into what the surfer in the image must have been feeling—an exhilarated delight in the “beauty and majesty of our planet.”