Smithsonian magazine's 22nd Annual Photo Contest | Made possible through the support of MPB.com

22nd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Natural World
River Lee Navigation

The River Lee Navigation is a cut of the River Lee which is part of the London-wide canal system, these days used mostly only by houseboat-dwellers. The towpaths along the canals are popular routes to nearby parks and recreation facilities with their verdant vegetation by the waterside and bucolic vistas of narrowboats ambling in the sunset. I myself cycle on it regularly, and have taken many a picture of its charms. On this occasion I was struck by the blank electronic billboard casting an eerie light on the river. The water appears as if it were frozen, but it is more likely a build-up of algae. Love how an otherwise disruptive, man-made structure can light up its natural environment and lend it a haunting, mysterious atmosphere we wouldn't have normally experienced in the dark, say, pre-industrialisation. A new aspect of water, flora and fauna is revealed to us allowing us to appreciate their beauty in a new light despite the source being an ugly electronic instrument

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 10.2023
Date Uploaded: 12.2024
Photo Location: London, United Kingdom
Camera: iPhone 11 Pro
Copyright: © Tomas Baltazari