Mountains in the Mist

Wulingyuan (武陵源) National Park, Hunan, China: this UNESCO World Heritage Site is noted for more than 3,000 pine-clad sandstone pinnacles and pillars, many over 200 meters (660 ft) in height. The otherworldly cliffs of Wulingyuan were the real-world inspiration for the floating Hallelujah Mountains of Pandora in James Cameron's blockbuster film, “Avatar.”

When shrouded in mist, the pillars are transformed into the image of a classical Chinese landscape painting. But catching that moment is not an easy shot. It requires long waits for the pouring rain that causes super moist air to create a dense fog and then for a topographically uncharacteristic wind to also part the clouds, revealing this quintessential landscape.

I photographed these mountains six times in four different seasons and only saw the fog twice and just for a fleeting moment. On my last try in 2019, I stayed with a family at the top of the mountains for a week, waiting for that singular moment as I scoped the park’s best vantage points. On the second day, I awoke to thick fog. It was so dense, I even had difficultly in the early morning light finding the location I had preselected. When the rain started, I had a feeling my patience would finally be rewarded with the weather we were after. As the winds picked up, the clouds parted for all too brief a moment lasting no more than minutes. I love how the fog both hides and reveals these massive sandstone pillars, showing off their soft mysterious beauty. Without the fog, in my opinion, there is no picture.

--Metadata-- Exposure: 1/320 sec at f/4.0 ISO: 100 Focal length: 44mm Lens: FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS Camera Model: Sony A7RM3