A few years ago, I went to Australia on a working holiday. One day, after work, I turned on the TV, and a stunning scene appeared on the screen.
The image showed water acting as a mirror, reflecting the sky — the earth and sky merged into one color. Back then, Bolivia’s “Mirror of the Sky” wasn’t as famous as it is now, and I had no idea such a place existed. I stared at the TV, hoping the show would reveal more about this location. It turned out to be a documentary and photography project called 'Salt' by Australian photographer Murray Fredericks (1). His project has won twelve international awards and has been screened at film festivals in over fifty countries, as well as on American TV networks ABC and PBS.
As someone who had just started learning photography, after watching the program, I decided that before leaving Australia, I had to visit this place. In the end, I reached it on the final stop of my trip across the country. This place is called Lake Eyre (2).
The area around Lake Eyre is a vast wilderness, located in the desert of central Australia. It takes over two hours to drive there from the nearest small village.
Lake Eyre, situated in central Australia, is an ephemeral lake. When it rarely fills to capacity, it becomes the largest lake in Australia. Its surface sits twelve meters below sea level, and at its lowest, it is a shallow salt pan.
The salt left behind after the water dries up.
Lake Eyre is completely desolate, but when I arrived, I encountered a television crew. However, they didn’t stay long and soon left.
Approaching the lakeshore.
The lake and sky merge into one color.
During dusk, the colors kept shifting.
The eastern sky turned a shade of pink.
The sun set.
Moonlit steps on the lake.
The next sunrise.
The last few photos before leaving — there was some wind that day, so the lake’s reflection was no longer clear.
There are many salt lakes in the world, and the “Mirror of the Sky” isn’t unique. But with its boundless landscape and vibrant colors, I wouldn’t say Lake Eyre is the only one of its kind, but it’s surely a rare sight in the world. Unfortunately, my equipment back then couldn’t capture the starry night sky reflected on the lake. Maybe that’s the reason Lake Eyre gives me to return.
References
(1) Australian photographer Murray Fredericks’ website: http://www.murrayfredericks.com.au
(2) Lake Eyre information: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Eyre
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