Flamingos are seen on Laguna Colorada, a lake in Potosi, Bolivia, in this aerial photograph taken by George Steinmetz in 2007. The lake is red because natural hot springs provide nutrients for red algae to bloom. The lake has the largest population of flamingos of any lake in the region.
Flamingos are seen on Laguna Colorada, a lake in Potosi, Bolivia, in this aerial photograph taken by George Steinmetz in 2007. The lake is red because natural hot springs provide nutrients for red algae to bloom. The lake has the largest population of flamingos of any lake in the region.
George Steinmetz/Contrasto
Steinmetz took this aerial shot from a small plane along the Israeli shore of the Dead Sea in 2008.
Steinmetz took this aerial shot from a small plane along the Israeli shore of the Dead Sea in 2008.
George Steinmetz/Contrasto
Salt-loving algae gives a red color to the hypersaline waters of Lake Natron in the Great Rift Valley, which is on the border between Tanzania and Kenya. The lake has an unusual mineral content that is leached from surrounding volcanos.
Salt-loving algae gives a red color to the hypersaline waters of Lake Natron in the Great Rift Valley, which is on the border between Tanzania and Kenya. The lake has an unusual mineral content that is leached from surrounding volcanos.
George Steinmetz/Contrasto
A view above Peru's Paracas National Park in 1999.
A view above Peru's Paracas National Park in 1999.
George Steinmetz/Contrasto
A view of Libyan lakes in the Ubari sand sea in 2008. The lakes are fed by natural springs, but they have slowly been drying up.
A view of Libyan lakes in the Ubari sand sea in 2008. The lakes are fed by natural springs, but they have slowly been drying up.
George Steinmetz/Contrasto
The Axia village is just upstream from Bezeklik Buddhist grottoes near Turpan, China. The Muslim cemetery is on the south side of town, overlooking a river that is fed by man-made irrigation tunnels.
The Axia village is just upstream from Bezeklik Buddhist grottoes near Turpan, China. The Muslim cemetery is on the south side of town, overlooking a river that is fed by man-made irrigation tunnels.
George Steinmetz/Contrasto
Guelta Archei in Chad is one of the few permanent water holes on the Ennedi plateau in the Sahara desert. Camels are brought here from the surrounding thorn scrub to drink its water, which is stained black from their droppings.
Guelta Archei in Chad is one of the few permanent water holes on the Ennedi plateau in the Sahara desert. Camels are brought here from the surrounding thorn scrub to drink its water, which is stained black from their droppings.
George Steinmetz/Contrasto
A salt flat in Saudi Arabia has crescent-shaped barchan dunes marching across its basin in 2002. The orange color of the dunes is due to oxidation of iron minerals in the sand.
A salt flat in Saudi Arabia has crescent-shaped barchan dunes marching across its basin in 2002. The orange color of the dunes is due to oxidation of iron minerals in the sand.
George Steinmetz/Contrasto
An aerial view of Tin Merzouga, a remote part of the Algerian Sahara near the borders of Libya and Niger. The area is remarkable for the deep orange color of its sand dunes.
An aerial view of Tin Merzouga, a remote part of the Algerian Sahara near the borders of Libya and Niger. The area is remarkable for the deep orange color of its sand dunes.
George Steinmetz/Contrasto