Bardenas Reales, Spain, 2023

To best represent the Sun, Nanna Heitmann chose to photograph the otherworldly desert of the Bardenas Reales, in Spain. With its chalk and sandstone formations, eroded by water and wind into unique reliefs and canyons, this exceptional landscape provided the ideal setting for her explorations. Inspired by the resplendent colors of this extraordinary realm, Heitmann delicately staged a series of magical moments. To conjure the right mood and emotions, she chose to work in low, slanting sunlight, when the desert turns a softer shade of yellow. Using a length of orange fabric, she symbolized the warm sun rays that connect us to one another and give energy and life. Her pictures convey a feeling of contemplation and connection to something greater than ourselves. In these theatrical mises-en-scène, human beings and the sun are in perfect osmosis: in the vastness of our world, they are one. This series conveys a sense of calm, awe, and introspection, inviting viewers to immerse themselves in the beauty of nature, and to find moments of stillness and appreciation amidst the chaos of life.