Charcoal

I took this photograph after spending the night on the beach with friends, where we built a fire and cooked burgers together. I was told that lighting a fire at midnight is an Italian tradition marking the end of summer, although whether that is entirely true, I’ll leave to my friend.

After the fire had died down, I looked at the remaining charcoal and was struck by the way it continued to burn. The shapes, textures, and intense red glow reminded me of molten lava, both destructive and strangely beautiful. There was something almost otherworldly about it, as if a small landscape had formed within the remains of the fire.

For me, the image represents that contrast between destruction and beauty. But I also like that it can become something completely different depending on who is looking at it. It could be lava, a landscape, something organic, or simply the remains of a night spent with friends.