Artwork: On Guard
Artist: Reynold Dewantara
About the Work: Amidst the early contenders for National Geographic’s Travel Photographer of the Year Contest, On Guard stands out as a truly wondrous image.
Taken during the eruption of Mt. Bromo in East Java, Indonesia, the photo is a powerful culmination of elements that portrays a fantastically theatrical scene in front of the volcano and the sprawling ‘Sea of Sand’ from which it rises.
The horse’s frightened expression is the result of a sudden explosion within Mt. Bromo, named after the Javenese pronunciation of Brahma, Hindu god of creation.
On Guard is one of five images submitted by Dewantara to the competition, which asks participants to submit “photos that tell the story of a place or reveal insights about what inspires you when you travel”. His full gallery, as well as galleries of all submitted photos, can be found on the National Geographic website.
Winners are expected to be announced in July.