This photograph is part of my project Poisoned Beauty, dedicated to the tailings lake at Geamăna. Normally, I work exclusively with a drone to capture the abstract perspective of this unique place. Still on that particular day, I faced an unexpected situation: just when the light should have been at its best, fog rolled in and completely changed the shooting conditions. I switched to macro photography, but to quickly check certain compositions, I repeatedly used the Huawei Pura 80 smartphone, which I was testing as part of a collaboration. The result was unexpectedly strong, and that is why this image holds a special meaning for me.
The tailings lake is an extremely dynamic subject, with colours and shapes constantly shifting. That day, the fog was a major challenge, as it softened the light and reduced visibility from above. I had to find alternative solutions and adapt. The smartphone helped me quickly evaluate lines and balance within the frame, and this image captures two circular structures that create an almost hypnotic composition. I sought to emphasize the dialogue between the intense yellow and the deep blue, while maintaining visual balance between the fluid textures and the branching patterns that resemble an organic network.
Post-processing was essential to convey the atmosphere I experienced on site. I carefully adjusted contrast and colour to highlight the tension between yellow and blue while preserving the subtlety of the textures. Nothing artificial was added — my goal was to emphasize the natural details that make the image resemble a painting. For me, editing is an integral part of the creative process, and in this case, it allowed me to transform a smartphone capture into an image that fits seamlessly into the Poisoned Beauty vision.
