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Atacama Desert

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Like a Rock
Photograph by Joel Sartore

Strong enough for a man to stand on, the llareta of the Atacama—a rare native plant—grows one centimeter a year in dense mounds that spread along the ground. Llareta is nearly extinct in parts of the desert, where local people dry it to use as firewood.

Camera: Nikon F5
Film Type: Fujichrome Velvia
Lens: Nikon 17-35mm f/2.8
Speed and F-Stop: 1/60 @ f/5.6

Weather Conditions: Sunny
Time of Day: Dawn
Lighting Techniques: I used flash for the foreground and available light for the background.