Wow, what an illusion! Photographer Adrianafranco Franco submitted this shot, taken of rivers that look, eerily, like trees in a desert in Baja California, Mexico. It was submitted to National Geographic’s online community My Shot in December and was chosen as one of their best of that month. From Nat Geo’s staff commentary, below, it looks like many people enjoyed this intriguing shot.
“This image has a wonderful texture that is almost surreal. At first glance, it’s hard to even distinguish what the subject of this photo is–is it snow? Some kind of microscopic leaf or moss? It’s just downright stunning as a desert aerial.”–Janna Dotschkal, assistant photo editor
“While reviewing photos from our online-photo community, this image required a more detailed look. With an almost two-dimensional quality, the photo at first appears to be snowy landscape, but instead the caption reveals a California desert. Editors love fun surprises, and this image delivered.”–Sarah Polger, senior photo editor