American Photography 35 Winners

Mistral Mont Ventoux

Mistral Mont Ventoux. Mistra: The Legendary Wind of Provence, November 2018, a 20-year project, is a portrait of Provence seen through its famous wind. I photographed the profound effects an invisible force has on the region: houses windowless on the windward side, uncanny lenticular clouds, a bride tangled in her veil, waves cresting a sea wall, and spider webs oriented to withstand wind. Atop Mont Ventoux, snow is blown by the wind into the shape of a flag.

Lenticular Cloud

Lenticular Cloud. Mistral: The Legendary Wind of Provence, November 2018, a 20-year project, is a portrait of Provence seen through its famous wind. I photographed the profound effects an invisible force has on the region: houses windowless on the windward side, uncanny lenticular clouds, a bride tangled in her veil, waves cresting a sea wall, and spider webs oriented to withstand wind. A sustained wind can produce this type of lenticular (lens-shaped) cloud. When stable, fast-moving air meets an obstacle, in this case Mont Ventoux, the air is forced up and over it. On the lee side of the mountain, the cooled air descends and then rises up again as it is warmed by the earth. This continuous circular flow of air forms these rounded clouds. They appear to be stationary and hovering, but they are actually constantly reforming.