A Photographer Braves Nature’s Rage To Capture Terrifying Beauty

California’s wildfires are not to be taken lightly. They sweep over the land, incinerate entire towns and forests, and leave destruction in their wake. Every day, firefighters battle to keep the flames away from homes and businesses, while residents are sometimes forced to evacuate.

It seems hellish, but Los Angeles-based photographer Stuart Palley sees another side to the fires, as well. In these blazes, he sees majestic beauty.

For the past few years, Palley has been taking long-exposure night shots of the fires in California.

These exposures allow him to capture glowing light, trails of embers, and all of the stars beyond.

The series is called Terra Flamma, and it comes after tireless years of work.

He also captures the entirety of the landscape, showing how fires relate to the land on a larger scale.