About my "Grand Prismatic" Photograph

This photograph of Grand Prismatic Spring was shot in Yellowstone National Park, and is part of the Midway Geyser Basin. The Grand Prismatic Spring one of the most beautiful features in Yellowstone, and these are the natural colors of this hot spring. This unusual perspective I took with this photograph was to try and get a different view of the spring and not only capture the beautiful color but the amazing texture surrounding this feature. If you ever get the opportunity to visit Yellowstone National Park this geyser basin should be one of the top places to see.

The bright, vivid colors in the spring are the result of microbial mats around the edges of the mineral-rich water. The mats produce colors ranging from green to red; the amount of color in the microbial mats depends on the ratio of chlorophyll to carotenoids and on the temperature gradient in the runoff. In the summer, the mats tend to be orange and red, whereas in the winter the mats are usually dark green. The center of the pool is sterile due to extreme heat. The deep blue color of the water in the center of the pool results from the intrinsic blue color of water. The effect is strongest in the center of the spring, because of its sterility and depth.