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Nature photography by Eckart Mayer celebrating the beauty of our planet !
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Coming up => More images from MEXICO !

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A small boat with outboard motor anchored in the turquoise waters of the Gulf of Mexico

Small boat in turquoise water

The amazing mix of blue, turquoise and aquamarine tones of the warm water of the Gulf of Mexico is something that impressed me a lot. Even on cloudy days, it looks amazing. And when the sun comes out (which is the standard in this part of the world), it shines with strong colors and invites for all kinds of watersports. Diving and snorkeling are quite popular on the north coast of the Yucatan peninsula. Small boats carry tourists to interesting spots with reefs and other attractions. (Yucatán, Mexico, July 1994 - Image ID: 199407-MX-42)

Panoramic view of the waterfalls of Agua Azul surrounded by tropical rainforest

Scenic view of Agua Azul waterfalls

One of my personal highlights during our 1994 road- and rail trip through Mexico was the visit to the Cascadas de Agua Azul ("waterfalls of blue water"). A whole series of cataracts of the Xanil River extending over a large area, surrounded by tropical rainforest. Whilst each single drop of 6m maximum is not too impressive, it's the ensemble that makes this a natural piece of art. The beautiful aquamarine color is due to the high mineral content combined with the sunlight illuminating the water. (Agua Azul, Mexico, July 1994 - Image ID: 199407-MX-37)

Scenic view of the Mayan ruins with the gables of the House of the Pigeons at Uxmal

Uxmal House of the Pigeons

Amongst all the Mayan ruins on the Yucatan Peninsula, I like Uxmal a lot. This previously large city in the Puuc region has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The vast archeological zone consists of many buildings of quite diverse architecture and a number of pyramids. Some parts of Uxmal are still untouched and not accessible to the public. The so called "Edificio de las Palomas" reminds me of Roman aqueducts, and stands out for its unique gables. (Uxmal, Mexico, July 1994 - Image ID: 199407-MX-40)

Scenic view of the archeological site of Palenque located in the green forest

Panoramic view of Palenque ruins

If you like to combine a beach holiday with historic cultural experiences, the south of Mexico is a great destination. Especially the Yucatan Peninsula has a lot to offer. Even though Palenque is located in Chiapas, it is relatively close to many of the other ancient Mayan cities in the area. What I particularly liked about it is the location in the forest, with many parts still unrestored. Whilst not the largest site, it has a lot of very fine architecture and carvings to admire. (Palenque, Mexico, July 1994 - Image ID: 199407-MX-35)

Steps on a footpath in the sand dunes leading towards a nice beach with blue water

Beachfront ahead

No vacation trip to Yucatan would be complete without visiting one of the stunning white sandy beaches. Whereas most of the resorts are located on the Riviera Maya between Cancun and Tulum, there are also quite a lot of lovely places on the North coast of the peninsula. Once you walk towards to beach, and see the beautiful mix of blue, turquoise and aquamarine colors of the warm water, you know it is time to unwind and relax. (Yucatán, Mexico, July 1994 - Image ID: 199407-MX-41)

Close-up on the bottom of a waterfall next to large stone boulders

Misol Há waterfall splash

Pretty close to the famous Mayan ruins of Palenque, hidden in the dense forests of Chiapas, lies the less well-known Misol Há waterfall. Even though it consists of just one single cascade, its height of 35m and the beautiful green surroundings make it worth a visit. Obviously, water levels change depending on the season, so the sight might sometimes be less impressive. It is also possible to swim in the pool below the falls. (Misol Há, Mexico, July 1994 - Image ID: 199407-MX-36)

Many plastic containers of different sizes and colors hanging in front of a purple wall

Plastic container rainbow

In general, Mexico is a very colorful country. Contrary to Central Europe, houses are often painted with strong colors, including bold tones such as pink, purple, orange etc. Despite of this widespread habit, this arrangement truly stood out. I found it in San Cristobal de las Casas. A business owner had these plastic containers hanging outside of his shop, with different colors for the various sizes. Nicely illuminated by the sun, they almost created a rainbow. (San Cristóbal de las Casas, Mexico, July 1994 - Image ID: 199407-MX-30)

A black street lamp attached to a house throwing a huge shadow onto an wall painted in ochre color

Shadow on the wall

Back in 1994, many people warned us not to travel to Chiapas in the South of Mexico. There were concerns about an ongoing rebellion in the area. Thankfully we still went, and enjoyed exploring this part of the country with very few other tourists. The picturesque streets of San Cristobal de las Casas old town offer a lot to discover. Apart from the pre-hispanic and colonial heritage, it is a perfect spot for urban exploration. Most walls are painted in amazing colors and typical local patterns. The low standing sun was just perfect for a beautiful "Shadow on the wall" of the black street lamp. (San Cristóbal de las Casas, Mexico, July 1994 - Image ID: 199407-MX-32)

Close-up on columnar cacti planted in a straight line next to each other

Cactus fence

This is a close-up of a very unique way of fencing a piece of land. The owner must have started this project a long time ago. Perfectly aligned with guiding posts, he planted lots of cereus columnar cacti that grew into a natural barrier. This is so much nicer than a concrete wall or metal fence... (Mitla, Mexico, July 1994 - Image ID: 199407-MX-22)

Panoramic view of Teotihuacán's main attractions including the Pyramid of the Sun and the Avenue of the Dead

Panoramic view of Sun Pyramid and Moon Square

A few minutes later, the sky cleared up even more, so that the sunlight completely changed the overall mood of the archeological site of Teotihuacáan. Thankfully, I was still on top of the Pyramid of the Moon. From there, I could enjoy the spectacular panoramic view of the most important attractions. The Moon Square, the Avenue of the Dead, the Pyramid of the Sun and the Feathered Serpent Pyramid in the background are all very impressive. (Teotihuacán, Mexico, July 1994 - Image ID: 199407-MX-04)

Night shot of a branch of the tropical flame tree with red flowers and green leaves

Tropical flame tree at night

If you have ever seen the tropical flame tree in full blossom, you will never forget this sight. The intense red flowers next to an equally bold green color of the leaves are just breathtaking. Most of my images show them either in full or as close-up against the blue sky. However, with a bit of light, these trees are equally magic at nighttime, with a pitch-black background (Huatulco, Mexico, July 1994 - Image ID: 199407-MX-24)

Scenic view of the archeological site of Teotihuacáan on a cloudy day, with the largest pyramid illuminated by the sun

Teotihuacán's illuminated Pyramid of the Sun

As if the sun wanted to do justice to the name of the largest pyramid of Teotihuacán, it nicely illuminated it on an otherwise rather cloudy day. I took this image from the top of the Pyramid of the Moon, with the Moon Square lying dark in front of it in the shade. The mountains of the Valley of Mexico create a nice backdrop to this important historical site. (Teotihuacán, Mexico, July 1994 - Image ID: 199407-MX-03)

To the portfolio

The Idea

Capturing moments on camera has been my passion for more than 40 years. And we all know that beautiful moments are best enjoyed together. Sharing my memories will hopefully inspire others to appreciate the big and little wonders of this world…

Selected images are available for sale for a purpose related to my favorite photo location: NATURE!

Giving Back to Nature

images4nature isn’t just another image archive.
50% of the profits generated by "images4nature 4321now" will be donated to support environmental projects.