British photographer Nick Brandt is renowned for documenting the vanishing of magnificent wild animals in East Africa on black and white film. In most cases the animals have been alive, but Brandt’s newest subjects are petrified creatures found in Lake Natron in northern Tanzania. Because the lake neighbors a volcano, its water has an extremely high soda and salt content that perfectly preserves any misfortunate animal that lands in it—becoming a literal “Dead Sea.”
Lethal Lakes