tom hegen captures heliostats from above in satisfying circular arrays

The impact of a sustainable future, captured by Tom Hegen

Solar power infrastructure often get a bad reputation for being unpleasant to look at, but in this photography series by Tom Hegen they create mesmerizing manmade patterns set against natural landscapes. Named ‘Solar Power’, the series is the latest of Hegen’s many explorations of the Earth’s surface using aerial photography. In 2020, the German photographer shot airplanes grounded during lockdown, and in 2021, he captured the otherworldly landscapes of Utah’s Great Salt Lake. 

images © Tom Hegen | @tomhegen.de

To create The Solar Power Series, Hegen traveled to solar power plants in the United States, France and Spain. While in the US, the photographer partnered with helicopter pilot Lars Gange to help get the perfect aerial shots. The final images play with scale, making each mirrored heliostat panel a tiny piece of a much larger pattern that radiates outward in concentric circles.

According to Hegen’s website, the project highlights human impact on Earth as we strive for a more sustainable future. Hegen says, ‘In a single hour, the amount of power from the sun that strikes the Earth is more than the entire world consumes in a year. Having this in mind, renewable energy sources could be the key to combating climate change. What does transforming towards more sustainable sources of energy look like?’

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project info:

name: The Solar Power Series

photography: Tom Hegen | @tomhegen.de