Most people want to be as far away from a volcanic eruption as possible, but that was not the case for Chilean photographer Francisco Negroni, who set up his tripod a half a mile away from the Puyehue-Cordon Caulle volcano complex when it erupted n June of 2011.

“The fear and uncertainty made me very tense,” Negroni told weather.com about being so close to an erupting volcano. But after several hours of shooting his tension eased. “I could relax a bit and enjoy what was going on around me.”

Negroni decided to step out of his comfort zone to shoot the volcano chain as a way to set him apart. “I’m always looking for ways to stand out from other photographers, and sometimes it takes taking a chance to try and get different and better pictures.”

While Negroni says he’s been “lucky” when it comes to staying safe while shooting in dangerous environments, he always tries to take “preventative measures” and is never careless about his safety.

When the photographer is out on a shoot, he tries to prepare himself for every situation. In this type of photography you have to be ready for all conditions – good or bad, he explained.

The 2011 eruption was the first major eruption of the volcano chain since 1960. According to the BBC, Chile is one of the most volcanic countries on earth with more than 3,000 volcanoes along its length.

Volcanic ash from the eruption flew high into the atmosphere and eventually made its way around the globe, according to NASA.

To see more of Negroni’s work visit his website or 500px page.

 

A storm during a volcanic eruption at Puyehue-Cordon Caulle in Puyehue National Park in the Andes of Ranco