After nearly a decade of exploring and photographing Iceland, photographer Gunnar Freyr Gunnarsson captured a remarkable image that appeared to show a gigantic eye emerging from a volcanic landscape. The striking photograph, known as “The Eye of the Volcano,” combines smoke, lava and rugged rock formations in an almost surreal composition.

The image was featured in his book Stunning Iceland and quickly stood out because of the extraordinary way the natural elements seemed to come together. From a distance, the volcanic landscape appears to form the shape of an enormous eye watching over the surrounding terrain, creating an almost otherworldly scene.

Capturing such an image, however, was not simply a matter of pointing a camera at the volcano. Gunnarsson’s years of exploring Iceland gave him the experience to recognize unusual compositions, while precise weather, lighting and volcanic conditions were needed for the smoke and landscape to align in just the right way.

“The Eye of the Volcano” is a powerful reminder of how unpredictable and artistic nature can be. With patience, timing and a little luck, ordinary elements such as clouds, smoke, lava and rock can come together to create something that looks almost impossible—turning a volcanic landscape into a giant eye in the sky.