Playing with fire: documenting life in the shadow of an active volcano

Canon Ambassador Ulla Lohmann is a photographer synonymous with high-octane image-making – particularly active volcanoes. She has been obsessed with these natural phenomena since she was a child: when she was eight, her father took her to Pompeii and she was captivated; at 19, financed by winnings from a scientific competition, she went on a life-changing journey around the globe to experience active volcanoes up close. "​My entire life is dedicated to volcanoes," she says.

Though she is undeniably fascinated by volcanos themselves, it is the "volcano people" who have made the strongest impression. "I am interested in how volcanoes change our Earth but also in how many people around the world live with them," she explains. "I realised what these people have in common – a deep respect for nature."

At the time of this interview Ulla was in Vanuatu, in the South Pacific Ocean, where she'd been filming a documentary series for German TV about people living alongside active volcanoes. Audible in the background are sounds of dogs barking and the rumbling of volcanoes – the island nation has nine of them. "The first episode, filmed in Vanuatu, aired in November 2023," Ulla says. "Now we're planning a whole series, hopefully visiting the same countries as I covered in my book Volcano People."

There are volcanoes from Greece to Guatemala and most are formed along the boundaries of tectonic plates, when they collide or move apart. While we have these openings in the Earth's crust to thank for creating more than 80% of its surface, volcanoes are also obviously dangerous to visit, photograph and live beside. The deadliest volcanic eruption recorded was in 1815 in Indonesia, when it's estimated that upwards of 250,000 people perished.

Ulla is used to shooting in extreme environments, and it's important to her that her Canon kit is tough. She used to shoot on a Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, but has now upgraded to the mirrorless EOS R System and says she hasn't looked back. For this trip, she packed her Canon EOS R5, the compact EOS R5 C, Canon's smallest Cinema EOS camera, and an EOS R3. "I only take cameras that are dust and water-resistant, because only those can withstand the harsh conditions," she says. "I especially love that the cameras can take a lot of weather as well."

Ulla also carried a range of RF lenses – the Canon RF 15-35mm F2.8L IS USM, RF 24-70mm F2.8L IS USM, RF 24-105mm F4L IS USM and RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM – plus a tripod. "The RF lenses match really well with the cameras – they are the perfect team," she says. "They work perfectly together. They've never failed me. The sharpness, the focus, the speed are just incredible.

"Everything I bring with me is essential," she adds. "I have to carry everything with me when I climb the volcano, so I keep my kit to a minimum. I consider a high fitness level as part of my work, so I train by rock climbing. I rely on my body as well as my equipment."

Ulla and her family stayed with the villagers, who welcomed them into their homes, especially her five-year-old son Manuk, who they first met as a tiny baby. "They love him," she says. "They even initiated him and me into the tribe at a traditional hair-cutting ceremony."

The film follows Ulla as she takes photographs on the archipelago. Her schedule during the shoot revolved around the locals' routines. There is no electricity – light is supplied via solar-powered torches – and no running water. The day begins at around 5am with feeding the pigs, though the roosters tend to crow around 3am, nature's alarm clock. Locals work in the fields in the morning, bringing back whatever is ripe for the women to cook on volcanic rocks heated by fire.

Ulla's approach to filming was shaped by the TV channel's specifications (50fps, no 4K and no Canon Log) but she appreciated the recording times of both cameras. The EOS R5 has a time limit of 29 minutes per clip, while the internal fan in the EOS R5 C enables long duration recording, no matter what mode you are in. "We could always record for as long as we needed," she explains.

The EOS R5 C is only 30g heavier than the EOS R5, despite the addition of the fan. While the video-first EOS R5 C is similar in appearance to the EOS R5, it features additional tools for filmmakers, including waveform monitors, false colour, the option to use a shutter angle instead of shutter speed, and a Face Only AF mode. Having a lightweight camera was "perfect for this type of shoot," says Ulla, as it was portable, and compact enough not to be intimidating.

Great image stabilisation is essential when shooting handheld, particularly when getting close to active volcanoes. "Having a tripod in this situation slows you down, so it's safer without," says Ulla. "I think most of the film, except some interviews, was shot handheld." The in-camera 5-axis image stabilisation in the Canon EOS R5 physically shifts the sensor to counteract movement, while the Electronic IS in the EOS R5 C compensates for camera shake by digitally shifting the image to counter movement detected by in-camera gyro systems. Both systems coordinate seamlessly with the optical IS found in Canon lenses, but you get a noticeable improvement when using an IS-equipped RF lens thanks to the faster communication made possible by the RF mount. "The cameras' image stabilisation is really wonderful," Ulla adds.

The communities living in the shadow of volcanoes are ever watchful for signs of an imminent eruption, having developed an acute awareness of their natural surroundings that Ulla believes the rest of us could learn from. "They know that, at any second, the volcano can destroy their livelihoods," she says. "They observe nature more closely. We look at our phones for the weather forecast. We don't look at the sky anymore."

Her advice to photographers and filmmakers interested in exploring similar subjects is to be guided by people. "Listen," she says. "If there is something your heart is telling you to do, that is usually a really good story.

"It's important to get out of your comfort zone and overcome your fears," she adds. "I hope that my pictures can motivate others to do that too. I love exploring new places and going where nobody else has been. It really intrigues me. I use my work to satisfy my curiosity. I love a challenge – the harder it is, the better I get."