Hiroshi Sugimoto, Bay of Sagami, Atami. 1997

In Hiroshi Sugimoto's ethereal photo the sun is present, but not distinct. The image seems to embody a liminal space—we have an impression of the sea and the reflecting surface of the water, rather than a
description.

"The beginnings of life are shrouded in myth: Let there [be] water and air," Sugimoto writes on his website. "Let's just say that there happened to be a planet with water and air in our solar system, and moreover at precisely the right distance from the sun for the temperatures required to coax forth life. While hardly inconceivable that at least one such planet should exist in the vast reaches of universe, we search in vain for another similar example. Mystery of mysteries, water and air are right there before us in the sea. Every time I view the sea, I feel a calming sense of security, as if visiting my ancestral home; I embark on a voyage of seeing."