We are a multi-talented workforce, a community that is driven by excellence, to bring creativity and innovation to everything we do. SPOKE continues its ‘Photo of the Month’ to celebrate the creativity and talent amongst our people.

Each month, we will showcase inspiring photography that has captured our imagination and tells a compelling visual story, taken by our colleagues from around the GFG network. From landscapes and intricate details to spontaneous moments of life, we want to celebrate moments of beauty and inspiration. So, if you believe you have what it takes, have a keen eye for detail and a passion for visual storytelling, we invite you to submit your best work for a chance to be featured in our ‘Photo of the Month’ section. Email us at spoke@gfgalliance.com

June’s Photo of the Month, by Rita Monteiro, Head of Decarbonisation, GFG Alliance.

In the grand theatre of the universe, and in the smaller play of our galaxy, we are but a speck. A small, blue dot.”

Rita Monteiro

This photograph was taken on Gangga Island, a small and secluded paradise tucked away in North Sulawesi, Indonesia.

This tropical haven, merely 3km long and 1km wide, serves as a potent symbol of harmony. It hosts two villages, Gangga Satu and Gangga Dua, where Christian and Muslim communities peacefully coexist​​. During my visit in 2019, the island was home to a single hotel, making it the perfect secluded sanctuary I yearned for, complete with pristine coral reefs where I snorkelled and free dived every morning and sunset.

The nights on Gangga Island were a spectacle of celestial beauty. Far removed from any pollution, the sky was an unadulterated canvas of stars.

How the photo was taken: Without a tripod, I made an improvised stand from sand and a towel to steady my Nikon Z7​. Maximizing the aperture to F/1.4 and setting a 30-second exposure, I was ready to capture the universe in a frame.

As time slowed down, the hidden wonders of the cosmos began to reveal themselves. The Milky Way, faintly visible to the naked eye, emerged in full splendour. I spent a few hours between gazing at the stars and carefully balancing my camera on the sand in the pitch-black night, a task with a high potential for a sandy catastrophe given my natural clumsiness. But it worked out in the end!

Rita’s insights and reflections on the photo:

• Our small, blue dot is worth every effort to protect and preserve.
• Our smallness does not diminish our potential for greatness. Instead, it underscores how we can leverage our inherent capabilities to create substantial impacts.
• Slowing down isn’t just about time, it’s about perspective, revealing new ways where we can act intentionally and impactfully.
• “Look up!” – not just about a movie (highly recommend it though). In fact, look up, look sideways, but really look. See beyond your immediate surroundings.
• Actions must be expressions of intent. Make them count, make them resonate, and make them transformative.
• Environmental preservation is an obligation. The reduction of emissions and the restoration of balance are battles we must win for our planet, and if that doesn’t resonate, win it for you, your family and loved ones.
• Clean air is not a commodity. It is a human right as emphasized by the United Nations Environment Programme. I would encourage you to read more about it here.

A showcase of Rita’s photography