Rio from Sugarloaf Mountain

Rio de Janeiro spreads around green peaks and the blue water of Guanabara Bay in this view from Sugarloaf Mountain. Cable cars cross between the slopes, with buildings packed along the shore below. Farther away, successive ridges fade into the evening light. The city, mountains and bay meet along an irregular coastline.

Cable lines make thin diagonals above the much broader curves of the hills. A small car suspended from them provides a distinct shape against the greenery. Along the shore, pale buildings gather in dense blocks, interrupted by roads and strips of water. The bay has fewer hard edges than the city. Boats and changes in the water's color help place its pieces without confusing them with the sky.