Shwedagon is the most sacred Buddhist pagoda in Burma. Made of brick, but covered in gold plates, the 325 foot tall structure dominates the skyline of Rangoon. I photographed it from a distance, giving it a sense of place. I used nearby Kandawgyi Lake to place the great pagoda into perspective. The pair of fountains in the foreground repeat the vertical thrust of the distant spire, and the late afternoon light allows me to throw the surrounding landscape into shadow.