Black Forest, Germany
Photograph by Norbert Rosing
Purple is a versatile color. Combining the fire of red with the serenity of blue, it has the ability to soothe as well as excite passion. Purple is prevalent in nature in everything from eggplants to amethysts, and humans have adopted it as a symbol of royalty.
Here, snow-covered fir trees appear lilac during sunrise in Germany's Black Forest. The forest is located in southwest Germany, where it is known as Schwarzwald.
(For more pictures of the amazing colors of our world, buy the National Geographic book Life in Color.)