The turquoise glow hits my face before I even realize what I'm looking at. I'm floating in a kayak-sized boat, camera in hand, staring up at carved marble walls that seem to pulse with their own inner light. This is my introduction to the Capillas de Mármol – the Marble Caves of Puerto Rio Tranquilo – and my first dance with Patagonian magic during a 2019 photography adventure through Chile's remote Aysén Region.

I started very early this morning; it was dark when we began to hike. The goal was to reach a location for a sunrise that was about five kilometers…