Witnessing creation. I was out at a remote ocean entry with a fellow photographer one night when a weakness in the lava tube allowed ocean water to enter., creating huge explosions as the cold water interacted with the hot lava in the confined space of the tube. This is often the beginning of the formation of a littoral cone, which was the case here. By morning, a 20 foot cone had formed. People in volcano photos are important for scale and perspective.