Light rays are one of those things that appear rarely in nature but frequently in art. But I guess in a sense that's what art is - a selective view of nature. And the rays do add some nice depth to a lot of scenes.

This image was made almost entirely in Paint Shop Pro, but I thought a subtle fractal background made the water more interesting.

This scene from some far-away frozen planet was created in Terragen. I don't remember if it's where I got the name, but it makes me think of John Rutter's Distant Land.

This was the result of playing with golden spirals. And the dark greens and blues, plus a little hint of purple, look like something under deep waters.