In August, I backpacked the Three Sisters Wilderness loop in Central Oregon. There were many highlights, but this was probably my favorite. I put in some long miles on this day and was exhausted. The lake was a welcomed sight. It was a beautiful setting. It also provided the opportunity to rinse off the grime and dirt on my body. After finding one of the dispersed campsites, I immediately took off my boots and sweaty socks and slapped on my sandals. That’s when I noticed a Marmot checking me out. It must have smelled my stinky feet odor…ha. Once I had camp established, I went down to the lake and jumped in. It felt great! I was renewed. Later in the evening I grabbed my camera and hiking tripod and sat by the lake reflecting upon the day. It was one of the most peaceful moments that I have experienced.
Nikon D750, ISO100, 24mm/f1.8 lens, 1/20 SEC.
Is this a composite? (focus stacks or exposure blends are not considered composites) No.
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Now that I look at this again…the reflection should be darker than the actual land and I don’t see much difference here. You could also play with the sky to bring up some of the cloud detail there. Worth playing with anyway.
Thank you for the advice! It’s always great to get some feedback. None of my friends are into photography, so this was very helpful. The sky was a challenge. It was hazy due to the wildfires this summer. All of my photos from this backpack have some smoke haze. Sometimes it added to the photo, but for the most part, it didn’t help.
Chris, this is indeed a very peaceful scene. The near perfect reflection looks great as well and it’s clearly darker than the land. The subtle light adds well to the sense of peace. If you want to, a bit more contrast would make for a more dynamic feeling.
Hi Chris! This is a beautiful, peaceful image. I agree with Mark about a little more contrast, or maybe texture, would make it feel more dynamic.
Is this Moraine Lake? It reminds me of it at least, though it’s been around 45 years since I was there. The Three Sisters area is one of my favorite places in the world.
