1. Home
  2. Locations
  3. Lakes

Lakes to Photograph in the USA

900 lakes in 49 states, each with computed light, night-sky and weather data for planning. Pick a state, or start with the most documented locations below.

Top lakes

Lake OkeechobeeLake
Lake OkeechobeePalm Beach County, FL · 2 m
Crater LakeLake
Crater LakeKlamath County, OR · 1,885 m
Pyramid LakeLake
Pyramid LakeWashoe County, NV · 1,157 m
Lake WashingtonLake
Lake WashingtonKing County, WA · 5 m
Lake PontchartrainLake
Lake PontchartrainJefferson Parish, LA · -1 m
Lake ChaubunagungamaugLake
Lake ChaubunagungamaugWorcester County, MA · 146 m
Lake MichiganLake
Lake MichiganMason County, MI · 177 m
Walden PondLake
Walden PondMiddlesex County, MA · 48 m
Butte LakeLake
Butte LakeLassen County, CA · 1,845 m
Lake ChamplainLake
Lake ChamplainEssex County, NY
Great Salt LakeLake
Great Salt LakeBox Elder County, UT
Rainy LakeLake
Rainy LakeKoochiching County, MN
Salton SeaLake
Salton SeaImperial County, CA
Lake MeadLake
Lake MeadClark County, NV
Lake PowellLake
Lake PowellCoconino County, AZ
Lake Saint ClairLake
Lake Saint ClairSaint Clair County, MI
Lake of the WoodsLake
Lake of the WoodsLake of the Woods County, MN
Yellowstone LakeLake
Yellowstone LakeTeton County, WY
Iliamna LakeLake
Iliamna LakeLake and Peninsula Borough, AK
Lake OntarioLake
Lake OntarioOrleans County, NY
Lake SuperiorLake
Lake SuperiorKeweenaw County, MI
Lake HuronLake
Lake HuronAlcona County, MI
Lake ErieLake
Lake ErieAshtabula County, OH
Tenaya LakeLake
Tenaya LakeMariposa County, CA · 2,482 m

By state

Map

How to photograph lakes

Lakes reflect best in calm air — usually the first hour after sunrise, before breezes ripple the surface.

  • For mirror reflections, get low and close to the water; the reflection grows with a lower camera.
  • A polarizer can remove reflections to show the lakebed — or keep them, depending on rotation.
  • Mist often lifts off lakes on cold mornings after warm days, especially in autumn.
  • Include shoreline rocks, reeds or a log as foreground to give the reflection depth.
  • Expose for the brighter sky; reflections are typically half a stop to a stop darker.

Season: Autumn mornings bring mist and fall color; high-elevation lakes are usually ice-free only from early summer to mid-autumn.