Lakes in Illinois: 8 Photo Spots, Light & Night Sky Guide

Top 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.