Top lakes
Lake Whatcom
Ross Lake
Twin Lakes
Lake Samish
Toad Lake
Iceberg Lake
Silver Lake
Tomyhoi Lake
Diablo Lake
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.