I’ve passed by Lake Crescent many many times. It is a large lake and one of the important features of Olympic National Park with its deep incredibly clean water. Over the years I’ve stopped at different places around it and taken several photos, but have not got any really interesting ones.
Eventually I gave up and was just passing it by on my way to the beaches of the Pacific coast. But as you know persistence pays off. So, this summer I was driving from the beaches back home and as usual my way back was around the lake. This time was different…
I saw this beautiful scene. Finally the lake opened up its soul to me. It was calm and serene. Mist was hanging over the lake hiding the west bank. Mountain ridges were coming down to the lake becoming softer and softer in the distance with shades of pastel blue. The water was like a glass perfectly reflecting the mountains and the pastel pink sky. Two trees were standing aside on the right bank. And one small next to them. Like a family that came out to the lake to have fun by its side.
Dawn at Lake Crescent
vitali prokopenko | fine art 
Very good! Very beautiful!
I wonder would long exposure (>1 min) smoothens the water?
Now that you’ve said it, I think I should have tried that. That would make water silky but it would remove reflection too. I was just in awe of the scene and was not thinking technically. 🙂 And maybe it is to the best. The photo captures my first impression of it making it more a photos from my heart and not from my mind. 🙂