The most difficult aspect of shooting Lake Marie Wyoming, at sunrise was the frigid cold temperatures. Just like everything else when you are visually impaired, taking the time to research, plan and orient yourself before attempting something pays it forward when the day arrives. How did I get this fun shot? Read on for the story and an in-depth image description. . 

Image description

Lake Marie is a small mountain lake that sits at approximately 10,505 feet (3,202 meters) above sea level. It is not uncommon to get snow at tis altitude even during the summer months. This image was taken at sunrise, and you can see the lake, some majestic peaks above it and a few puffy clouds scattered around the sky. The sunrise light has turned the normally grey rocks into a blazing orange and that light is not only reflecting off of the water, but also the bottom of the clouds. A light snow shower the day before left a light layer of snow all around the shore of the lake and a bit up the peaks behind the lake. A small evergreen tree can be seen at the left side of the frame, which is almost completely devoid of branches and foliage.  

The location

Lake Marie is located in Wyoming’s Snowy Range and as mentioned above sits at a bit over 10,000 feet. Temperatures can be chilly even in the summer months. Due to the large volume of snow, the road that gets you from Centennial to Saratoga (the way to get to Lake Marie) is closed in late fall and winter. The lake is located right off the road and the path to get to the edge of the lake is well paved and accessible. I had no issues walking with my guide dog, but a cane would also not be an issue and there are no large obstructions. Travelers using mobility aids, such as wheelchairs or walkers should have no issue getting to the lake to take a photo, assuming there is no snow – which can happen at any time. 

Planning ahead

This shot was taken in the fall, and we visited the location a couple of months before to take some test shots and plan our sunrise shoot. I always find sunrise and sunset shoots tough because of the lack of light. I like to visit a location and determine where the sun will be and of course find my composition so on the day of the shoot I can head to the spot, get my shot then take time to explore other compositions and angles. When shooting at altitude, always wear or bring warm clothes because you never know what kind of weather you will encounter – even during the summer. 

The gear

For my landscape photography, I shoot with a Canon 5D mark IV camera and heavy Manfrotto tripod. I tend to veer toward heavier tripods because there is always a chance I am going to bump into my gear, and the heavier tripod has saved my camera on more than one occasion. This shot was taken with a 24-105 L lens. I find this lens gets wide enough for landscape work and close enough for portrait work if I am in a situation where I don’t want to drag my 70-200 portrait lens with me. I will often bring a 17-40mm wide lens with me as well. All of my lenses are equipped with a B+W circular polarizer to bring out the skies. I also carry B+W UV filters for times when I’m not using the circular polarizer.  I’ve had a lot of requests to detail the gear I use, hopefully that covers it. If you have any questions about gear feel free to drop me a message here on Blind Travels or on my social media link at the bottom of this post. 

What do you think?

I always love to hear from my readers, and I would like to hear what you thought about this presentation.  My goal with this series is to tell a bit about the story behind the images I take, as well as provide a better description of the image. The blog forum lets me explore a bit more detail than would be available on twitter or Instagram. Feel free to drop me a message here on the contact page or on my social media links below. Follow me and I will happily follow you back.

My Photography: www.tahquechi.com

Twitter: @nedskee

Instagram: @nedskee

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blindtravels/