Mystic Dawn

Once again, deviantART's horrible colour scheme will stop you from seeing detail in the shadows. You can go here to see a version on a black background.

The first rays of dawn begin to ignite Mount Tasman and Mount Cook, approximately 20 km in the distance, whilst the crystal clear steely mirror image is reflected on the calm and tranquil waters of Lake Matheson.

I almost thought that this morning would be a write off as there was an enormous amount of mist and low-lying cloud blocking the view. Just as I thought it was all over, the clouds seemed to disperse right before first light.

This image was made on an incredibly cold morning.

The image could do with a little more work, I feel, but, I'm happy enough to post it as is. I'll replace it with a reprocess in due course.

Note the first rays on all the tallest peaks and the waterfall in the distance.

Canon EOS 5D Mark II, Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM
2.5s f/11.0 at 40.0mm iso100