By now you must know that I am a sucker for reflections. I look for them everywhere that I go, whether it be on city streets, hiking on trails or going to a lake with the purpose of capturing a reflection shot. This shot of Echo Lake was one of those stops where a reflection was the main goal.
For a compelling reflection photo, there are several things that are needed. The first is shooting during the golden hour to get that soft light. Second is to hope that the water is perfectly still - almost glass-like. Sunrise is the best time to avoid any rippling of the water caused by the wind. The next requirement is having a good subject matter like mountains that will reflect well in the water. The last requirement is to have a foreground that adds an anchor to the overall image. After you have these things, you then hope for a little icing on the cake, like clouds that will light up when the sun begins to rise. This photo has all of these things, with the additional bonus of the fall foliage on the mountains.