Lake Louise is a mountain lake in Banff National Park. Its blue-green water is set against the stark backdrop of Victoria Glacier and the Rockies. The lake is in the small hamlet of Lake Louise about a half hour north of the town of Banff. The lake is one of the most recognized and photographed scenes in the Canadian Rockies.
On one end of the lake lies the Chateau Lake Louise, a resort hotel. I have always wanted to stay in the hotel but it is quite pricey. When I visited Banff in 2006, I decided to break open the piggy bank and stay there. The advantage of staying there is the ability to roll out of bed before dawn and, in a quick short minutes, be looking at this scene. There were only a couple of people up at this hour, mostly other photographers. The light was phenomenal and the reflections of the mountains contrasted well with the bright red boats. The moment I shot this, I knew I had a winner.