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“Broken Reflections (2)”
Description:
Sunrise reflects Broken Top’s eroded volcanic core in No Name Lake, a glacial cirque basin in Oregon’s Central Cascades. The peak’s exposed lava layers and alpine geology make this viewpoint a highlight of the Broken Top Loop.
Story:
Broken Top is reflected in No Name Lake during sunrise in mid-July.
Photographing Broken Top from No Name Lake at sunrise was the crown jewel, the bucket-list moment, of this two-night, three-day backpacking trip along the 25-mile Broken Top Loop. I first saw photos of this location more than a year before the trip, back when you could still visit without a permit. But the combination of COVID-19 and a new permit lottery system meant getting here became a matter of luck. That chance finally arrived when our group of six managed to secure an overnight permit using the online system. Only a limited number become available seven days before any start date, so timing mattered.
With the permit in hand, I packed my 60-liter backpack and made my lens choice. I wanted to save weight, so I carried a general-purpose 24–70mm lens and an adjustable tripod to complete my gear.
I woke up two hours before sunrise in my tent and climbed 500 feet up the trail to No Name Lake, about half a mile away, where I had scouted my composition the day before. Because the 24–70mm lens was not wide enough to capture the entire mountain in one frame, I used my tripod to create a panorama.
When I arrived at the lake, the wind was completely still. The surface looked like polished glass, perfectly mirroring the jagged crown of Broken Top. But as sunrise approached, the wind rose with it. Inside my head I shouted, “No!” as the once-perfect reflection began to tremble and break. I captured several panoramas quickly, photographing the scene before the wind erased the moment altogether.
At sunrise, the reflection vanished completely, but I didn’t stop photographing. Instead, I used my editing experience to recreate the mirrored effect in Photoshop, matching it to the calm, glasslike surface I had witnessed just minutes before dawn. I have always believed that photography is an artform, and taking the picture is only half of the creative process.
-BAP
Location:
No Name Lake
Broken Top Loop
Bend, Oregon
44° 4' 53.5'' N, 121° 41' 10.9'' W
Google Map Link
Time: 06:05 PDT (sunrise)
Date: July 24th, 2021
Camera & Settings:
Panorama (8 shots)
Nikon D800E, NIKKOR 24-70 mm f/2.8G, CPL Filter, Tripod
ISO 100, 24 mm, f/16, 1/4 sec
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🖼️ View artwork details & shipping
📸 Request a free wall preview
“Broken Reflections (2)”
Description:
Sunrise reflects Broken Top’s eroded volcanic core in No Name Lake, a glacial cirque basin in Oregon’s Central Cascades. The peak’s exposed lava layers and alpine geology make this viewpoint a highlight of the Broken Top Loop.
Story:
Broken Top is reflected in No Name Lake during sunrise in mid-July.
Photographing Broken Top from No Name Lake at sunrise was the crown jewel, the bucket-list moment, of this two-night, three-day backpacking trip along the 25-mile Broken Top Loop. I first saw photos of this location more than a year before the trip, back when you could still visit without a permit. But the combination of COVID-19 and a new permit lottery system meant getting here became a matter of luck. That chance finally arrived when our group of six managed to secure an overnight permit using the online system. Only a limited number become available seven days before any start date, so timing mattered.
With the permit in hand, I packed my 60-liter backpack and made my lens choice. I wanted to save weight, so I carried a general-purpose 24–70mm lens and an adjustable tripod to complete my gear.
I woke up two hours before sunrise in my tent and climbed 500 feet up the trail to No Name Lake, about half a mile away, where I had scouted my composition the day before. Because the 24–70mm lens was not wide enough to capture the entire mountain in one frame, I used my tripod to create a panorama.
When I arrived at the lake, the wind was completely still. The surface looked like polished glass, perfectly mirroring the jagged crown of Broken Top. But as sunrise approached, the wind rose with it. Inside my head I shouted, “No!” as the once-perfect reflection began to tremble and break. I captured several panoramas quickly, photographing the scene before the wind erased the moment altogether.
At sunrise, the reflection vanished completely, but I didn’t stop photographing. Instead, I used my editing experience to recreate the mirrored effect in Photoshop, matching it to the calm, glasslike surface I had witnessed just minutes before dawn. I have always believed that photography is an artform, and taking the picture is only half of the creative process.
-BAP
Location:
No Name Lake
Broken Top Loop
Bend, Oregon
44° 4' 53.5'' N, 121° 41' 10.9'' W
Google Map Link
Time: 06:05 PDT (sunrise)
Date: July 24th, 2021
Camera & Settings:
Panorama (8 shots)
Nikon D800E, NIKKOR 24-70 mm f/2.8G, CPL Filter, Tripod
ISO 100, 24 mm, f/16, 1/4 sec
