Lago di Carezza

Lago di Carezza (Karersee), a small lake just off the road to the Costalunga Pass near Nova Levante in South Tyrol, is one of the most colourful in the Dolomites, its clear water shifting through shades of emerald, jade and deep turquoise and famously mirroring the jagged Latemar range above a fringe of dark spruce forest. The defining photograph is this reflection: the toothy Latemar peaks and the conifers doubled in the still water, a composition that has appeared on countless posters of the Dolomites. The strongest results come in the calm of early morning, before any breeze ruffles the surface and while the light is soft, as the lake is small and even a light wind breaks the mirror. The lake faces such that morning gives the cleanest reflection and midday the most vivid water colour under high sun. A wide-angle lens takes in the lake, forest and peaks together, while a polarising filter must be used with care here, since fully polarising the surface removes the very reflection that makes the shot, so a partial setting balances surface colour against the mirrored peaks. The lake is fenced for protection and there is no swimming or access to the shore; photographers shoot from the designated viewing path that runs along the bank, reached by an underpass from the official car park where parking costs around 2 euro an hour. This means the visit is a short, easy walk rather than a hike, and the classic viewpoints are quickly reached. Autumn brings golden larch colour mixed into the spruce, and a dusting of early snow on the Latemar adds drama; winter can freeze the lake. Because the spot is popular and the viewing path can fill, the early hours reward the photographer with both the calmest water and a clear position at the rail. A tripod helps for the soft morning light and any long exposures to smooth the water further. For the strongest single image, arrive at first light, find the stretch of path that lines up the Latemar with its reflection, and shoot before the breeze and the crowds arrive.