By: Alex
Scenes reflected on the water’s surface have always fascinated landscape photography enthusiasts. Whether you call it a mirrored dimension or a fantasy world, the chance of encountering a perfect reflection is actually much rarer than one might think, as even slight ripples or wind can easily distort the clarity. Days with perfectly still water may be even less common than the appearance of a rainbow.
I happened to find a beautiful new green mirror pic.twitter.com/oFzC42n1v9
— wasabitool (@wasabitool) May 31, 2020
After consecutive heavy rains in the summer, not only is the air washed clean, but the leaves also appear especially vibrant green. Even more rare is the significant rise in the water level of lakes or ponds—so high that entire tree trunks are submerged, creating what the Japanese call “submerged forests.”
▲Wakayama Prefecture (photo by wasabitool @Twitter)
▲Wakayama Prefecture (photo by wasabitool @Twitter)
Japanese photographer @wasabitool recently captured stunning lake reflections by chance while driving along a mountain road in Wakayama Prefecture. The lush green trees blanketing the mountains were mirrored in the flooded waters, making it almost impossible to tell which were real and which were reflections at a glance. Especially in the two photos where a small boat is seen traveling on the lake, the presence of tangible objects for comparison makes the scene all the more surreal.
▲Wakayama Prefecture (photo by wasabitool @Twitter)
▲Wakayama Prefecture (photo by wasabitool @Twitter)
Japan lies at a tectonic plate boundary, where volcanic activity is frequent. As a result, there are many natural lakes, as well as numerous man-made reservoirs used for agricultural irrigation or disaster prevention. Coupled with traditional Japanese dry landscape garden (karesansui) designs, opportunities to photograph calm water surfaces are especially abundant. If photographers are lucky enough to encounter a “full-water” day without wind, they shouldn’t miss the chance to capture such scenes.
▲Lake Shōbu, Biei, Hokkaido (photo by pucchii_k @IG)
▲Daigo-ji Temple, Kyoto (photo by sam_street_photography @IG)
▲Lake Yogo, Gunma Prefecture (photo by n_mz24 @IG)
▲Ryuo-ko Pond, Nara Prefecture (photo by rinrin7281 @IG)
▲Kamikōchi, Nagano Prefecture (photo by tabibitoview @IG)
▲Mount Yake, Niigata Prefecture (photo by tojo_a7 @IG)
▲Mikasa-ike Pond, Nagano Prefecture (photo by ken.f430 @IG)
▲Tomiyama City, Miyagi Prefecture (photo by todamasahiro @IG)
▲Takayama Main Line Railway, Gero City, Gifu Prefecture (photo by ailes_5pht @IG)
Source: wasabitool