Torres del Paine National Park in Chile is just as beautiful as everyone says it is, and this is not shocking because of how popular this region of the world has become for serious nature photographers.

This shot was taken on my first afternoon of actual photography in Chile, after my trip started worse than any other trip I've ever taken, with car problems and lost luggage weighing me down mentally to begin my camping adventure.

This photo definitely allowed me to calm down and remember why I travelled all this way in the first place. I opted to use a longer exposure time for this photo to really flatten the water and make it a bit more mirror-like to reflect the deadwood and the mountains.

The conditions on this day were near perfect, as it is almost always windy in Patagonia, making reflections impossible. Another challenge in taking this photo was the clouds periodically covering the mountains, so I had to be patient and wait for them to reveal a bit more of the scene.

I visited Patagonia in the summer (December), as this is when I was able to travel as a student. Still, I have learned that fall in Patagonia has the best colour and light for photography.