I try to visit this magical location every winter to experience its beauty. The small lake is located in a small village called Prandi in the centre of Estonia. It is a hot spring, and in winter, the water doesn’t freeze.

With very cold temperatures, it starts steaming and creates a very dreamy and misty environment. This morning, it was about -20 degrees Celsius outdoors, and all these conditions together offered amazing opportunities for nature photography.

The hot spring is also a place for ducks and swans to spend their time during winter. I had photographed the moving mist with the beautiful frozen trees in the background for some time. I was hoping for the ducks to move into the frame to add some nice element to the whole photo.

I had been waiting about 30 minutes in freezing temperatures for the moment to happen, but so far, nothing had happened. I decided to wrap things up and leave or find some other location. When I was walking away, I decided to peek over my shoulder for the last time, and there it was. The ducks were moving to this exact place between two trees where I was hoping they would move earlier.

I quickly made some steps, and I was back in position to take the shot. The birds spent about 5 minutes over there, and I had a chance to take different photos of them in this fantastic environment. In the end, I think this is the best winter photo I have taken overall.