It was a quiet winter morning near the Green Lakes, just outside Vilnius. I arrived early, hoping to catch the magic of the frosty forest. The temperature was biting, and the air felt crisp, every breath visible in the cold. As I wandered deeper into the woods, the landscape became eerily quiet, as if nature was holding its breath.

Then I saw it—a solitary tree standing by the still lake, coated in frost and glowing like a ghostly sentinel. Its reflection in the perfectly still water created an otherworldly symmetry. The scene felt like something out of a dream, suspended in time.

The light was delicate, filtered through the misty sky, creating a monochrome palette that highlighted every detail. I knew I had only moments before the sun climbed higher, softening the frost. Positioning myself to align the reflection with the tree, I carefully framed the shot, ensuring the mood was intact.

Capturing this image was both a challenge and a reward. The harsh winter conditions made my fingers numb, but I couldn’t stop marvelling at the beauty around me. Winter at Green Lakes is a season I’d recommend to anyone seeking solitude and inspiration. There’s something profoundly humbling about witnessing nature in its most delicate, frozen form.

This photo isn’t just a reflection of the tree; it’s a reflection of the peace I felt that morning. A reminder that, sometimes, the quietest places hold the loudest stories.