Each year, the Alberche River, which runs across the mountain region of Gredos, reveals a slightly different character. In seasons of heavy rain, its waters overspill into the surrounding valley, creating temporary lakes that shift the terrain as dramatically as any geological event; only on a gentler, more seasonal scale. This past winter delivered precisely the kind of sustained rainfall that reshapes the landscape, and by mid-March a broad, calm body of water had settled across the floodplain. Scattered across it were giant granite boulders, some half-submerged, others forming small islands that seemed to belong in a far more remote setting.
It was this fleeting geography that set the stage for the photograph captured here.
Despite being early in the season, the morning was mild — around 10°C — and the air unusually still for the time of year. That stillness proved to be the defining characteristic of the shoot. With no wind disturbing the surface, the lake became an immaculate reflector, doubling the boulders and the pale gold of the approaching sunrise. Conditions like these are notoriously delicate; a single breeze can erase the effect entirely. Arriving before dawn was essential.
The pre-sunrise walk to the location offered none of the visual clues that would later make the scene remarkable. In the dark, the boulders were simply looming silhouettes, and the lake an indistinct mass of quiet water. With the very first hint of light, I began working the scene, exploring angles and refining potential compositions. From that point, the process became one of practiced routine: a tripod anchored firmly, a magnetic CPL fitted to deepen tones and tame glare, and a deliberate pause to allow the morning light to settle into its full character. The reward came quickly once the sun neared the horizon. As the golden hour began, warm tones grazed the granite surfaces and mountain slopes, saturating the scene just enough to elevate its natural palette without overpowering its subtlety.
The islands created by the winter floods added a sense of scale and story—temporary landforms that exist only for a season or two. Their presence lent the image both visual depth and a kind of seasonal narrative, the sense that this landscape was momentarily borrowed rather than permanent.
Back in post-production, the RAW file offered the flexibility needed to bring out the scene’s quiet drama. Subtle adjustments preserved the natural colours enhanced by the CPL while maintaining the soft, early-morning contrast characteristic of March light. The goal wasn’t transformation, but translation: shaping the file so it reflected the calm clarity experienced on location.
In the end, this photograph stands as a reminder of the unique opportunities that emerge when timing, weather, and preparation align. The flooded Alberche valley may return to its usual shape soon enough, but for a brief moment this landscape offered a composition defined by stillness, balance, and the quiet reward of arriving early enough to catch it.
