Lake Atitlán Photo

Photographer’s Note

Lake Atitlán (Lago de Atitlán) is a large endorheic lake (one that does not flow to the sea) in the Guatemalan Highlands.

While Atitlan is recognized to be the deepest lake in Central America, its bottom has not been completely sounded. Estimates of its maximum depth range up to 340 meters. The lake is shaped by deep escarpments which surround it and by three volcanoes on its southern flank. Lake Atitlan is further characterized by towns and villages of the Maya people.

Panorama view of the lake as seen from the top of Volcán San Pedro, or from the top towards the bottom of the satellite photo on the right.The lake is volcanic in origin, filling an enormous caldera formed in an eruption 84,000 years ago. It is renowned as one of the most beautiful lakes in the world, and Aldous Huxley famously wrote of it: "Lake Como, it seems to me, touches on the limit of permissibly picturesque, but Atitlán is Como with additional embellishments of several immense volcanoes. It really is too much of a good thing."

One of the days I was in Guatemala I visited the Lake Atitlán....and I spend an excellent, excellent day there.

More information...in wikipedia:

The lake basin supports extensive coffee growth and a variety of farm crops, most notably corn. Other significant agricultural products include onions, beans, squash, tomatoes, cucumbers, garlic, chile verde, strawberries, avocados and pitahaya fruit. The lake itself is rich in animal life which provides a significant food source for the largely indigenous population.

dip, ChrisJ, AiresSantos, josepmarin, John_F_Kennedy, jhm, fanni, Cretense has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

dip (12562) 2009-09-16 23:48

Hi Oscar,
beautiful composition,I like the grey-blue tones,the clouds and of course the lonely man in the foreground,
well captured,
greetings,
Dimitris.

ChrisJ (70153) 2009-09-16 23:55

Hi Oscar

The solitary man in the boat is a superb fg focal point in the lake. Good sharpness & an informative note. I like the tonal range in the sky. Tfs!

angie-barcelona (1849) 2009-09-16 23:55

Buenas...

el lloc espectacular... i amb aquests núbols encara millor!!! Jo no tinc cap foto així... ohhhhh!!!

(... només que... a l'esquerra... hi una ombra...)

rodgerg (23893) 2009-09-17 0:59

Hello Oscar,

A very impressive image with the sky, the moutains, the lake and.... an man lonely in this immensity. excellent large framing and superb harmony in the colors. Congratulations for this impressive and very good photowork.
Have a nice day,
Roger

AiresSantos (41990) 2009-09-17 1:08

Hola Oscar
Despite the bad weather conditions, this is a very nice picture from the Lake Atitlan.
Impressive sky, fine texture in the water
TFS and have a nice day
Aires

coco (27802) 2009-09-17 1:11

Parece un lugar paradisíaco... deberías de haberte quedado ahí y no volver.

¿Sabes que si pones una foto más del volcán te diré lo mismo?

Narcís Reyerta.

josepmarin (33785) 2009-09-17 4:18

Hola Òscar,
aquest personatge amb el seu kaiac en aquest llac de muntanya, que deu estar a una bona alçada, rodejat d'aquests pics impressionants i amb el cel que amenaça amb quelcom més que un ruixat, formen una composició molt interessant i rica gràficament.
L'escena un pèl boirosa li dóna un toc de misteri.
Bona feina.
Una abraçada,
Josep
PS: 1 puntet...... i el Dinamo Kiev amb 3, mal rotllo.

John_F_Kennedy (31315) 2009-09-17 4:27

Hello Oscar,
That's a wonderful motive, so simple with the dynamic clouds and so beautiful in the soft colours.
Best wishes,
Achim

jhm (82341) 2009-09-17 4:29

Hello Oscar,

The man only and lonely on these great lake, perhaps little bit dangerous.
This is a very nice picture from the Lake Atitlan
Nice composition, very nice presentation.
Good photo job. TFS.

Best regards,
John.

pablominto (40552) 2009-09-17 7:03

Hello Oscar,

Seems like the guy in the kayak still has a way to go!
A fine lakeside view, not the usual sunny sunny scene but a bit more cloudy weather wise...
The low point of view works well, putting our eyes on level with the kayaker..!

Greetings,
Pablo -

fanni (8737) 2009-09-18 2:04

Hi Oscar,
interesting capture, very good composition - but a bit threatening sky with these low clouds! the persence of a man in the boat surely softens and enlivens this view :) but maybe this impression of "threatening" is because of the rather dark colours?
I also wonder why part of the bottom left corner of the image is darkened?..
Very best wishes :)
Elena

Cretense (55904) 2009-09-20 4:02

Hola Oscar!

Muy buena toma, creo que le quedaria muy bien el b&n y un poco mas de contraste. Gran encuadre y composicion!

un saludo,
Hercules

PixelTerror (86058) 2009-09-22 22:20

Hola Oscar
Bouh it's cloudy ! but I like how these clouds mix with the mountains and you have exposed the image well, the guy on the boat is too centered
have a nice day JY