This week, Jez from Photos by Jez is guest-hosting this week’s Lens-Artists Photo Challenge with the fun theme of Seeing Double AKA Reflections.

I can’t remember when I became so obsessed with taking photos of water reflections. This is undoubtedly one my earliest attempts with water reflection and what better place to attempt water reflections than at what was once the Great Salt Lake?

This was one of the few times I’ve seen water at Bonneville Salt Flats. So it was pretty amazing and lucky. This photo was shot with a basic point and shoot.

I was still a student back then, with my income source from a freelance translating job and a part-time bookkeeping gig where I was paid minimum wage, not to mention every cent went to tuition and textbook to finance my second Bachelor Degree. I didn’t want to take out any loan back then because my mom was already dangling the student loans from my first Bachelor Degree over my head like a noose. I didn’t want to give her the satisfaction of doing that again.

So no DSLR for me back then but it sure was the dream.

Still, I would say this photo came out well considering no editing whatsoever. Oh yes, those are reflections of clouds in the water. When the air is calm and still, one can really learn to relish the peace and quiet at the Bonneville Salt Flats.

After getting a real job after college and a mirror-less camera, gifted from my aunt because no one else knew how to use it, I became more obsessed with finding bodies of water to not only practice long exposures but just stare at water reflections. Water reflections are just so calming, isn’t it?

After searching the internet, I soon found it. Mirror Lake, a lake nestle at around 10,000 feet elevation in the eastern corner of Utah, about 50 miles from Evanston, Wyoming. This lake is called Mirror Lake for a reason. I can imagine flying over and seeing the reflection in this body of water nestled at around 10,000 feet elevation. Even when there’s wind, there will still be a reflection in this lake.

Before I go, I’d love to take you to one of my favorite spots near my home. This is Canadian Goose Island. It’s not an island, just a large body of water divided into 3 lakes. One of the lakes just so happens to be a sanctuary for these migratory birds.

I believe this photo was taken in spring. These birds usually come here during the winter months. I came here one winter and found a whole lot of them, just walking on the frozen-over surface of the lake like they weren’t afraid of slipping on ice.

This spot has become my sanctuary, too. It’s the place I, now, go to decompress from the stresses of life, though I do think it’s time I take trip there.