Sunrise over Emerald Bay in Lake Tahoe

Growing up in California, I was very fortunate to have a family house in Tahoe. As a child I remember building forts in the woods behind our house and jumping in the beautiful yet chilly water that makes up Lake Tahoe. As a photographer, this area of California is amazing. One of my favorite locations is Emerald Bay, located near the south end of the lake. While extremely popular for visitors and photographers alike, there are still plenty of opportunities for unique compositions if you look hard enough. While I usually prefer dramatic skies, the clean feel of this image is what I enjoy the most.

Emerald Bay at Sunrise in Lake Tahoe, California — “Leaving Emerald Bay” – Lake Tahoe, California 2009

Image Information:
CAMERA: Canon 5D Mark II
LENS: Canon 24-70 2.8L
ISO: 200
EXPOSURE: f / 9.0 at 1/125 Sec

Post Processing:
I balanced the light reflecting off the water with the sky by using Lightroom’s local adjustments (brush) as well as the split toning feature. I cleaned up a few ripples in the lake via content aware in Photoshop and then slightly enhanced the color of the image using +Nik Software‘s Viveza 2.

About the Author

Colby Brown

Colby Brown is a photographer, photo educator and author that specializes in landscape, travel and wildlife photography. His photographic portfolio spans the four corners of the globe and all 7 continents. He has worked as a photo instructor for National Geographic and founded The Giving Lens, an organization that blends photo education with support for various non-governmental organizations (NGO) and causes around the world, such as child education, clean drinking water projects, and women’s rights.

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Upcoming Photo Workshop Adventures...

A cheetah image captured in the wild in Namibia by Colby Brown during a Photography Workshop

Namibia Photography Workshop

October 12th – 24th, 2022

Namibia is home to some of the most incredible desert landscapes and wildlife on the planet. From the great sand dunes of Sossusvlei to the remote Himba tribes of Northern Namibia to the amazing mixture of wildlife found in the country, Namibia is a photographers paradise. Here you will find large populations of cheetahs, lions, rhino, elephants, buffalo and much more!

Dolomites Photography Workshop

October 19th – 26th, 2024

Come join us on an adventure of a lifetime to the amazing Italian Dolomites. We will photograph and explore incredible mountain peaks, beautiful reflected lakes and gorgeous fall colors as we move throughout one of the most impressive mountain ranges in the world.

Seljalandsfoss Waterfall Iceland Summer Photo Workshop

Iceland Summer Photography Workshop

July 8th – 13th, 2023

Visiting Iceland in the Summer is one of the best times to explore this amazing country. Not only are lupines in bloom and waterfalls at peak flow, but the midnight sun provides endless hours of soft beautiful light as sunset and sunrise converge, often providing up to 6 hrs of golden light each evening!

Leknes Northern Lights Lofoten Islands Norway Photo Workshop

Norway Photo Workshop – Lofoten Islands

February 22nd – March 1st, 2025

Join us this February as we explore this impressive series of Islands located above the Arctic Circle. While we will work hard to get you in the right spot for both sunrise and sunset, with over half the day steeped in darkness, we will make sure to chase any and all Aurora activity that presents itself throughout our time in the Lofoten Islands.