This picture was taken in Ouray County, CO with Red Mountain in the background and Crystal Lake in the foreground. I was out there well before sunrise. As the sun comes up the top of the mountain lights up as does the reflection in the lake. This early morning provided glassy smooth water and a mist over the lake. I used a Nikon D300 and Nikon 24-70mm lens at 43mm on a Monfrotto tripod. This is an HDR picture with five exposures combined in Photomatix Pro and Photoshop CC. The base exposure was f/11, at 1/25 second, ISO 200 and then +1, +2 and -1, -2. I try to produce an image as I saw it. Standing there as the sky begins to lighten up the eye is constantly adjusting so you see more detail than can be captured in a single exposure. The multiple exposures allowed me to bring out the shadows while preserving the rich colors of the sky and Red Mountain. Also, bring a jacket, I left mine in my hotel room and was standing there wrapped in a beach towel.