Lake of the Seven Cities

January 19, 2012

Lagoa7CidadesAtNight-net (3)

Photographer: Miguel Claro; Miguel's Web site
Summary Author: Miguel Claro; Jim Foster

The three-photo panorama above features a dormant volcanic crater and the Lake of the Seven Cities on San Miguel Island in the Azores Archipelago. San Miguel is called the "Green Island" because it's the most verdant and also most populous of the Azores. Though the volcano that formed San Miguel has been extinct for approximately 400 years, its lake-filled caldera is a one of the main sources of fresh water in the archipelago and has thus facilitated the development of a number of population centers. On this nighttime long exposure, stray light from the towns surrounding the lake (actually two lakes) and reflecting off the cloud deck gives this scene a yellowish pall.

Photo details: Canon 50D camera; ISO 800; F/4; 10mm. Panorama composed of three images taken    
at 2:40 a.m. on December 4, 2011; three minute exposure for each photo. Software: Adobe Photoshop CS3 Windows.