Sunrise of Dreams
Up in the remote mountainous hinterlands of Kyrgyzstan lies an absolutely immense lake at 10000ft, surrounded by beautiful treeless jailoos (summer meadows) that are ringed by glaciated peaks stretching as far as the eye can see. This was Songkul. And every summer, herders bring cattle and horses to this high altitude terrain to let them feed on the fresh grass that grows for miles around, while still homesteading in a very traditional way - sheepskin-insulated yurts that they set up every spring and pull down in fall.
After a very cold and rainy evening, I got to spend a night in those very same warm yurts, while having no idea what to expect at sunrise. And as the clock struck 5, I got out of the yurt and I was completely blown away by the transformation in scenery. The receding storm was pulling away the last bank of clouds, letting rays of morning sunlight set aglow the rugged snow-capped peaks on the other side of the lake. The clear air and the treeless terrain leave very little to lend perspective to the scene, with peaks rising 2800ft and 10mi away look merely stone's throw away. I spent hours photographing that ever-changing morning, even forgetting my breakfast hunger pangs.
This rugged isolation was what drew me to this magical place. And it was amply rewarded.
SongKol
Naryn Province, Kyrgyzstan