The glacially-fed Peyto Lake shines as blue as the summer sky, in Banff National Park, Canada.

Peyto Lake is pretty famous, at least as far as Banff National Park is concerned. I usually like to focus on scenes, or at least views, that aren't well-photographed iconic shots. I must admit, this isn't one of those times. This photograph's composition doesn't differ much from other photographs of the view. The unfortunate fact is that you are constrained to a small lookout deck. It may be possible to hike closer on an extended trip and with a back-country permit, but my visit didn't allow for that. Anyways, I still really wanted to see the lake, even if it wouldn't be a productive photography excursion. It's easy to see why: the lake is stunningly beautiful. The long stretch of towering bare-faced Rocky Mountains flanks one of the bluest lakes I've ever seen. I was also helped out by a really cool sky. While the composition may not be that unique, the scene is still unrivaled for beauty.

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