On Lake Helen in Lassen Volcanic National Park, layers of ice lingered into August. The lake had a skim of overnight ice and a white remnant of the surface ice that had until recently encased the lake--plus there was a layer of turquoise submerged ice left over from the previous winter. I worked for several hours with a view camera to get just the right composition, which included a chaotic mix of layers and colors. I also had to wait for some of the night's skim ice to melt so that I could contrast the dark color of the lake's depths with the bright ice. It is among my favorite compositions for its cold sense of energy.

Lee Rentz