Medicine Bow Peak in the Snowy Range is reflected in a serene Lake Marie. (Torrin Hermann)

Torrin Hermann, a 16-year-old high school student who lives in Laramie, was high in the Snowy Range in Medicine Bow National Forest in early August, showing visiting family the beauty of her backyard. 

When they got to Lake Marie at the foot of Medicine Bow Peak, the water was glassy and still, showcasing a stunning reflection of mountain and sky. 

Hermann didn’t have her normal camera which was in for repairs, but captured the scene on her iPhone. Her photo of the serene reflection won first place in the “water” category of The Nature Conservancy of Wyoming’s 2020 “I Believe in Conservation” photography contest. 

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Hermann’s inspiration to take the picture, she wrote to WyoFile in an email, “was that simply the beauty of Snowy Range is like no other.” She liked the effect caused by a few slight ripples on the lake. 

Photography, she wrote, “opens a door to the beauty and ruggedness of nature for the world to see.” 

See below for the uncropped, award-winning version.

Torrin Hermann’s uncropped award-winning photograph. (Torrin Hermann)

 

Katie Klingsporn reports on outdoor recreation, public lands, education and general news for WyoFile. She’s been a journalist and editor covering the American West for 20 years. Her freelance work has...

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  2. What a stunningly beautiful photo of Lake Marie—my namesake—Melanie Marie Orr— way back in 1948. Congratulations to Katie!

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