Lake Serenity, Windy Morning, Victoria, Australia

(Click image to enlarge)

A superficial look at this area reminds me greatly of places in the Appalachian Mountains of the eastern United States, like Great Smoky Mountains National Park. A closer look says that you're not in Tennessee anymore. The trees, plants, animals and insects are very different, not to mention that this photograph was captured in the middle of winter. There are no crowds and the nearest towns are much smaller. It's a relaxing place that feels familiar, even if it is not. 

Strong backlighting brings out the textures in foliage, accentuates haze in the distance, and adds sparkle to the water on this windy morning. Because the sun was too low for the lens hood to effectively shield the entire front of the lens from direct sunlight, I minimized lens flare at the bottom of this photograph by shading the hooded lens with my hand.