Plitvice Lakes — Autumn Waterfall Sequence

Description

Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia’s Lika region is a UNESCO World Heritage landscape formed by travertine — calcium carbonate deposited by algae and moss — which builds into natural dams that create a sequence of 16 terraced lakes connected by cascades and waterfalls. The park’s colour palette at peak autumn — typically mid-October is extraordinary: the surrounding beech, maple, and hornbeam forest turns crimson, amber, and gold, while the lakes themselves maintain their characteristic emerald-to-turquoise colouration throughout the year regardless of season. This photograph was made from the upper boardwalk overlooking the Great Waterfall after early-morning fog had cleared, in the brief window before the site’s significant daily visitor numbers made crowd exclusion impossible. The 1/4 second exposure renders the multiple waterfall threads as smooth white silk against the amber forest.