Mount Moran at first light

Mount Moran doesn’t have foothills to soften its rise — it comes straight out of the valley floor, which is why it dominates the skyline the way it does from the lakeshore. This was a still morning, with barely enough wind to disturb the reflection.

Why it matters

The Teton Range is famously young and fault-block in origin, which is part of why it looks so sheer and dramatic compared to more eroded ranges.

Getting the shot

Shot from a tripod at a small aperture for front-to-back sharpness, then stitched from several frames for the wide panorama. Stillness in the water was the limiting factor — wind usually picks up within an hour of sunrise.