Lake Kerkini — Five Days in the Mist

I had visited Greece many times, but nothing prepared me for the atmosphere of Lake Kerkini in winter. For five unforgettable days, I photographed a landscape almost swallowed by mist, where fog drifted across the water and mountains appeared and disappeared like shadows.

The weather was far from ideal in conventional photographic terms, yet once again, difficult conditions created the images. The muted light, dense fog and constantly changing atmosphere gave the lake an almost cinematic quality. Every few minutes the scene seemed to transform.

Guided by the wonderful Jorge, whose last name I unfortunately no longer remember, we ventured onto the lake by boat in search of its famous pelicans.

The winter feeding created extraordinary encounters. Out of the mist, pelicans would suddenly appear, their enormous wings breaking the silence as they glided low across the water. Some landed almost beside the boat; others came so close that the distinction between observing and being part of the scene seemed to disappear. On several occasions, they even landed on the boat itself.

There was something almost surreal about sitting quietly in the boat while these huge birds moved through the fog around us. Their wings, reflections and silhouettes emerged briefly from the grey atmosphere before disappearing again into the mist.

Jorge's knowledge of the lake and his ability to position the boat were essential. The right place, the right moment and the willingness to remain patient allowed the weather and wildlife to create the photograph.

Lake Kerkini became much more than another destination. It reminded me once again that the conditions a photographer might initially consider difficult can sometimes produce the most extraordinary images.

And in the silence of that winter lake, surrounded by mist and pelicans, there were moments when the boundary between photographer and nature seemed to disappear.