Mt Cook and Lake Pukaki at sunset, South Canterbury

South Canterbury’s Lake Pukaki offers some of the most stunning views of 3754-metre high Mt Cook to be seen anywhere in the region. On a clear day the looming bulk of the mountain can appear deceptively close, even though its summit is about 70 kilometres from the southern end of the lake as the crow flies.

While fine, clear days are ideal for viewing Mt Cook and the Southern Alps across Lake Pukaki, a particularly appealing display occasionally takes place when conditions are somewhat less settled. If a cold front happens to pass over the region from the west and is then followed by clearing weather late in the day, the setting sun may then be able to illuminate the departing frontal cloud to create a richly-coloured backdrop to the distant mountains. The day I took this photograph was one such combination of events, and I was fortunate enough to be at the shore of Lake Pukaki just as this display was at its peak.