These unique icicles were discovered along the frozen shoreline of Lost Lake Resort near the boat dock on a late-November morning in 2013.  The formations presumably were caused by freezing condensation on the underside of a sheet of ice after the water level in the lake had receded several inches.

Under varying conditions, they either looked like crystal chess pieces or exotic mushrooms.  To capture this photo, I broke off a small sheet of the ice, dipped the tips in the water to make them glisten, turned it upside down, and set it on top of a stump near the lake.  I then shot the icicles backlit with the sunlight refracting and sparkling through the ice, with the deep blue color of the lake and the sky as the background.

To give you a better idea of how this image was created, here are a couple of reference shots of the ice sheet as it originally appeared along the shoreline, and a pulled back view of the ice sheet sitting on the stump where I photographed it.  Many have suggested that it almost looks like a chess board, and I have to agree.  I've never seen anything like it!

You can view more abstract images of nature in this collection on my website.  I offer them as affordably-priced fine art prints and would be happy to help you select a size and style that best suits your tastes and budget.  Email or call to inquire at (541) 716-4749.