A late morning view taken against the sun, showing shore, yachts and the deep waters of the Orava reservoir, called "Oravska Priehrada" in Slovak language, located near the Namestovo town in the northernmost Slovakia; close to borderline with Poland. As I already mentioned I have taken this photo pointing the camera towards the sun.

I actually love to take photos this way, when the sun and its rays are part of the composition, contributing to the overall mood and atmosphere of the scene; although the resulting pictures may not be always satisfying mostly due to dramatic drop in contrast, color and picture quality. But sometimes the outcome is surprisingly acceptable and resulting images are not too much damaged by artifacts caused when lens imperfections are emphasized by direct sunlight passing through it.

Anyway, the Orava reservoir is the largest lake in Slovakia; formed by 35.2 km2 / 21.8 mi2 of the water surface. It is a very popular holiday destination for travelers, vacationers and fisherman from all around the world, of course, especially during the summer months.

This reservoir is feed by the river Orava and its average depth is about 15 meters / 49.2 feet. The whole locality of the Orava reservoir is protected by the Horna Orava, Protected Landscape Area (CHKO, Horna Orava).

There is also a famous island located right in middle of this reservoir called the Slanica island or the Island or art. It is frequently visited by tourists, because it hosts permanent expositions showcasing traditional folk art of Slovak rural communities and other expositions related to the region of Orava.

If you will be nearby be sure to stop at the Orava reservoir. This locality has so much to offer, both for regular tourists looking for relax and recreation on the beach, as well as for photographers looking for some picturesque natural sceneries! ;)