Längentalspeicher (or Längental Reservoir)

Längentalspeicher sits high in the Längental valley near the Kühtai ski resort. This working alpine reservoir is surrounded by the peaks of the Stubai Alps in open, treeless setting. On a still morning those summits mirror cleanly in the water, making this the perfect spot to experiment with some reflection photography. The straight line of the dam wall gives you a unique leading line to play with against the rougher mountains behind it, while the open shoreline lets you walk around freely to try different viewpoints using the shifting reflections. There is a large circular overflow funnel sitting at the northern end of the reservoir that changes dramatically depending on the waterlevel and time of year. Arriving early in the day or into the evening on calm, clear days brings the best light onto the peaks and the flattest water for those mirror shots. The reservoir is easily accessed using the road up from Kühtai, with mountain huts nearby including the Dortmunder Hütte if you want to expand your shooting adventure to explore the whole area. This section of the valley has been part of major construction site since 2020 for a new, larger reservoir to be built just above Längentalspeicher, with a container camp and heavy machinery near the access road, so the wider scene may sometimes be affected along with road access being limited. It is worth the trip for that mix of still water, a clean engineered shape, and a full ring of alpine peaks. (Kühtai, Tyrol, Austria)