Can you identify the location of this photo?

My new header is a photo I took in Israel last summer. The water probably gives away my location to people who know the country.

I remember the moment when I took this picture. Our group was enjoying a weekend at the Dead Sea during the Khirbet Qeiyafa excavation in July, 2010. I stepped onto my balcony near Ein Gedi late on a Saturday afternoon and saw the almost-mystical appearance of the water surface. Some of the moving currents reflected the sunlight differently than others, producing an unusual effect. The view was rather ethereal and I just stood there for several minutes watching the currents move through the lake.

Here is the uncropped version. It was a little hazy, as is often the case at the Dead Sea.

A view looking east over the Dead Sea from Ein Gedi before sunset. The mountains on the opposite side are the nation of Jordan. (Photo by Luke Chandler)

There is something about the way the Dead Sea flows that seems different than other bodies of water, even when you’re standing in it. Perhaps it has something to do with the unusual mineral content. I still like to stop and look at this photo on occasion, even if it doesn’t offer full justice to the original moment.