Lake of Bays. Going there just in my mind

So there are many many wonderful places I have been as an artist. I am driven and pulled by the forces of beauty. My car is manned by a magnet for which the metal is nature. From time to time though, someone sends me a photo of a place they have been and the note attached usually says something like "I thought maybe you might like to paint this..." I don't always feel it is my thing. Sometimes I do. 
In the case of my friends photo of "Lake of Bays" I felt the pull immediately. I have to admit I have been in the area but never spent any reasonable time there. Seems I have missed so much. 
On seeing his photo I asked him if he would allow me to paint a canvas from it and on his approval I set out to work. what started out as dark blobs on the canvas gradually morphed into big moving skies and sparkling waters. No trick really, just painted what I saw before me. Just generated my impression of what moved me about the scene.          (cont'd below) 

Lake of Bays
20" x 30" oil on canvas

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Rendering this scene required me to stray from my usual presentation of trees. The trees in this location had to almost perfectly resemble the actual ones on location because this painting would eventually end up on the wall of the friend who provided the image in the first place. But I remained true to my own style on all other aspects. 
I particularly enjoyed this experience. Painting a spot I had never been, making it my own for the moment and presenting it in my own language with brush, paint and canvas.