IN THE FIELD: Frosty Windows

 

Spring may be right around the corner…at least according to the calendar. But just the other morning when I went outside to warm up the Jeep, Mother Nature said winter is still here. 

Luckily for me the sun had just risen above the horizon and I was able to capture this display of ice diamonds on the passenger window.  

 

 

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IN THE FIELD: SNOW SQUALL

 

The weather forecast for this past February 13th called for a brisk sunny day. No snow was forecasted and there were no storms of any kind showing on the radar. It was mid afternoon when I happened to glance out the window and it was snowing sideways! This snow squall materialized out of nowhere and caught everyone by surprise. Traffic on the nearby highway had slowed to a crawl. The storm lasted about 20 minutes or so and then the sun reappeared from behind the clouds.

Ya know…this image may be something to refer back to this summer when the outside temperature is 90 degrees and it’s oppressively humid!

 

 

 

In The Field: Winter Light

Subtle

Not So Subtle

Sunsets in the winter season are so varied. The first photo was taken this time last year and the second one was taken last week. Both photos were taken from the same spot looking in the same direction.

This season has been exceptional as far as intensely bright sunsets go. Some I have photographed and others I have just gazed in awe. It’s good to do that on occasion.

IN THE FIELD: Shadows In The Snow

Early morning or late afternoon is the perfect time for catching some great shadows in the snow.

I took this photo in the early morning using a custom in-camera B&W mode. I chose B&W because I liked the stark contrast of the tree trunks against the softness of the snow.

Another reason I didn’t shoot this in color was due to the deep blue shadows from the early morning light. Even though the scene is a cold visual, I didn’t want to show it as any colder.

When shooting in color, there are times when the snow is that blue from the light and shadows, it can be difficult to expose the snow as white without overexposing the whole scene and losing detail.

Of course there is always the post processing route to fix things, but I would rather get it right in camera rather than spend time adjusting the image on the computer. I suppose I’m from the old school in my way of thinking. Plus, I would rather be out shooting photographs.

There is still about two feet of snow on the ground with more on the way late tonight. This certainly has been a long snowy winter this year. It reminds me of when we were kids and the ground would be white for months.

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IN THE FIELD: Snow Day

Yesterday was another snow day where I live. It wasn’t a big storm, but we did get about three inches of fresh light fluffy snow.

For some reason I wasn’t able to get warm…all day. So I decided to stay inside and play with some close-up photography. I looked around the house for objects that would photograph well, and tried to create images that were not easily recognizable.

Okay, okay, I’ll tell you what the objects in the photos are. The first image is a close up looking down into a drinking glass.

The second is a portion of a glass vase with a blue light placed inside to add some color.

The last image was taken as I was preparing dinner. This is a pot of water with some safflower oil floating on top.

You are probably wondering what in the world was for dinner.  Winter comfort food….cheese ravioli in a rich chunky tomato/vegetable sauce. I finally felt warm after devouring more than I should have eaten. After all, the internal furnace needed fuel.

 

IN THE FIELD: Sunset Snow

Yesterday evening I was closing the curtains for the night to help keep the warmth inside. And to cover the big black holes that form at every window opening when it’s dark outside.

As I looked out one of the windows on the western side of the house, I caught a glimpse of yet another vibrant sunset. The sky was brightly colored with yellow, orange, pink, lavender, and purple. As a bonus, the snow in our side yard was glistening from the light of the setting sun. I grabbed my camera and was able to take a few photos before the color began to fade.

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IN THE FIELD: Winter Wonderland

This certainly has been quite a winter for some folks. It may not be the snowiest as in years past, but the storms sure have been frequent. Another storm blew through this past Sunday night thru Monday afternoon and deposited nine more inches of snow. Last night was a night of freezing rain and snow…and guess what? There is more winter weather predicted for this weekend. The area around here is beginning to look like the Great White North.

I’m not complaining because I really enjoy the winter season…I just need a break from the outdoor gym (shoveling).

Yesterday I ventured down to a nearby small creek for some scenic winter photos. I was surprised to see the water flowing at such a high rate. I thought the water would have been frozen solid since the temperature has been below freezing since…well, I can’t remember when it wasn’t.

Here is a shot I took looking upstream. It was late afternoon and there wasn’t  much sunlight at this location because of the hillside on the left was blocking the setting sun.

After viewing the image, I decided to de-saturate it to see how it would look. I like the color version because the brown leaves add some interest. I also like the monotone rendition for the really cold feeling in conveys. I think I’ll keep both.

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IN THE FIELD: Tropical

IN THE FIELD: Time Warp

This morning I was walking through the family room and couldn’t help notice the pink glow beaming through the transom window over the front door. I quickly grabbed the camera to get a shot of this beautiful sunrise. I took the first photo at 7:15 this morning from the front porch of our house. The second photo was taken four hours later at 11:15 this morning from the same spot. What a difference a few hours can make!

 

 

IN THE FIELD: Nap time

Another winter storm passed through the region yesterday and last night. With it came fluffy powdery snow, very cold temperatures and bitter wind chills of -17.

“Ya know…it’s hard to play and very tiring with ten inches of snow on the ground. We sure are glad our humans shoveled the snow in the back yard. Bet they are ready for a nap too!”

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