The more I shoot winter the more I appreciate its many nuances of weather and light: how sunlight highlights wind-blown patterns on the snow. How shadows turn rich blue and become graphic compositional tools. How snow and ice react to the ever-changing temperatures. And it's incredibly beautiful at night. On cold winter nights, the stars seem to sizzle overhead.
To me, winter is most scenic in its extremes — big snows and heavy ice. We were fortunate to find both. Major snow storms, which dumped about two feet on the central Adirondacks, bookended our four-day workshop. In a spruce and pine forest, we shot in snow up to our thighs. On a -4 degree night we photographed the Big Dipper over Raquette Lake. On the Moose River — which kept flowing despite the cold — intricate ice formations clung to boulders.
This set looked like Christmas ornaments. When converted to black & white, their intricate forms and textures jump out.
Our classroom sessions were devoted to the Art of Seeing winter, taking advantage of its many scenic and compositional opportunities. We also covered shooting and blending multiple exposures as panoramas, HDR's, layer masks, and focus stacks — all to push the bounds of what's possible shooting the Adirondacks' incredible fourth season. My heart-felt thanks to the participants, for their interest, passion, and creative spirit. I very much enjoyed being with you. Winter's not over yet and the possibilities continue to evolve as the weather changes. Explore it while you can!
