NATURE'S ART WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE! Part 2-Winter

Showing the transition from fall to winter is now more dramatic with our first snow fall! I start by isolating fallen leaves against the snow--in my backyard.

f8.0 @1/320 sec., ISO 200, Lens @ 200mm

I like the back light here from the low morning sun skimming over the snow creating nice detail throughout the image.

Next, I return to my favorite local trees that have stubbornly held on to their leaves…

f5.0 @ 1/800 sec., ISO 200, lens @ 200mm

I zoomed in to frame a piece of this tree just on the other side of our backyard fence with a fairly wide aperture to de-focus my neighbor's house across the street.

Moving to my front yard later in the day, I return to my favorite little tree.  This tree drops it's leaves very slowly and hangs on to it's berries well into the frigid winter.

f6.3 @ 1/800 sec., ISO 400, lens @ 105mm

I waited for the later sun to back light the tree's leaves, so the cool snow covered berries would have a warm contrasting background.























The very next morning the jet stream dropped that cold Canadian air, into our part of Idaho, creating my favorite winter condition to photograph: Freezing Fog!





Coating EVERYTHING outside with delicate ice crystals…it's like Christmas in November!  Hey, what can I say, I'm a transplanted California--I'm not used to REAL winters! I bundled-up in my warmest snow gear--it was 7º out there--and decided to use my Canon 70D again for this kind of weather.  I don't use my 5DMKII in nasty weather--it's my money-making portrait camera!

f6.3 @ 1/320 sec., ISO 400, lens @ 92mm

I went right out to my little tree to capture the snow covered berries NOW with ice crystals on the edges of everything.  Neat!

Add captf6.3 @ 1/250 sec., ISO 400, Lens @ 82mmion

One of my favorites was this cluster of leaves hanging down on the weeping willow tree next to our house.  Great Ice Crystals!

















Walking to our common area a block from our house I got this nice view of the open farm area with everything dressed in ice.

 f7.1@1/1600 sec., ISO 400

I could go on and on--I've got hundreds of great images just from these two days. 

Back to my main point.  If you're in snow country, you have NO excuses, just take a walk around your house, and LOOK around! If not there, surely within a block of your home great images a wait you!

'Til next week…I'm here to answer questions so ask away…

Author:  Jerry W Venz, Master Photographer Certified
Training site:  http://www.LightAtTheEdge.com