This winter it’s my strong hope that everyone who reads this article catches a cold. “That’s not very nice,” I hear you say, but I mean it. I really want it to happen - go out and catch a cold morning, afternoon, or evening of photography. Stop using the cold as an excuse to not go out and make pictures. Stop telling yourself there aren’t good images to be made in the winter. Stop worrying about all the things that make you worry about making images when it’s cold - it’s a great time to make some ice-scape photos.

Summer is over, the occasional warm days of a late fall have passed and you’re sitting on the sofa flicking through reruns of old TV shows On Demand. During a commercial you reflect back to all the photography you did when the weather was nice. You recall the special light that illumined the fall colors on the mountainside as you filled many gigabytes of memory. Rather than reminisce about all the shooting you did over the past few months, get off the sofa and head out into the cold. A world of photography awaits the photographer who snubs the chilly temps, persists, and goes out to shoot regardless of the conditions.

Lots of great images can be made during the winter months but I want to focus on the topic of ice. The subject is such that great images can be captured under varying types of conditions. If the light for the grand scenic doesn’t play out, move in close for the macro shot. If the macro shot doesn’t work, look for the abstract. If the abstract shot doesn’t come together, incorporate subjects that tell a story. In that ice subjects are numerous and all over, you’ll never get left out in the cold - sorry :-)

The Overarching Scenic: Think about the close to home scenic gem you’ve often photographed in the spring, summer or fall. Revisit it this winter to create an ice-scape.  Watch the news for weather patterns when ice would stand a good chance of forming. A recent snow with daytime temperatures that cause a melt followed by a hard night’s freeze is ideal. Get out early the next morning and you should be treated to lots of icicles. Include them in the composition to show them off. Back and side light are best. If the sun is low enough, place it right behind some of the ice formations, stop the lens down to f22, and you’ll wind up with a sunstar peeking out from behind the icicles. 

©Russ Burden

Close Ups: Intimate ice-scapes can be found in lots of places. A frozen puddle may offer a myriad of ice bubbles, crack patterns, or crystal formations. Move in close to capture the flow of lines, shapes and curves they offer. Before you point the lens at the scene, study it without the camera to see if there’s a section that draws you in. If so, place the camera to your eye and look for S curves, a crack that leads you to a focal point in the ice, or other interesting form. 

©Russ Burden

Tell a Story: Think about taking on the roll of a news photographer. If it’s a slow news day, it’s their obligation to provide story telling images. Study the surroundings to see what can be included to make a compelling photo. Look to see where the light is most interesting. Is it a place where it’s likely a good subject will enter? If so, be patient and grab the moment when the pieces fall into place. In the accompanying image of the coot, there was a section of open pond but the duck stayed out in the middle. In that the open water spoke nothing about the frigid temps of that morning, I waited patiently for it to swim to the ice. Patience paid off. When it did, I started making photos as they told the story of the hardship of wildlife during the winter. 

©Russ Burden

©Russ Burden

To learn more about this topic, join me on one of my Nature Photo Tours. Visit russburdenphotography.com and click on the NATURE TOURS button for more information. Also, email me to be placed on my Tip of the Week list and to receive announcements about upcoming tours specials or to pick up a copy of my book, Amphoto’s Complete Book of Photography. You can purchase a signed copy directly from me or visit your local book store or Amazon. Contact me at rburden@ecentral.com to order your signed copy.