Nature Photo Essay: A Very White Christmas

Nature Photo Essay: A Very White Christmas

Several days before Christmas 2004, we experienced a record breaking snowstorm. Six to eight inches had been forecast, but of course it's always wise to expect more, just in case.

Although I felt sorry for all the people trying to travel for Christmas, I wasn't going anywhere, which allowed me to enjoy the experience. I had been monitoring the weather reports as the storm approached, and had stocked up on my favorite foods beforehand.

"Coneheads" - snow drifts on garbage cans

So...let...it...snow! It did, and much heavier than the predictions. By the time the storm had finally moved on, up to two feet of snow had fallen. The swirling winds had made lots of deep drifts, while other spots were almost bare. Behind the garage, the garbage cans had tall, pointed hats of white. The Three Coneheads!

There was no way to get a vehicle in or out to the highway, except maybe with four wheel drive and chains. We would have to wait until we got plowed out, which could take several days. Who cares? Off from work, a nice long holiday, nowhere to go...sweet.

After the storm system had moved on east, the skies cleared and the temperature dropped much further, down below zero Snow Drifts on Lumber

degrees F. The clear blue skies were a visual treat, the sunlight dazzling on the pure white snow.

I ventured out in the morning, heavily bundled. It was very cold, but at least the wind had died down. Most areas of the meadow was knee deep with snow, making for exhausting walking. But it was fun to be out, getting closeup looks at all the drifts and the shapes made by their shadows.

Photographing with a tripod in such conditions is hard work. You have take the camera off the tripod periodically to bring it back inside your coat in order to keep the batteries from getting too cold. You also have to stomp a hole for each tripod leg. If you don't, the legs get bowed out by the crust on the snow and the tripod won't be stable. It will be like a three-legged spring instead of a rock-solid mount. Three stomps for each scene.

Late Afternoon Sunlight on Snow and Fence Weeds

I made a number of excurions out into the surrounding meadows and fields. My favorite time was late afternoon and sunset. Then the low angle of the sun's rays cast a yellow glow on the snow, and on the white wooden barn.

An area along the rusty old barbed wire fence was a favorite of mine. the snow drifts were lit by the fading sunlight, bringing out every detail of the fence posts, the wire, the weeds, and the snow.

At dusk on Christmas Eve, I walked out the lane (now plowed out, making for easy walking) Moonrise at Dusk, Christmas Eve

toward the road. It was clear again, and in the east the nearly full moon was rising above a gradient of pink over dark blue, courtesy of the sunset afterglow. The big bare cottonwood tree was nearly silhoutted in black, its trunk and branches spreading across the sky. The fields were silent in their deep cold blanket of snow. "Silent Night..."