Category: Landscape

Winter Storm Niko dropped varying amounts of snow across Pennsylvania overnight.  In my neck of the woods – about 6″ blanketed the landscape this morning.  Yesterday the high temperature was in the mid 50’s and tonight the temperature is going down to the teens.  I never put my winter OR summer clothes away because in any given week, I could be wearing both!

The winter landscape is filled with texture and, as in this image, the contrast of both warm and cool colors.  The orange plants in the foreground are what caught my eye in this scene and really make the image pop.

Winter is my favorite time of year to photograph landscapes.  To me, there is so much more interest in being able to see the shapes of the trunks and branches of leafless trees, the dried flowers and grasses, and the subtle colors.  This scene is a nearby wildlife sanctuary which is a great spot for bird watching … and photography!

I can’t remember a time when photography wasn’t important to me.  Ever since I was very young, I wanted to preserve memories that I could look back on later.  Little snapshots of people, places and events that were important to me.  There are boxes of old negatives, albums of prints, and hard drives filled with digital files.  Many are reminders of times that will never occur again and people that are now angels in heaven.  Oh how I wish I could relive some of those days when a casual photo was taken that has now become a cherished possession.

In our neck of the woods, January is the coldest and most dreary month of the year.  Still, there is plenty of color to be found.  Oak trees are usually the very last to lose their leaves, some clinging to the trees throughout the winter adding interest to the otherwise dull landscape.  In Spring, when the Oaks start to bud, the last of the previous year’s leaves will fall, leaving those of us with this mighty tree in our yard yet another opportunity for raking.  Hooray!