The Jet Stream has been pumping cold air into the midwest again, I have a killer chest cold, and the temperature has fallen to only -10 °F (-23 °C), it isn't supposed to be above 15 °F (-9 °C) for a week, what better morning to go out and take pictures?
The last time I came out in such cold I made the mistake of leaving my snowshoes in the car and didn't bring a ski mask. This year I remembered to bring both. I head to my regular spot at Boyson Park, hoping to catch the light at the springs again. I missed some shots last year because I accidentally turned off shake reduction, and I showed up a bit too late.
The air is crisp and calm as I begin my walk into the forest. My jacket becomes stiff from the cold. The snowshoe cleats crunch on the frozen snow and ice. My breath blows regular clouds of fog into the air. A large reddish slash cuts across the horizon behind the trees, separating the dark blue sky from the ground. Each step sounds as though I am awakening the entire forest. I felt out of place; as though I were the harbinger of the day waking the woods from a peaceful sleep.
I walk from the path to the forest deftly avoiding the brambles and deep snow drifts I became entangled in last year, and went out to the corn field. I snapped a few images and quickly noticed the white balance was off. Thinking of course that it was the camera, I quickly set it to CTE white balance and it immediately looked much better. Later I came to realize the tinting on the ski goggles I was wearing was throwing off how I observed the review image, and it wasn't the camera after all.
Not being inspired by the corn field, I went back to the springs where I arrived a bit late the year before. I watched the sun rise with a pair of leaves, and then I walked around the springs and climbed up on a wall on the far side to avoid looking through a chain link fence.
And was it a sight to behold. As soon as the sun poked through the trees and started hitting the water, large amounts of steam started to rise from the surface, and the light shining through the forest made beautiful rays. The wood of the trees appeared to be on fire. Divine.
After about two hours out in the cold, and the zoom ring on my lens starting to freeze up, I decided to head back to the car. I see a hat hanging in the tree, and think to myself, "why is the hat hanging in the tree? Wait, why is my head cooler? ... ah, that is my hat". I used it as a photo opportunity.
It was a fine morning. I am glad I made the time to go. I wish I had time to see every sunrise and set; like every one of us, each one is different. I only wish the pictures could do it justice.
Eric
See my flickr photostream
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