Road Trip #7: First Snow

Kory LidstromKory Lidstrom Registered Users Posts: 251 Major grins
edited December 14, 2008 in Landscapes
This is the seventh post in my series from my 32 day road trip through the western US.

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"First Snow" (Larger version and EXIF can be found here.)

This is the Ochoco National Forest in central Oregon. I was really happy to get this shot because if there is one thing my landscape portfolio is lacking it is snow shots. I've been all over the place and shot all kinds of terrain. Mountains, oceans, deserts, swamps, forests, praries, rivers, lakes, volcanos -- you name it, I've shot it. But, rarely in the snow.

The fact is I just don't like cold weather. I've lived my entire life in Minnesota, so you'd think I'd be used to snow and have lots of snow shots, but in truth, I think living with it for so long has made me hate it. As I glance at my exterior thermometer, it currently reads 15 degrees with a wind chill of 3. Last week we already had several below zero days, and it's not even officially winter yet. Yuk!

But, let's face it: snow shots are gorgeous. Take just about any landscape and snow almost always enhances it. So, who better to give me a kick in the butt and help me get some snow shots than Marc Adamus? He is, and I quote, "A snow addict first and foremost." His portfolio is loaded with snow shots; IMHO some of his very best shots, like this one, are snow shots. So, it should come as no surprise that going to the Ochoco National Forest was his idea. He used that uncanny intuition of his to predict that it would be snowing there, and lo and behold it was. We drove through the forest until a shootable spot presented itself. Then, we climbed on top of his car to get a good vantage point and shot away. Yep, this one was shot right from the road.

I chose this composition because it contains both large, fully-grown trees as well as young saplings. It's important to show both -- it helps with scale. Also, I like that one can see a bit back into the forest, which adds depth. Combine all of that with the contrast of the vibrantly red trunks and you have an image that I'm pretty fond of.

I shot it at 1/80 to capture the blur of the falling flakes. They're tough to see in a small web version, but when viewed up close they are readily apparent.
I see the world through a 3:2 rectangle.

My site:Fine Image Photography

Comments

  • coscorrosacoscorrosa Registered Users Posts: 2,284 Major grins
    edited December 14, 2008
    Beautiful shot, I'm really enjoying this series! Not only are the photos outstanding, but so is the description of your thought process. You're fortunate to be shooting with a photographer of Marc's caliber, he's one of my favorite active landscape photographers.

    My snow portfolio is sorely lacking, I have plenty of excuses why (can't drive in it with my crap car, usually requires more than a single day commitment and I can't seem to string together enough days off from work...). But you're right, it can transform an otherwise mundane photo into something really special.
  • schmooschmoo Registered Users Posts: 8,468 Major grins
    edited December 14, 2008
    Ditto. I love your series and I'm so envious of your opportunities with Marc - and for the scenery. The insight you present next to the shot is priceless as well. thumb.gif
  • jeffmeyersjeffmeyers Registered Users Posts: 1,535 Major grins
    edited December 14, 2008
    Love the frosty detail!! Great image! thumb.gif
    More Photography . . . Less Photoshop [. . . except when I do it]
    Jeff Meyers
  • Kory LidstromKory Lidstrom Registered Users Posts: 251 Major grins
    edited December 14, 2008
    Thanks guys. :D Yeah, shooting with Marc definitely was a great time. We'd been trying to meet up for over a year before it finally happened. We plan on doing some more shooting this summer. I'll definitely post the results when it happens. If you'd like a little more insight on what my timme with Marc was like, check out my photoblog.
    I see the world through a 3:2 rectangle.

    My site:Fine Image Photography
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