This is an image I made this past February on a very cold morning. The temp was setting right around 20 below zero on the Wisconsin River at sunrise when I made this shot. I love photographing in cold weather like this as long as I can get back someplace to warm up after an hour or two. This place is actually only about 10 minutes from my home .
Specific Feedback Requested
Any thoughts on this welcome.
Technical Details
Is this a composite: No
Canon 5D4, Tamron 35-150 F2.8-4 @ 35mm, ISO 400, I/100, F/11, tripod.
Beautiful. And it does make me feel cold! The colors in the sky and the reflecting water/ice really make this stand out. I also like that you kept the shadows dark. Nice.
Thanks David! This scene just kind of created itself for me while I stood there watching the sunrise. I knew I wanted to capture it the best I could. Nick
The other day I was recalling Paul Simon’s words “… in a deep and dark December” from I am a Rock. This image captures his lyrics perfectly. It looks real cold, as in Siberia cold. I can see raising the exposure just a trifle and still keeping the statement. But it’s your statement and perhaps this captures what life is like in the north midwest in winter.
I live right on the Wisconsin further north than this shot, but I can attest to still seeing open water even when it’s 20 below, which it is quite often every winter. Because the river is dammed for so much of its course, it is unusually mutable and this is a great example of it. For me it’s the ice that has broken up and reformed that makes this image. It’s beautifully shaded and I love where you put it in the scene, Nick. It balances the weight of the far hills and the tree silhouettes. Marvelous.
Brrrr! This definitely looks cold, Nick. At the same time I do find it inviting because of the warm tones in the sky as well as sections of the river. I absolutely love the mist rising up from the river in the BG. I am also enjoying that graceful curve in the ice as it winds it’s way around that bit of land jutting out from the right side. I too love photographing in the cold; unfortunately it hasn’t happened for several years now where I live in MD. I have to time my visits to weather events in other locations like WV or western MD and hope for the best. This is great as it is only ten minutes from your house. Beautiful scene!
Ed, Thank You! It always seems kind of special photographing in the really cold weather. Everything looks and feels different at 20, 30 or even 40 below zero…It’s a different world then! Too bad I’m so far away or you could come here and we could shoot in the cold. Cheers!
This is stunning Nick, it’s a very expressive image. The stark processing and strong blue colors are just so evocative of winter sunrises. You have really nailed the moodiness factor with this one. I think the composition of various elements in the scene is well balanced. But what makes this image work really well for me is how you have distributed and balanced luminosity and warm/cool colors across the scene. You have bright and warm patches sprinkled across the dark blue areas , which makes my eye move all around the image. Well done !!!
I’ve done my share of photography at 20 to 40 below, and you have done an excellent job of conveying the unique feel and look of those conditions. In New England when it gets this cold on the seacoast we get what’s called “Sea Smoke”. Looks like you have some nice “River Smoke” here too.
Ed, Thanks much! As you know cold weather photography certainly adds a challenge when trying to capture that look and feel of a frozen morning… I have had my share of frozen fingers and more and still quite enjoy trying to make an image in those conditions. When I’m on Lake Superior with those conditions they call that Sea Smoke as well because the lake is so huge I guess. Here I like your “River Smoke” name! Cheers.
