Landscapes In Winter
March 14, 2024|American Landscape and Parks
Mount Crested Butte, Colorado
A winter day often feels uncomfortable and seems dreary. At first glance, there is not as much to stimulate the human senses. With most trees and shrubs looking lifeless and wildlife hidden from view, it is easy to come that conclusion. Visually winter colors are not as vibrant as the other seasons. But in a unique way, the landscape is still quite beautiful.
Winter snow is the marquee of spectacular winter landscapes. As far as can be seen, snow can appear as a seamless blanket. The wind smoothly and artfully redistributes the snow powder across the terrain. The landscape can engender a feeling of peacefulness and calm. Snow fall itself can be a quiet flurry or a threatening blizzard. Once the storm has passed and the cloud cover parts, sunshine reappears. The glistening snow is magic!
The cover image features a mountaintop on a sunny winter day. The scene is repeated in an image after a light snow.
Mount Crested Bute, Colorado
The two images below were taken in the mountain valley of Crested Butte, Colorado. In the first image, we see sunshine giving away to approaching storm clouds. The next day, new snowfall provides the next scene with a glorious view of fresh snow powder.
Schutt’s Barn, Crested Butte Colorado
Schutt’s Barn, Crested Butte Colorado
Low temperatures and air moisture during the overnight hours often form frozen layers. The spruce trees shown below are heavily laden with snow and hoar frost.
A Frosty View of Whetstone Mountain, Colorado
Frost Laden Aspen Tree
As temperatures rise snow on rooftops begins to melt and later refreezes into icicles displaying an artful geometry in the image below.
Town of Crested Butte, Colorado
The Magic of Fresh Snow in Colorado
In landscape photography, a human focal point can help to provide visual context. This provides what a noted photographer once called the punctuation for an image. Below, Nordic style skiers are approaching an open valley for a vigorous run. The bright colors worn by these skiers adds to the puctuation effect. It also helps guide the viewer visually to a pleasing starting point. A second image illustrates this in a black and white image.
View of Whetstone Mountain, Colorado in Monochrome
On a sunny day the contrast of the blue sky against a white blanket of snow makes for an appealing graphical combination. A recent snowfall provides a holiday-like dressing to this evergreen spruce tree shown below.
Crested Butte, Colorado
Steamboat Springs, Colorado On Film
In late winter, temperatures begin to climb and the rugged landscape begins to emerge once again. The following images show the underlying landscape beginning to reappear prior to Spring.
Farmland in Almont Colorado
Gunnison National Forest
Moon Light on Snow
Rivers begin to carry more snowmelt downstream. The cycle of snowmelt will continue well into the summer months at higher elevations. Melting snowfall provides nourishing water that is beneficial to distant parts of the country.
East River Near Roaring Judy Fishery
In the Southern United States, milder winter climates allow winter plants to continue to grow despite an occasional light snow. The image below was taken after a brief snowfall in Texas.
Ben’s Yard Fort Worth Texas
Stark images of winter without snow can also be visually interesting. The images below feature rustic winter landscapes and eye catching winter plant life.
Cloudy Winter Evening in Texas
Winter Sunset in Southeast Texas
Brenham Texas Just Before Spring
As winter ends and spring begins plant and animal life reappear on the landscape. The next few blog posts will highlight wildlife. Photographers much more skilled than I am have mastered the art of wildlife portraiture. In contrast, I will feature wildlife as a contributing element in a landscape image. Hope to see you next time. For a look at my gallery of landscape image, please go to https://.photobykercho.com Thanks for your interest! Craig Kercho
