REDWINGS ARRIVE IN JANUARY DURING THE COLDEST MONTH.

Photography lends well to those who think,  “what else do you do when you look for things to grace that new roll of film or the mega pixels processed by the sensors on a digital camera?”  Then there are the times when the weather sucks like it did in the North East this year. So you comb through your files looking for things you missed all the time thinking about getting out there. I am fortunate to be able to go out pretty much when I want but most of the people I know shoot only on the weekends and there weren’t many nice ones in 2009 and so far in 2010. I never let weather bother me before the camera days so why now. I’m sure you can remember all those conversations about there not being enough light, or it’s going to rain tomorrow, and it’s freezing out there. So I thought why not use the weather and see what happens. 

A White-throated sparrow braves the winter winds.

When its blowing 40 Mi winds its a good time to test the focus on a lens.

A bee hovers the flower as the rain drops glisten on the pedats and leaves.

I had this idea of a shot while I was on one of those long periods of inactivity staring at nothing.      My first outing was to be a rainy day.  Not just any rain but the kind that runs down your back even with an umbrella.  I needed such a rain to get the effect I was looking for.  The first time I went out I thought I was pretty smart, I put on the gortex rain jacket, hip waders, carried an umbrella and had a plastic bag for the camera.  Of course I wasn’t prepared as well as you would think.  Trying to carry the tripod, camera with an extended flash and the umbrella was pretty cumbersome.  Not only that but trying to hold the umbrella and focus with the camera and subject was way too awkward for me.  Rain is one time you should shoot level or down at the subject or the lens hood will help collect water.  Then there was the walking with tree limbs catching the gear and helping send more water down my back.   Then came the realization that the umbrella I had was only good for a short time in that kind of rain before it was of no use at all, it was one of those free hand outs at some event.  I will confess that I use pro gear and the camera fared better than I did. 

As the rain fills the leaf the weight of the water tips the leaf causing a water fall to cascade.

After a few hours I did take some shots but I should have had a longer lens because with a million leaves there were only a few in the right position always farther then I wanted.   So naturally I started thinking….. about the next trip and how I would solve some of these problems. Fortunately it rained every week all summer long providing ample time to think about these problems, and so I did. 

First thing was to do some research on a more professional rain coat for the camera so I could forget about the umbrella.  I found one on the internet that was pretty cost effective and gave me a camo cover I needed anyway.  I was using a leg cut off an old pair of hunting pants.  I bought the better grade option so I could tripod the camera without taking the cover off and on.   Best money I spent because I also started to shoot HS Football and it rained every Friday night.  I hardly ever took it off.  I now felt more comfortable about the camera surviving so I headed off in the next rain storm to get that photo I had been thinking about for some time. 

Sometimes you get lucky and the water hits other leaves on the way down causing SPLATTER.

The next rain came right on schedule and I headed out to a local place that had the right type of plant. In Pennsylvania there are only two major places to find them.   The hardest part was to find the right direction because plants move to face the sun and where I wanted to be was on the opposite side.  Now here I go thinking again, thinking about the camera settings, and somewhere I’m not standing in the muck since rain and wetlands equal mucky walking.  I tried several spots until  I found the location with the right position.  I took a few test shots and began the long wait for the rain to do its job.   I had plenty of time to think about timing this shot however, too much thinking about other things sometimes called daydreaming and you miss the opportunity, having to wait till the next rain. You also have to pay attention while someone may be distracting you asking you about your rig and whatever could you be doing. It would be nice to nail the shot now because you never know about the weather and winter was coming. The plants wouldn’t be there much longer and the last thing I wanted to do is think about it till next year.   I’ve had a lot of people tell me about adding water but that’s not for me and after all, natural comes from Nature right? The weather never got any better and the winter came here too early for me.  The birds knew it was going to be ugly, and I took notice to the lack of winter food for them.  It was hard to find something worthwhile and was disappointing considering I was shooting the year before with good results.   I began to think, I used to like the winter. 

Snow covers a YOU ARE HERE sign although I don't think anyone cared today.

To know where you are going you have to know from where you came.

Winter with a camera presents a whole new problem, shooting white and not loosing detail while keeping it bright enough to show some really nice shadows.   Since buying the camera I hadn’t really encountered much snow and thought to put Yellowstone in winter on my high priority list. Foul weather in winter adds additional precautions for days out with the camera. Cold alone is enough but when you add the snow it hinders travel to and from places as well as the extra effort toting a 20 LB camera load through 30 inches of snow. I was certainly thinking about snow shoes after the first trek. Fresh snow can provide some interesting opportunities when you are the first to be there after the snow stops. It also provides some solace to think about things without being interrupted by a passerby or the sounds of civilization nearby. (Wildwood is basically a swamp in the shape of a triangle bordered on one side by major warehouses and the other two are interstate highways that merge. )    Snow can also be hard on the natives, food becomes even more scarce and wildlife cannot afford to get hurt by stepping in a hole they can’t see.   I think about those things when I am watching the snow fall through the local McDonalds window sipping the morning coffee. 

A table cloth of snow awaits diners.

Surfing was out of the question today.

Here are some things you would think obvious when going out in the weather that I learned the hard way.
• Carry an extra micro fiber cloth.
• Depending on the wind, even drifting snow will attach itself to the lense glass and rain will either put drops on the glass or become a mist much like fog.
• Squeezing the water out of a soaked cloth is better than not having any cloth at all.
• Carrying heavy gear can overheat you with all the extra clothes you need while you are thinking.
• Stepping into or down a snow bank can make you scramble to save the camera. (I hope no one was taking my picture that day)
• Warm rainy days can be bone chilling if you stay long enough.
• A gentle rain or snow fall can become extremely hazardous when wind starts blowing.

THE KISS THAT MADE ME MELT....Valentine's day gave me a present.

I don’t think winter is over yet as it is snowing outside again.  February has provided some interesting things, but you have to bundle up and get out there.  I have seen some bluebirds scraping at the boxes which is definitely a good sign.  I sure will be glad when I can put away the long underwear and boots and get back to business. 

AND YOU THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO TALK ABOUT SHOOTING IN THE RAW MODE!   Maybe next time, but I wouldn’t shoot any other way. 

Winter at its worst, snowing and blowing.

One last shot from the truck since it was cold enought to numb the hands shooting from the window. 

Trying to capture movement with the camera I tried to line up the blowing snow behind the trees.