Towards the end of winter, oftentimes the snow will melt off the lakes leaving the ice exposed. When this happens, I like to head out onto the ice and look for leaves that have been frozen in the ice. This is usually a nice change of pace from the birds and mammals that I have usually been photographing during the winter.
This type of photography is a lot more thoughtful and not as reactionary as bird photography. With this type of photography, I am working more with pattern, form, and texture. The photography itself is pretty straightforward. The challenge here is in trying to find pleasing compositions.
For this second image I actually gently removed the leaf from the ice and laid it next to the leaf-shaped impression in the ice.
If you are out there early and get a nice frosty morning, you can get some hoar frost on your subject as well.
This is the third and final part of this series about Nature Photography Opportunities in Winter. If you haven’t already, take a look at the others in this series here: Part 1 and Part 2: Winter Landscapes.
Related: My Snowflake Photography Setup
Good Luck & Good Light!
Steve & Nicole