Friday, March 31, 2023

Spring Snow

Last weekend, I visited the Tolt River-John MacDonald Park in Carnation. The trip before that, as you might recall, was to Sharpe Park in Anacortes under warm sunshine. What a contrast! This time, I was met with cold temperatures and a dusting of snow. The juxtaposition of spring growth and snow made for some interesting scenery, and I came away with some fun compositions along those lines despite tricky and quickly-changing lighting conditions.

My favorite image from the day is this one, of red-flowering currant (Ribes sanguineum) just starting to bloom, with a bit of snow and ice still on it. I was worried about the picture while I was taking it, because the best-looking subjects were all at an awkward height for the tripod. I had to keep the tripod's legs together, to give it a bit more height, and brace the camera with my hand. Thankfully, the area was bright enough that I was able to use a shutter speed of 1/60 of a second, compensating for the loss of stability. F/6.3.

Next, willow catkins with the Tolt River in the background. F/11.

Finally, some restored wetlands with a dusting of snow. In the foreground (lower left) is Oregon grape with spring buds visible. I would have liked those to be more prominent in the frame, but I still like the composition. F/16.

Stay warm, everyone!

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