Out skiing in the backcountry today, I came across this beech leaf beneath the curl of a new snowdrift.
Panasonic GX8, Lumix 14-140mm lens @ 19mm, ISO 800, f/14, 1/60″ exposure
This female downy woodpecker was hanging out near our suet feeder. She would fly to the feeder to snack a bit, then fly back to the birch and tuck her head under her wing to catch a nap. I’m not sure if she might have been a bit under the weather, as I don’t think taking a nap in broad daylight is normal behavior. Still, the little ball of fluff attached to the birch was quite cute!
Panasonic GX8, Lumix 100-300mm lens @ 246mm, ISO 800, f/5.6, 1/640″ exposure.
It was a fine morning to climb the Hump today. Although there was very little snow in the woods even up at the ridge meadow, traction aids were a must as the trail is still pretty much ice covered above 2500′.
The recent heavy rains kicked up many big blocks of ice along the Huntington River. I took a walk along the banks at the Audubon Nature Center here in Huntington yesterday. This is a close-up of a broken 6″ thick slab. I like the air bubbles trapped in the ice.
Panasonic GX8, Lumix 14-140mm lens @ 55mm, ISO 200, f/13, 1/320″ exposure.
A little experimentation with motion blur in the Audubon Nature Center woods this morning…
Panasonic GX8, Lumix 14-140mm lens @ various lengths, ISO 100, f/22, 0.2″ exposures.
Now that there’s finally some snow on the ground, the opportunities for a little abstraction are more abundant. We walked up to a nearby beaver pond yesterday afternoon. The shadows of the surrounding forest fell across the flat, snow covered ice creating an abstract field of line and light.
Panasonic GM5, Lumix 14-140mm lens @ 77mm, ISO 400, f/13, 1/500″ exposure.
Going kind of minimalist on you all today. The late afternoon sunlight yesterday created subtle shadows and colors on the fresh snowfall in our front field. This about catches the mood.
Panasonic Lumix GM5, Lumix 14-140mm lens @ 37mm, ISO 800, f/9, 1/500″ exposure.
A bit of a summer memory—this piece of dried hydrangea had been broken off by the weekend’s strong winds to cast its shadow on the fresh snow.
Panasonic Lumix GM5, Lumix 14-140mm lens @ 46mm, ISO 200, f/11, 1/80″ exposure.
These willow branches have been bent into the snow since the heavy snowfall back in December. As the snowpack melts, the branches will spring free. Whether they ever grow straight again is another question.
Nikon D600, Nikon 24-120mm lens @ 66mm, circular polarizing filter, ISO 400, f/18, 1/200″ exposure.
John Hadden Photography 