Heading into late March it appears that winter is on its way out. The last big snowfall has almost melted away, making for soggy ground during the day but overnight lows are still giving hard freezes. Overall, it’s currently terrible conditions for tracking and many roads and trails are still treacherously ice encrusted. So let’s take a look back at a story I found in the snow one day mid-winter instead.
In my travels about, I’ve come across a few locations I thought would make interesting photographs outside my usual animals and plants shots. With static signs and architecture, weather and lighting makes the difference between ordinary and more impactful images. I try to bring the camera with me each day, in case the elements align with my plans.
In summer, the airport runway at YHZ is in an open field, hunted over by rough-legged hawks, with deer and pheasants foraging. I found the “caution blowing snow” sign near one of the popular runway overlooks quite humourous in the summer. When winter came, I wanted to get a picture of the sign with snow – but when there was truly blowing snow conditions it was obscured by the very hazard it warns of!
One day conditions were perfect, recent heavy snowfall and the sign was clear. I like the perspective added by the passing car.
Another feature by the airport is a large radar dome. I’d thought for quite some time that if there was ever a mix of grey stormy sky and bright sun the contrast would be great. This photo took two tries – the first time the sun went behind the clouds just as I uncapped the lens. I’ll note that the final shot is one of the few on the blog I edited beyond a simple crop or straighten. Increasing the contrast on the dome itself revealed the hexagonal construction.
