Photos of the Week (Again) – December 29, 2023

I do know I simply posted some “pictures of the week” a number of days in the past, however I spent a magical few hours on Thursday morning at Prairie Plains Useful resource Institute’s Gjerloff Prairie and couldn’t resist sharing among the pictures from that journey. Although we’d simply gotten a pleasant snowfall, I hadn’t deliberate to depart the home that morning as a result of the forecast had known as for overcast skies. I used to be awake nicely earlier than dawn, although, studying a guide, once I observed that the sky exterior my window appeared somewhat brighter than appeared proper for overcast skies. 

I peered out right into a foggy morning and tried to determine whether or not there have been clouds above the fog or not. Since I couldn’t inform, I made a decision it was higher to move out and take an opportunity on the picture gentle being good. In any case, the worst case situation could be that I’d stroll round in a snowy prairie for some time!

(Bear in mind to click on on the title of this publish if you happen to’re studying it in an e mail. That’ll open it on-line and assist you to click on on pictures to see a much bigger, extra clear model of them.)

The sunshine appeared to vary by the minute all morning, although not linearly. It could brighten up for a short while, bringing hotter gentle, after which one other financial institution of heavy fog would obscure the solar and switch all the things blue once more. The solar didn’t totally emerge by the fog till nearly two hours after I arrived however I might all the time see the brighter patch of sky the place it was hiding.

In some methods, pictures was straightforward as a result of I used to be surrounded by unimaginable magnificence. On the identical time, it was actually difficult to seize the ethereal really feel of my environment. A lot of the time, tried to get low to the bottom and discover compositions that confirmed the panorama fading into the fog behind the frost-covered crops. I’d chosen Gjerloff over different native prairies as a result of I knew its steep loess hill topography could be the fitting place for that form of picture. 

After I wasn’t flat on my stomach (having fun with the brand new waterproof snow pants and parka I purchased final winter), I attempted to get as shut as potential to taller grasses and wildflowers and use them to border the scene behind them. After I switched to a brand new digital camera system (Canon mirrorless) late within the fall, one of many lenses I used to be enthusiastic about was a 15-30mm lens that may focus proper as much as the glass lens. I received some good use of that operate Thursday morning.

The prairie was practically silent, apart from the crunching of snow beneath my ft and the faint rustling of grass stems nudged by the wind. During times of brighter skies, I switched my wide-angle lens for my macro lens and photographed frosty seed heads and stems. Then, I’d change again once more, making an attempt to protect the digital camera’s sensor from the sunshine breeze and ice crystals falling from my coat as I did so. 

I actually didn’t cowl a lot of the prairie as a result of as the sunshine regularly modified I stored circling again to spots I’d been earlier than. Every time I handed by the identical place, the altering gentle introduced new alternatives and views. I photographed among the identical particular person crops a pair instances – in numerous lighting situations – and stood in my very own foot prints on a number of events, framing up a photograph whereas dealing with in a distinct route than I had twenty or thirty minutes earlier.

Ultimately, the fog dissipated utterly, leaving me in full sunshine, intense sufficient that the brilliant snow and darkish shadows made it practically not possible to make good pictures. It had been an incredible couple hours, however I used to be additionally glad for an excuse to cease tramping up and down these steep hills whereas sporting thick layers of clothes. Plus, I knew I had an extended (however very nice) afternoon of sorting and dealing up pictures forward of me and I used to be comfortable to get house to start out on that activity.

I nonetheless haven’t completed the guide I used to be studying earlier than deciding to move out to Gjerloff Thursday morning, however it’s not going anyplace. Neither is Gjerloff Prairie, after all, however the the fog, frost, and snow of Thursday morning was solely there a number of hours. I used to be extremely grateful to have had the free day to benefit from that chance. 

If I’d pushed the twenty minutes as much as the prairie solely to search out darkish overcast skies, I nonetheless would have loved a pleasant hike. Afterward, I’d have returned house to my cozy blankets and guide and been completely content material. As a substitute, I used to be rewarded with the absolute best mixture of winter pictures situations and a completely unforgettable morning!