Snowy Trail
Snow covered trail, trees, and fence in New England
Snow covered trail, trees, and fence in New England
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Nov, 2015Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This is part of a private trail north of Boston, Massachusetts, that I had never seen before.Time
I was exploring - okay, I was trespassing - at a very private club the morning after a snowstorm, and found this horse trail with a rustic looking gate that looked lovely in the snow. The temperature had risen just enough that the snow was beginning to fall from the tree limbs, so I did not have much time before they would be bare and the trail would turn to slush. That bit of blur in front of one of the gates is a puff of snow that fell just as I clicked the shutter and created some motion in an otherwise perfectly still scene. The bright blue sky peeked wonderfully through the branches.Lighting
I wanted to take advantage of the natural light with the combination of sun and shadows on the snow, and the sun off to my left. The air was dead calm, so there was no movement at all that would have created blur or disturbed the scene.Equipment
I was shooting with my Nikon D300, not sure which lens, but probably the Nikon 28-105mm.Inspiration
What attracted me to this shot was the perfect stillness, except for the occasional puff of falling snow, and the sense of isolation, the special feeling that comes with being the first one to witness it. There is a unique beauty in this kind of isolation that creates peace and calmness in my soul.Editing
I run all of my photographs through Photoshop, but I try to do as little "processing" as possible, just tweak the levels if needed, and this was the case with this shot.In my camera bag
I like to travel light, so I don't carry much. I always carry my D300, and a couple of lenses. These days, I carry a Tamron 17-50, and a Nikon 28-300, both with a UV filter.Feedback
Dress for conditions. It's not all about the equipment, it is about your mindset and your attitude, and you will not get great pictures if you are cold, wet, and can't wait to get back in your car. Be flexible, and don't be afraid to go off in a different direction from where you thought you wanted to go; sometimes you need to let the road lead you. If your destination is not all you thought it would be, look around you, there may be something really cool right over your shoulder or around the bend in the road. Your camera is a really great (albeit expensive) toy - have fun with it!
