Finding subjects in the "pre-winter" midwest

[mark___1]

As much as I love to get out and photograph, I must admit that there is a lull in my shooting from Nov through Jan here in Michigan. I figure the reason is this season of "Brown." This post-fall and pre-Snowy winter season that seems to lack suitable or interesting subjects and everything is brown. It also makes it difficult to find a setting not cluttered with a lot of brown twigs. Combined with sometimes frigidly cold days, it's hard to gather the enthusiasm to load any film.

 

<p>

 

Is this a good time to just wait indoors for the first great snowfall? I do still go out anyway, as I am always surprised at what I might find. But I would like to know the experiences of others during this rather bland "season." What are the types of wildlife you like to shoot this time of year?

 

<p>

 

Mark

[keithneun]

My local park district has programs throughout the winter that include some mild "classroom" type presentations and hikes. There are also naturalist-led hikes through some of the undeveloped park areas. While I hope to become better educated, I'm thinking I'll also meet some more experienced folks who can recommend some of the better hiking/nature photography locations.

[bob_royse]

I live in Ohio and I agree that Nov. through Jan. can be uninspiring, especially if there is a strong overcast. The best idea is just to hike around with a macro lens and see what catches your attention. Morning frost, decaying leaves, fallen seeds, and ice patterns are all possibilities. When light is good there are plenty of birds around. Just get out there and look.

[philg]

What about black & white film? Maybe use TMAX 400 CN and then get it printed brown-toned so that it accurately reflects your experience of the fall. At least the angle of light in December is always interesting since the sun never gets to be truly overhead.

[randywilson]

Water can be fun, especially if you can find something in proximity to it or in it to give you a nice composition, like trees or rocks or boulders, together with interesting patterns of ripples. Water will suck up color like a vacuum. Late afternoon light bouncing off trees or coming off a blue sky and picked up by water takes on wonderful gold and blue overtones. As a for instance, you might want to take a look at <A HREF="http://mistered.uark.edu/~randy/longwatr.jpg"> this image</A>. And the next time you see a nice sunrise or sunset lighting up the sky red or gold, try ignoring the sky and taking a look at what water is doing.

[chelsea]

If you're just interested in "wildlife" at this time of year, they can be difficult to find, and even more difficult to photograph with a good background. If you're collecting images of the wildlife and habitats, this is often a good time of year to collect images of evidence of the creatures, such as tracks, dens, trees and shrubs they have chewed on, etc.

 

<p>

 

There are quite a number of other nature subjects. Plants such as grape vines make some interesting shapes. Overgrown fields that have turned yellow, and that have not yet been beaten by ice or snow frame outcroppings of rocks or sections of old farm fences and posts. A few trees within yellowed cattails, or just a scenic enclosing various grasses and shrubs that are cast in the earth tones.

 

<p>

 

One thing I look forward to at this time of year is the frost. Scout out interesting patches of weeds, shrubs, and trees; come back in the early morning when they are covered with frost. Milkweeds with their seed heads not all blown away are often a good subject.

[marv_thompson]

I look along the edges of any body of water for ice formation. Typically out of direct sun or under overcast sky (of which there is no shortage in Iowa this time of year!), the ice as it forms makes some spectacular abstracts. After it forms a thin layer, any air bubbles that become trapped under the surface add to the effects. These bubbles will form layers as the ice freezes deeper each day. Here I go along the Mississippi and its back waters, but any relatively still body of water will produce results. If you can find an area where trappers are working there is a real potential for some interesting ice.

[bob___]

AMEN to the original question. I suppose that if one is real creative, they are never at a lose for a subject. However, I am not one of those and sympathize with the "winter browns". I now live in Nebraska, and am very hard-pressed for much of any outdoor shooting activity. There is one (and only one) bright spot in all of this colorlessness, and that is, for a few weeks in early (starting now), Nebraska is the heart of the flyway. So if one is patient enough, it is really worth the wait. Other than that, I'm not convinced that there's a whole lot more.