Friday, February 02, 2007

Pictures on a Foggy Day



Robert Frost said that "Good fences make good neighbors", and while he was undoubtedly right, fences can also make for interesting pictures. This is one from the end of last winter, taken a couple of days before the vernal equinox. It is not uncommon in Colorado to get snow in March & April, but the snowy days come between beautiful, springlike days.

This fence along a pasture just outside of Parker was interesting to me, because of the lines and angles created by the wood, along with the rails moving toward convergence as they get further away from the point of the viewer.

On the morning I took this picture, I went out fairly early and found quite a few good subjects. There was a dense fog in the air and a very light snow coming down. The fog made distant objects in some of the pictures take on a diffused look; a type of natural photo filter. This effect can be seen in the picture to the right of Douglas County Road 103. The posts on the other side of the road look very diffused by the fog, and the road quickly disappears into the fog as well.

Sometimes people think you can't take pictures because it isn't a pretty day with sunny skies and good conditions. Actually, some really interesting shots can be had on those days that you would never consider for a picnic. Keep your eyes and imagination active. You could find a picture whose mood and tone would be impossible to capture on a sunny day.

Clouds, Sunset, and a Great Little Camera



Digital SLR camera's are hard to beat, but they are not always the easiest thing to carry. That is why I am glad I have my little 5 megapixel point and shoot digital camera. It is small enough to always be at hand when a good photo opportunity presents itself.

This picture was taken with that camera, a 3-year-old Gateway DC-T50. It was one of those rare moments of serendipity where you see something and think, "That would make a good photo." If I hadn't had this little camera with me, the picture would have been missed.

I enjoy the sky and clouds, because there are so many different cloud types, and so many colors depending on time of day and weather conditions. This one was taken last March in Douglas County, Colorado.

Bitter Cold on Groundhog Day!

Well, this is what they mean by bitter cold. So far, we have had seven straight weeks with snowfall, two of them blizzards. We have had ups and downs in temperature. Yet last night set a new record. Denver officially recorded a new record low of 18 degrees below zero Fahrenheit, with a windchill factor of 30 below! Now the forecasters are claiming tonight could be colder and windier.

What do temperatures like this do? Well, for one thing, the power lines for Denver's light rail train snapped yesterday because of the cold, causing train passengers to be shuttled by bus to a different station. It is so cold that the dog doesn't want to go outside. You know, if I had to do my business outside in this, I think I'd rather hold it in also!

We are predicted to creep above the freezing point sometime next week. Till then, dress in layers and bundle up. Today is Groundhog Day, and Punxsutawney Phil has prognosticated an early arrival of spring. At least the groundhog is optimistic about it.