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Winter's End
March 2006
When March arrives, winter is still with us, but the transition to spring begins. We see scenes with a mixture of snow and water. The ice is gone or disappearing. Signs of spring begin to emerge. In this portfolio we share with you a series of images that showcase this transition. We start with a remarkable cover photograph entitled “Spring has Sprung” by Rich Van Kleeck, which shows both winter and spring as lovely purple petals emerge with the melting granular snow still on the ground.
In the first double page spread we have two spectacular photographs of water scenes, with blue sky above and lovely reflections in the water below. The sun brightens both landscapes – the one on the left called “Coxing Kill, First Snow Fall” and the one on the right called “Split Rock, Winter” both by John Hayes. Both photographs are well composed and convey the snow scenes of a mild day that we often experience in the transitional days of March.
Then we have two horizontal photographs. The one on the left called “Millstream Snow” by David Jeffery, shows a tree leaning over a brook after a fresh snow has fallen. The foliage in the background is weighted down, and we can see the thick snow in the shoreline in the distance. It is clearly not in the coldest part of winter since the water is not frozen. In the photograph on the right, called “The Catskills” by Linda Hedy Gordetsky, we see snow partially covering a flat corn field with wonderful mountains in the background. The drama of the photograph is accented by the dark forest in the center, which stands level, from left to right and makes a striking contrast to the flowing mountains.
Then we have two more horizontal photographs. The one on the left is by Randy Williams, and shows a monumental tree framing a striking landscape with snow-dusted mountains in the distance. In the valley, winter appears to be close to its end. The mountains are still frosted. And on the right, in a photograph entitled “White Bridge” by Michael Coluccio, we see a mist bringing light to a river scene with a bridge not far off. There is a light layer of snow on the bridge and the surrounding ground, and branches of trees sweep across the water on both left and right.
We end with a remarkable image called “Glacial Thaw” by Jennie A. Meares. Ice floats in the water, and a wooden pier stands in the middle, creating a striking reflection in the still water. The sun lights up the scene, providing a contrast between the dark black in the center and the bright light all around it. The harsh frozen winter is melting away.
-David Finn
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