As 2023 winds down, I’ve been looking at older photos taken at the end of previous years. This 2019 image of Canada Geese in a snowstorm stood out to me.
Urban Canada Geese in snowstorm – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/800, ISO 640, +1.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
One of the reasons this image of the Canada Geese in a snowstorm stood out to me is because I like this high-key kind of photo. Weather and light conditions have to be just right for this style of image, and it takes skill for photos like this one to work.
I also like this photo because I took it close to home, at an urban pond near where I currently live. It only takes me a few minutes to get to the pond, and I can usually get there no matter how snowy the weather might be.
Last year, I spent a lot of time photographing birds at my local pond because it snowed so much last winter. Those snowstorms kept me busy blowing, shoveling, and scraping snow, and they also provided me with plenty of opportunities for photographing high-key snowy scenes and birds in sunny but snowy conditions.
Today
We are extremely close to the end of 2023, and here in northern Utah, down in Salt Lake City, we have had very little snow. It is nearly the end of December and yesterday the daytime high reached nearly 50ºF. That’s too warm. It will be about that warm again today.
Last winter’s record-breaking snowfall amounts were unusual.
The lack of snow so far this winter?
It ought to scare the crap out of every thinking Utahn.
You are seeing your climate-changed future in real time, and your legislators up there on Capitol Hill are more focused on destroying habitat, the environment, and killing the Great Salt Lake with inland ports than they are the fact that the “Greatest Snow On Earth” is being depleted.
The majority of Utah’s lawmakers don’t freaking care; they are more concerned with their fat wallets than snow.
That is one more reason why this Canada Geese in a snowstorm image stood out for me. It made me think about the lack of snow today.
Mia
Click here to see more of my Canada Geese photos plus facts and information about this species.
I think is remarkable how you can accommodate white on white shots like this and still bring out so much detail. Beautiful. Thanks Mia.
Re: Politicians. Members of the House of Representatives are paid an annual salary of about $174,000. However, after a few years in office, they become millionaires. Which begs the question, where does all that new money come from? Not from tending to the people’s business…that’s for sure. It’s no wonder Congress has an unfavorable rating of 72%. Just sayin’…
Love the ethereal nature of this shot, Mia. This is definitely a high “degree of difficulty” situation and you nailed it with both contrast and feather detail in those geese.
I’ll echo the warm temps, although we did get some rain overnight and this morning, but not as much as was predicted. Some of the spring plants are already busting out in the SoCal mountains. I’ve pretty much given up hope for critical thinking skills in our society — if something requires more attention than a tweet or a tik-tok or a sound bite/slogan/trope, most people don’t want to know it.
That is a STUNNING photo. I mourn your warmer, drier conditions. Sadly our politicians are also much more concerned with money and what they consider progress. Which makes me rage.
Thank you Mia. It is a beautiful photo, and also so perfectly documents the contrast of winters past with this real time climate change moment. Here in upstate New York, we are experiencing a much warmer than usual winter – with lilacs blooming in November.
Couldn’t agree more.
I couldn’t agree more. The apathy toward environmental issues in this state is disturbing, particularly since it is such a vital and beautiful place.