{"id":118648,"date":"2023-12-01T04:45:18","date_gmt":"2023-12-01T11:45:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=118648"},"modified":"2023-12-01T04:51:27","modified_gmt":"2023-12-01T11:51:27","slug":"bring-on-the-snow","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/12\/01\/bring-on-the-snow\/","title":{"rendered":"Bring On The Snow!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Snow is supposed to start falling around 10 a.m. where I live in northern Utah. It might be the first significant snowfall of this winter down in the valley. This snowstorm is supposed to last until some time on Sunday.<\/p>\n

\"Ring-billedRing-billed Gull on snow \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/2000, ISO 1000, +2.0 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Photographing birds and wildlife in the snow is something that might intimidate other people. As for me, I love the challenges the snow can present.<\/p>\n

I appreciate how the white, fluffy stuff can give me a blank canvas behind and in front of my subjects.<\/p>\n

Creating high-key images can almost become addicting for me during this time of the year.<\/p>\n

I had a great time doing exactly that with a Ring-billed Gull who was eating snow on a cold winter morning a few years ago.<\/p>\n

\"Ring-neckedRing-necked Pheasant hen running through snow \u2013 Nikon D300, f5.6, 1\/3200, ISO 640, +1.0 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Setting the correct exposure compensation for snowy scenes is critical. Under exposing snow can make it look gray and dirty.<\/p>\n

Getting it right?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Makes the whole image work and people who view the images can almost feel chilled while they are viewing a bird or animal in the fluffy white stuff.<\/p>\n

\"Dark-eyedDark-eyed Junco with a snowflake on its shoulder \u2013 Nikon D500, tripod mounted, f7.1, 1\/640, ISO 6400, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Whether I photograph in great light or poor light, with snow, I know I can create compelling, appealing images of the subjects I find in the field.<\/p>\n

Or…<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Even those I see outside my living room window, like this Dark-eyed Junco with a perfect snowflake on his shoulder at my feeder a few years ago.<\/p>\n

I need to get my shepherd’s hook back so I can feed the birds in the yard again and photograph them from inside my living room during the worst of the winter weather ahead. That simple shepherd’s hook is important to me; my dear friend Billy Fenimore gave it to me as a token of his appreciation for my help on his personal website.<\/p>\n

Since his passing last year, I’ve thought about Billy often and admired what a great friend he always was to me and others. Billy was always supportive and he appreciated my support of him \u2013 the way the best of friends should be. Friends build each other up and Billy did exactly that. I miss Billy, our talks, and simply hearing his friendly voice on the other end of my phone.<\/p>\n

\"GreatGreat Blue Heron shaking on a snowy and foggy day \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1250, ISO 800, +1.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

In the Great Basin, specifically in the marshes surrounding the Great Salt Lake, fog often shows up during the winter when there is snow on the ground. I’m not the least bit bothered by fog because I know that great images can be created despite it.<\/p>\n

I adored photographing this Great Blue Heron shaking it feathers in dense fog at Bear River MBR.<\/p>\n

Was it a challenge?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Yes, it sure was! It was also a great deal of fun and I love the way the photos I took turned out too.<\/p>\n

Snow, fog, and low light during the winter is a challenge in the field when it comes to bird photography. I like challenges. No, I love them!<\/p>\n

So, Mother Nature, bring on the snow!<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my bird images in their galleries.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Snow is supposed to start falling around 10 a.m. where I live in northern Utah. It might be the first significant snowfall of this winter down in the valley.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":118645,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[124,27,2749,697,166,410,400,709,26],"tags":[4004,4117,2750,4464,4286,13981,4070,4175,3984,3987,3539,8479,4359,627,1123,4064,6036,2751,4264,4094,10698,4104,4255,4821,4468,2011,4148,4502,4050,8147,855,8018,313,4095,4813,373],"class_list":["post-118648","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge","category-avian","category-dark-eyed-juncos","category-farmington-bay-wma","category-great-blue-herons","category-ring-billed-gulls","category-ring-necked-pheasants","category-salt-lake-county-utah","category-utah","tag-adult","tag-ardea-herodias","tag-dark-eyed-junco","tag-drinking","tag-eating","tag-feeder","tag-female","tag-fog","tag-foggy","tag-great-blue-heron","tag-gull","tag-heavy-fog","tag-hen","tag-heron","tag-high-key-2","tag-ice","tag-junco","tag-junco-hyemalis","tag-larus-delawarensis","tag-marsh","tag-park","tag-perched","tag-phasianus-colchicus","tag-pheasant","tag-ring-billed-gull","tag-ring-necked-pheasant","tag-running","tag-shaking","tag-snow","tag-snowflake","tag-sparrow","tag-urban","tag-wading-birds","tag-wetlands","tag-whiteout","tag-winter"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/ring-billed-gull-whiteout-conditions-mia-mcpherson-1868.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-uRG","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":120113,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/01\/25\/ring-billed-gull-flying-in-heavy-fog\/","url_meta":{"origin":118648,"position":0},"title":"Ring-billed Gull Flying In Heavy Fog","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 25, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Once upon a time, in a marsh not so far away, I photographed a Ring-billed Gull flying in heavy fog. It was the densest fog I have ever photographed in.","rel":"","context":"In "Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge"","block_context":{"text":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Adult Ring-billed Gull flying in heavy fog, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/ring-billed-gull-heavy-fog-flight-mia-mcpherson-5941.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/ring-billed-gull-heavy-fog-flight-mia-mcpherson-5941.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/ring-billed-gull-heavy-fog-flight-mia-mcpherson-5941.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, 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McPherson","date":"December 26, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"I really wanted some nice bird photos to remember Christmas Day 2017 and I found them but just a few blocks away from home at the local pond.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Ring-billed Gull in flight in front of a stormy sky, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/ring-billed-gull-stormy-sky-mia-mcpherson-1106.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/ring-billed-gull-stormy-sky-mia-mcpherson-1106.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/ring-billed-gull-stormy-sky-mia-mcpherson-1106.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, 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2024","format":false,"excerpt":"I'm always ready for fun, and this goofy, immature Ring-billed Gull provided a bit of fun for me yesterday afternoon at one of my snowy local ponds.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Immature Ring-billed Gull looking goofier, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/ring-billed-gull-immature-snow-mia-mcpherson-2479.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/ring-billed-gull-immature-snow-mia-mcpherson-2479.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/ring-billed-gull-immature-snow-mia-mcpherson-2479.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, 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