“There is a magic in new snow. There is a cleansing, and a freshness that transforms the landscape and, despite the cold temperatures, it warms our weary souls with its brightness and purity.” – Ed Lehming

It has been a while, many days of business and work, but I finally got out to create some images. Not just a few snapshots to say I’ve been photographing, but a deliberate time set aside to create.

It was not until today, the 26th of December, that I realized that it has been far too long since I set time aside to focus on an activity that I love to do. There have been many opportunities this year to capture some really wonderful images, but I had not spent much time, especially since spring, to spend a few hours outdoors truly observing and appreciating my surroundings.

I live in a beautiful part of Canada known as Prince Edward County (the County). It’s an area highly sought after for its wonderful rural life, wineries, arts, culture, food, and its famous Sandbanks. The Sandbanks are a naturally occurring feature that run along much of the west shores of the County. They are one of those things that leave you awestruck the first time you see them and then seem to be taken for granted after a few visits.

In the summertime, thousands of visitors flock to the County, specifically to visit Sandbanks Provincial Park and spend their time on the endless kilometers of soft sandy beaches and gentle breezes. It’s a very popular and busy place, so I tend to avoid it during peak times and prefer to arrive after the sun begins to send the sunburnt tourists starting to depart.

I have spent some time making photos here in the spring, summer, and fall, but rarely in the winter. There certainly aren’t any crowds here once it cools off, so I had them pretty much to myself.

The image above was made in an area appropriately named “The Dunes.” In this area, the sand dunes reach heights of 20-30 meters and are interspersed with a few hardy trees and shrubs. What makes for good photos is when the snow and sand mix, seeming to blend together. Today, when I made the photo, the day was dull and gloomy, and the flat light made for some really interesting black and white photos.

I used my iPhone for this particular image but had my full kit with me and will be posting those images over the next few days as well. Which also reminded me that I need to spend more time with my blog and sharing images and thoughts. That too has gone by the wayside for some reason. Time to get back to a bit more discipline.

iPhone 14 Pro Max back triple camera 24mm
1/2252 sec, f/1.78, ISO 80