When you’re young, winter can be an enchanting season. Waking one morning to a world that’s been transformed from the dreary landscape of leftover autumn into a wonderland of white is magical.
Adults need only look through the eyes of a child to discover the beauty in the cold and snow. They look deep into the souls of Old Man Winter and Jack Frost to become fast friends. It’s all just fun and games from then on.
In wide-eyed wonder, they plough through drifts, despite being encumbered by bulky snowsuits and heavy boots. They plop on backsides, then fall back with arms and legs waving to imprint their angelic selves into the white fluffiness. Grabbing toboggans they run to their favourite sledding place, a communal spot for social and physical activity.
On the perfect day, snowmen and forts will rise from the ground. Passersby and imagined enemies must then be wary as snowballs are lobbed from behind the former and atop the battlements of the latter.
These are the memories I hold in my mind of winters with our four children. Now with pre-school grandchildren visiting our home, my eyes have been opened once again to the wonder.
Walking last weekend with our Little Missy I noticed her staring at her mitten. What had caught her attention were two tiny snowflakes lying on the tip.
Looking at them as they twinkled in the sunlight, I thought about their individuality. I saw myself in primary school, classmates and I with folded paper and scissors in hand, snipping away, then unfolding to present our own unique snowflake. I remember staring too with the same interest as my beautiful granddaughter at the ones that landed on my clothes.
How nice, I thought then, would it be to be able to preserve them for her. Grabbing my camera I took a few shots, effectively capturing the shape and form of each. Yet, I wasn’t satisfied with the quality. Knowing that the opportunity would once again present itself, I decided to do a little homework before the next time. Here are some of the helpful sites I found that I’d like to share:
How to Photograph Snowflakes With a DSLR Camera
Shooting High-Resolution Macro Photos of Snowflakes
