Friday, March 4, 2016

Embracing Winter - March five on five

In southern Ontario, this has been a non-Winter. Climate change, El Niño, unseasonably warm, whatever the reason - our regular three months of bitter cold and regular snowfalls have been noticeably absent. And I was fine with that.

But enter my sister and niece, who flew 3600 km across the continent, desperately hoping to find snow and ice. I kept warning them to give up the dream - the Toronto area was a patchwork of brown and beige with days nearing spring-like temps. But wouldn't you know, the weekend they arrived it was bitterly cold (I mean, yikes!) and we had a huge snowfall. It's my sister - she's kind of magic that way.

Surprising captures

So it seemed appropriate that Winter become the focus of my March five on five. But as I set out to capture the frosty season through the lens, I was continually surprised by what my camera delivered - often not what I intended in the least.

My sister and I spent a couple of hours that weekend traipsing through the snowdrifts around abandoned farmhouses, along country roads and through an old country churchyard. I took hundreds of photos that afternoon but my two favourites?

My sister caught in the afternoon's waning light, camera in hand...



...and behind a beautiful, old farmhouse that I shot from a dozen angles, this tree. I wanted the house, but instead it is the almost careless capture of the sun peaking around the trunk's twisted shape and texture that I return to time and again.



A week later I pulled off the road on my early trek into the city, stepping down to the shore with my camera clutched in chilled fingers. I took dozens of photos of the skyline and the sunrise, but when I reviewed the photos later, I was enchanted....I never even saw the ice.



This week I was caught downtown in the largest (and one of the only) Winter storms we've had this year. In the aftermath, I searched for idyllic shots of city streets in the new snow. Instead, my quiet steps startled a flock of birds into sudden flight.



And finally, this bronze. There was a beautiful park next door, a perfect winter scene with towering evergreens but Glenn Gould wrapped in a scarf of snow mesmerized me.


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Thanks for spending time here today!  Now step on over to see the gorgeous light of Sandra's 5 on 5 photos this month. From there you can click on to experience all the monthly magic of our 5 on 5 community!

10 comments:

  1. I absolutely love seeing the vignettes you are seeing in your daily life in the city. That ice! And Glenn Gould is a great shot. x

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    1. Thanks Kim - and yes that ice! Really delighted with that one.

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  2. What a great post capturing some of our "winter" this year! Well done friend

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  3. One of the things I love about photography is the window. A window into another person's world. What lovely, lovely images of your world, of your views. Each one make me linger, and lean in for a closer look. That morning light over the city, with the ice is really a lovely shot.

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  4. What a lovely comment, Maureen - thank you!!!

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  5. I just love it when a photo surprises me, and you've gathered some beauties!
    I totally blame Kim for this snow. Totally. But damn if she doesn't look cute in her Ontario gear. LOL
    These are all awesome shots, but omg that cityscape with the ice in the foreground is just gorgeous. And the statue really pulls at me. He looks fantastic with his snow scarf, but his facial expression sums up how we feel about all of this snow ;)
    Great month Lianne!

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    1. Lol Janice, re Kim comments! And totally agree with you on the ice and Glenn Gould photos. ;-)

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  6. Those birds taking flight are awesome and I love the snow covered statue so much. It has been years since I have seen snow and am happy to 'see' it in your images.

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    1. Thanks Stephanie! Glad I could share a little winter with you!

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