Winter Light
To see with the eyes,
To reflect through imagination,
To understand with wisdom.
From the teachings of Shwe OO Min Sayadaw
If I were to guess which of the seasons most photographers like to shoot in, I expect that Fall would be the number 1 choice over 50% of the time, followed roughly equally, but as a distant second/third by Spring and Summer. Bringing up the rear, by an even larger margin, would be hapless Winter. Probably not entirely undeserved, given the physical and technical challenges that can occur, especially if you live in a northern climate. Perhaps there is some validity to that assessment (I can still remember a particular winter in England where the sun basically was not visible for 30 days straight), but that seems arbitrary and lacking in nuance.
What UTube winter photography videos often focus on are strategies to tackle the specific challenges common this time of year, typically flat light on cloudy days, or harsh light and extreme contrast on clear sky sunny days. In short, the mechanics of how to create a pleasing photo are deconstructed and reconstructed at great length. Not that there is anything wrong with any of that, I have consumed my fair share of the advice on offer.
What is seemingly harder to find, sadly, are thoughts on what makes winter photography pleasing and comforting to some and harsh, jarring and off-putting to others. While I admit I can find a color rich and detailed Fall landscape as breathtaking as the next guy, and admittedly some of my favorite photographers make an art form (not to mention handsome living) off of this genre, on reflection it often leaves me feeling let down, even deflated. The more saturated the colors in the shot, the more I feel like I have just been hit with a photographic sugar high - visually tasty but lacking in a certain emotional stick to your ribs quality. Even a large, wall mounted print can strike me like click bait. A brief taste is enough. What I will sit down to revisit numerous times, however, are more austere photos that draw you in for closer inspection and reflection. And these most often seem to be the spare in form and content, black and white winter compositions.
Maybe it just boils down to slowing down and taking a break from the usual pace of the day. To borrow from modern parlance, to find something that compels us to practice a bit of mindfulness. In short, to sit a spell, focus and reflect. For myself, I would like to think of this way of seeing as a faint reflection of the ancient Buddist concept of Sati, the first step toward enlightenment. There’s a concept you can make a meal of.
So, I invite you to take a look through my Winter Light gallery photos and let me know if you are more of a cotton candy or a meat and potatoes photography consumer.