All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
From the ashes, a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.
— J.R.R. Tolkien —
Following are some winter images I’ve collected from several different local outings. Winter is a beautiful season here and I do love snowy landscapes. You might think it’s easy to take beautiful photos in a beautiful place, but, winter here presents its own photographic challenges. High country and forest roads are closed. Highways can be icy … and you don’t want to be on the Million Dollar Highway, one of the most dangerous roads in the country, when it’s slick! With snow piled on the sides of the roads it’s hard to find a place to pull over or park. During a snowstorm distant views and the mountains are not visible. The time to get out to work the landscape is just after the storm … before the sky becomes bald blue, the snow melts or blows from the tree limbs and before it gets tracked up by the abundance of deer, cattle, and other animals, including humans! It can be tricky and it puts me on high alert for weather forecasts and sky conditions. The good news is that there are at least 2 months (or more) of winter to come. I’ll continue to get out there, looking for interesting winter images. Here’s a start to another winter of wandering!
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Denise Bush's Photo Blog 
These pics are beautiful as always, Denise.
Hi Bruce … thanks very much … I’m glad you like them!
Beautiful landscapes, Denise, a joy to look at! Marcus
Thanks very much Marcus! I hope you’ll stay tuned for future posts!
You are welcome, and will sure do! Marcus
Beautiful collection. My favorite is Along a Winter Stream.
Thank you Angie. Once again you surprised me with your pick. I feel like that image is one of the more (what I call) traditional. 🙂
All beautiful !!!
Hi Russ … nice to hear from you! Thank you! Winter makes everything look so different. I like the way the snow brings out contours in the mountains and hills.
Beautiful series! I love “Little Tree in Winter” and “Frosty Awakening “!
Thank you Deb … just when I get tired of one season, another comes along! XO
Nice paragraph, lady, and I especially like Winter Stream.
I just noticed what you said about that image to Angela. Yep, guess I’m a traditional guy.
Thanks Ralph! I had fun writing this one. Yes, I’d say you favor traditional types of landscapes. Maybe that image is better than I thought! 😀
Really wonderful winter photos.
Have a great day!
Thank you vey much! You have a great day too … it’s snowing here!
Yup. Helsinki has now white snow blanket. 🙂
The soft colors are so calming. However my favorite in this group is “Tree and Posts in the Snow” Super!
I’m glad you like that one! I shot that tree on a cloudy day and on a sunny day. The sunny one worked out better highlighting the line of the irrigation ditch.
my faves are winter hills and tree & posts. All are beautiful, though!!
Thank you for letting me know your favorites! It makes me feel good that different images speak to different people!
All lovely, Denise. I admire your determination to get out there in what might be less than comfortable conditions, but winter’s beauty if undeniable. There’s something about ‘Tree and Posts in Snow’ that tugs at my heart… the zigzag ‘zipper’ of the submerged stream perhaps?
Thank you Eliza! As mentioned above the irrigation ditch showed up nicely on a sunny day. That is one of my favorites from this set too … it feels more unique than some of the others.
You are very lucky to have snow scenes to shoot. I am envious because the weather here has been too warm, or rainy, but not snowy. All you photos are excellent, and I enjoyed viewing them. I think my favorite is “Along A Winter Stream”. It isn’t very colorful, but there is a serene beauty in the scene. The stream leads you through the photograph to enjoy nature along the way.
Hi Ken … thank you! We definitely get more winter and snow here and are having a pretty good year so far. Winter scenery is my second favorite to shoot next to fall. I am hoping to add more wildflower images to my portfolio this spring/summer.
It’s fun to see your surroundings in a different season, and to read about the specific challenges there are in winter. Winter here is so different from where you are, but it’s still a change from other seasons, and I’ve been thinking about how I adjust to working differently. E.g. there are fewer hours in the day and the light is darker, and has a different quality. When spring comes I’ll have to adjust again. All part of the process, right? 🙂 My 3 favs are in a row – Frosty Awakening (Wow!), Winter Along the Border and Tree & Posts in the Snow. Enjoy the weekend, Denise!!
Thanks Lynn … those are at the top of my list too … thanks for the endorsements! The shorter days work out for my work … a later sunrise and earlier sunset are easier. I went out today and only came home with just 1 or 2, I think I may like. That’s how it goes for me and it’s OK!
Enjoyed each image for its charm and respect for nature.
Thanks for the visit and comment Sally! Mother Nature is my best friend. She never lets me down … even when it’s not the right time to make a good photograph.
Beautiful range of colors. They are all lovely, but I think I like “Little tree in winter” and “Along a winter stream” the best.
Thanks Ruth. I have photographed that little tree in all seasons!
Winter is always challenging for a photographer, isn’t it. But the reward can be stunning images. As you have manage to collect with this series. So beautiful.
Looking at a new coating of snow this morning and contemplating where I could safely go in my Subaru. If I had a snow cat I’d already be out there!
Very nice, especially “Along a Winter Stream”!
Thank you! I am surprised several people picked that as their favorite and it helps to know. Maybe I should add that image to my online store!?
Yes I think that will be a good idea!
The way the stream goes and the white ground and contrast of the trees and stream go very well together, and the word that comes in my mind to describe the image is ‘intimate’.
All stunning photography. That said “Winter Along The Border” really caught my eye….love the way you composed this shot. Because of the subject matter, it almost has a black and white feel to it!
Thanks Kirt. That image is B&W and so is the one that follows. I’m glad you like it. I was pleased when I first saw it but few picked that one out.
A truly stunning landscape Denise – the photos are superb. I hope you enjoyed the rest of your winter wanderings and you’ve begun to thaw out!
Thanks Simon. No thaw yet … we got a foot of snow on Fri. – Sat. but it’s all good … we need it after last years dry conditions and fires.
Beautiful photos!