Winter Relics

While making my rounds close to home, I couldn’t resist stopping to capture some familiar relics, now resting in the snow. In my view there is always a new image to be made when the subject has character and can tell a story. I also enjoyed stopping to photograph a couple of other subjects that have caught my eye, more than once while wandering. Looking at these together I am reminded how much the cloudy-cool or sunny-warm color of the light affects a snowy scene. The lighting influences the mood … cheerful and bright, or calm and peaceful. Adding to the stories, these the relics seem all the more vulnerable in the snow, making me wonder … how many winters they have sat in the harsh elements and yet survived.

A little log cabin completes the picture to make a quaint winter scene.
‘Log Cabin Between Trees’ © Denise Bush
A weathered shack, surrounded by farm equipment makes a fun subject in the snow.
‘Shack & Relics In Winter’ © Denise Bush
An old log cabin, weathered by the elements reminds us of a day gone by.
‘Cabin Remains’ © Denise Bush
An old style barn lights up in the late day sun on a cold winter day.
‘Barn On Winter Slope’ © Denise Bush
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Old cabin remains hang on by a thread in the winter elements.
‘Weathered Remains’ © Denise Bush

I started out with more images in this post but even while I liked all of the images, something was bothering me. I ended up deciding to delete a couple of them, and in doing so I realized the group then made a stronger set. For me, sometimes less is more!

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denisebushphoto

My passion for photography has rewarded me with the opportunity to examine the world carefully. My approach is intuitive and I choose to impose no constraints – leaving myself open only to possibilities. As a professional designer I am drawn to images that offer a strong composition, pattern and rhythm. Creating images with a unique perspective while sometimes pushing the limits of traditional composition 'rules' excites me. Landscapes, nature subjects and things from the past are common themes in my work.

54 thoughts on “Winter Relics”

  3. Beautiful set! “Barn on Winter Slope” is my favorite! It reminds me of the barns in Grand Teton. “Log Cabin Between Trees” would be my second favorite, I like the cooler snow color.

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    1. I like those gable barns too Deb. ‘Log Cabin Between Trees’ is a first. I saw the owners peering out the window next door to the cabin, wondering what I was doing. I passed it so many times I was determined even if shoo’d away!

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    1. I would love to know too Bruce! The historic preservation in this area is very small. The first is on someone’s property where there is a ranch house. I’ve seen that before … like the ancestors lived in the cabin before future generations built a larger place on the same property. Sometimes, hunting cabins or a cabin for a hired hand. The fun is in making up your own stories!

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  6. I agree with your comments about the light. My favorite is Log Cabin Between Trees. All your images tell a story, but I like the story of the deeper snow accumulated on everything and how the snow hides details with only the major objects remaining. The bluish tint is perfect for this photo.

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  8. Nice set, Denise. I find abandoned buildings so haunting, leaving me to wonder about the lives and stories of their builders and former inhabitants. ‘Cabin Remains’ is my favorite… I love the colors/textures of the roof metal, reminding me of a country patchwork quilt.

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    1. Thanks Eliza. I have photographed that ‘Cabin Remains’ before but recently someone built a huge home nearby with a new looking fence next to this structure. It’s hard to avoid the new fence but I was able to on this day by being some distance away and using my telephoto lens. Yes … the patchwork roof is a plus!

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  9. Your familiar ‘relics’ are stunning as well in your winter wonderland, Denise! I was excited when I saw ‘relics’ in your title, I was thinking snow with either buildings or old vehicles. I loved all five but “Barn on Winter Slope” is my favorite!

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    1. Thanks Rich. That little cabin has been catching my eye for years but it is right next to a house so I was always reluctant to stop and intrude. It’s on the other side of a fence and I got the only angle possible, as a silhouette inside the house watched. I’m thinking about dropping off a print in their mailbox.

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  14. Yes, a cohesive set, Denise. Your images are thoughtfully composed and gorgeous. Love the classic shape of “Barn on Winter Slope” like the famous one on Mormon Row. Log Cabin is serene and beautifully framed in the snowy branches.

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  15. These are wonderful, Denise! I love the first one. It reminds of a little cabin not far from here that hundreds of photographers flock to in the fall. Myself included. Thankfully not many have found it in the winter.

    This set is beautiful. I hope they continue to stand for a long time giving you and us through your viewfinder many years of picture-perfect beauty.

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  17. I love all these relics! My favourite is the “Log Cabin between Trees” – perhaps b/c it somehow looks cozy with cabin tucked in among the unbrokien gentle snow blanket, as well as being framed by the winter tree.

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  20. Another series of awesome captures!! Love them all, but I will pick a favorite and give the reason why. I love your subject matter and I have a soft spot for these types of relics! All have their own stories and create a unique scene unto themselves. My favorite is ” Log Cabin Between Trees”. The lighting and framing of this shot creates a serene and peaceful scene. I could almost see myself spending time here taking it all in. Beautifully done, Denise!!

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  22. So beautiful and most likely poignant stories for some if not all. There’s a romantic feel to a lone cabin in the wild. It would be wonderful to have one of these to spend quiet time contemplating the landscape and life. We have a few old barns, sheds and cabins around here but the west seems to be dotted with them and your neighborhood is filled with their photographic riches.
    I like the tension felt in “Barn on Winter Slope”. The composition is interesting for that and, of course, the whole scene is attractive. This is a nice grouping for a folio collection, Denise.

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  23. Less is often more – although I also have a tendency to like more… There is a sadness in this images, and sad, yet beautiful story. I start to wonder about the people who once lived in or used these cabins. Beautiful images, Denise.

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  24. These are all so appealing. There’s something about these cabins in the snow – I wonder if it’s the idea of a cozy space, even if it’s falling apart, amidst all the cold. Intellectually I get what you mean about vulnerability but I see shelter in the snow. 🙂 I think the first two are my favorites. I like that branch reaching across in the first one and the sense of late winter thaw in the second.

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    1. I agree there is that cozy feeling to these relics too … shelter from the storm. Your first pick here was the most popular in this set. That cabin is right next to someone’s house and they were peering out at me shooting from the other side of a fence. I’ve posted your second pick in different seasons and before the roof rusted. The sun is so close and strong here it’s in a constant melt, freeze, snow again cycle.

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