MARCH SNOW Photo | TrekEarth

Photographer’s Note

MARCH SNOW

In Virginia where I live, March is usually characterized as “In like a lion, out like a lamb!” So it was on March 1st, 2009 when we woke up to 20-25 cm (8-10 inches) of pristine snow. It is rare for it to snow in March; alas, eight days later on March 8 the temperature was an unseasonably warm 29°C (84°F) and the snow was already a distant memory. The lamb does not come this quickly, and no doubt the mercury will oscillate up and down, before it begins to settle down to a balmy spring. I shot the photo from the deck of my house looking at the backyard. Through the peeling bark of the birch trees our small pond is visible, and this past winter it did ice up a few times.

The title of the image “March Snow,” is inspired by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsk’s orchestral composition “Slavonic March in B-flat minor," Op. 31, better known by its French title “Marche Slave”. I remember taking a photo virtually from the same vantage point exactly two years ago, when the weather was balmy, and the featured subjects were The Cardinal and the Birch.

Nikon D200, 28-200mm auto Nikkor lens, shot in RAW+JPG in 7Mb size.

robertosalguero, Buin, ChrisJ, azaf1, paura, BWJ, meltemi, stego, stelli, rikko77, Tezic, jhm, MLINES, Beasolea, daddo, carper, jean11-3, isabela_sor, avene, Valerka has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

Buin (38600) 2009-03-09 0:45

Hallo Bulent!
Yes, winter this year is insistent - also here. Your intriguing photo shows the situation of today very well. It could have been taken also here. These sunlit trunks of the birches are a beautiful detail here. But one thing is sure - spring will come!
Greetings from Germany - with a bit fresh snow!
Frank

robertosalguero (110) 2009-03-09 0:47

Hi Bulent,

I like the exposure on the fore trees. The view is nice though minimalist. Snow is certainly a beautiful thing but too much of it can also be a bad thing. Nice framing and good colours. Thanks Bulent :-)

Roberto

ChrisJ (70521) 2009-03-09 0:49

Hi Bulent

A wonderful winter landscape, with good warm cold colour contrasts, between the red bark, of the trees, & the blue tinged snow. Tfs!

azaf1 (15615) 2009-03-09 3:51

Good morning Bulent

A nice last "invasion" of the prolonged winter this year. Nice framing and a crispy atmoshpere render a feeling of the snow spell.

Compliments and TFS
Argiris

paura (39608) 2009-03-09 4:57

Bulent,
Beautiful and well composed photo here, friend. The snow / tree contrast are interesting and results in a great image. Well done!

regards

Paulo

ifanik (20694) 2009-03-09 4:59

Hi Bulent
Very nice photo of this winter landscape
Nice colors and POV
Congratulations
Best regards
NICK

BWJ (1777) 2009-03-09 5:13

Hello Bulent,
The snowy birch trees create an intricate, decorative winter scene. They are gorgeous! It is an excellent multi-level shot with great depth of field. Colors and light management are superb. I like the view of the soft blue sky through the branches of the trees. How fortunate you are to have this magnificent view from your home.
Kind regards,
Betty

TGULUMSER (12528) 2009-03-09 10:37

Bulent Bey merhaba,
Evinizin manrarasi harikaymis. Mart ayinda bu kadar kar olmasi sasirtici. Burada, bu sene yagmurlardan mola alip gunes actiginda, baharin geldigini hissediyoruz. Ancak yagmurlardan da hic sikayetimiz yok. Bu guzel goruntu icin tesekkurler,
Elinize saglik,
Tulay

buscape (4040) 2009-03-09 12:21

Hello Bulent,
very nice shot of this snowy winter scenery. I like the warm light and colors on the trees in the FG. Good contrast to the cold winter landscape.
Best wishes,
Helmut

meltemi (9746) 2009-03-09 13:33

Hello Bulent,
an elegant picture, delicate colour setting and the golden birches among the snow add a fine effect. I'd love to have this view from my window, but here we rarely see the snow.
All the best.
Stella

amazon (10931) 2009-03-09 13:56

istanbul'da bu sene hemen hic kar gormedik diyebilirim...ne yazik!oturma odamin penceresinden gorunen erik agaci uc dort hafta once cicek acti,gelin gibi donandi,guzelligini tarif edemem,fotografladiginiz agac da bir sure sonra yeserecek ve bu kareniz hatira olarak kalacak te sayfalarinda,
ellerinize saglik,
selam ve sevgilerimle,
iffet

mesutilgim (37583) 2009-03-09 14:43

Hi dear Bülent,
Very nice wintery scene, with many nice details, perfect captured. Nice soft colors and perfect side light.
Good and usefull notes.
Great graphism.
TFS and best regards
MESUT ILGIM

PS.Just received cc of an e-mail of Delilah to you ! Great, great !!

stego (22500) 2009-03-09 14:59

Hello Bülent,

Beautiful Winter view, curiously taken a few days before Spring on the same latitude where I live. The differences in weather of Portugal and Virginia are indeed intriguing, but I believe that something similar happens also more up North (England, Scandinavia, etc.). We hadn't any really warm days yet, though.

Besides the "ordered in chaos" pattern rendered by the branches, I like very much the light effects, with the sun struggling with the Winter forces.

I remember perfectly "The Cardinal and the Birch". Actually, I am surprised that it's been more than two years since you have posted it.

Regards, José.

lraew (42) 2009-03-09 15:54

The trees providing the foremost focus of the picture is nicely done. The snow was amazing. I left a day later for South Carolina where it was already 82 not knowing as I returned there would be no reminder left of the March snow. I like the composition and although I am not a fan of snow and colder temps it is a cause for beauty in pictures such as this.
Lisa

stelli (2987) 2009-03-09 16:25

Beautiful!! I miss this kind of snow that stays with you all winter and then it starts melting and there you have the announcement of Spring!!! Excellent composition!!! Thank you for sharing! Regards Stella

rikko77 (6748) 2009-03-10 1:22

Hi Bulent,
a touch of snow in your gallery! Wow, this is very well done indeed and, as usual, you wrote a very interesting note...how many words hidden behind an image!
Have a nice day!
Rikk

Tezic (16927) 2009-03-10 5:00

Merhaba Bülent Bey,
ışığı enfes olmuş... dallardaki netlik ve beyazın doğal yansıyan hali çok başarılı ... tebrikler...

jhm (83786) 2009-03-10 6:21

Hello Dear Bulent,

The birch trees in foreground make of this picture a very attractive photograph, exactly a playing between winter and autumn
You did excellent as well as colour as subject.
Splendid composition pleasant colours.
Good composition, nice picture.
Very well done, TFS.

Best regards,
John.

MLINES (11064) 2009-03-10 16:21

Hi Bulent. It is always good to see your photos and learn new and interesting things. Well composed and presented. The unravelling of the bark is often attractive as seen here, some of our gum trees lose their bark too. TFS. Murray.

Beasolea (1650) 2009-03-10 18:15

Hello Batalay,
Your picture will be a good motive for my aquarelle painting. All your notes to your pictures are like a preludes before a good Opera.
Best regards :-)
Bea

daddo (11647) 2009-03-13 18:55

Merhaba Bulent Bey. There is something so fine about the birch tree, in a way so Russian when one remembers the vast birch forests in Russia.As many have mentioned, the contrast between the warm tones of the trees and the bluish white of the snow makes this a vibrant winter scene. Selamlar. Klaudio.

delpeoples (7008) 2009-03-13 21:21

Hello Bulent, this is a ver creative composition and POV. The colours contrast beautifully against the white snow. What a wonderful place you live in. I'm writing to you today from a place where it's 30 degrees centigrade - very hot - so to see your lovely late winter seen is a blessing. TFs and have a lovely weekend, Lisa.

carper (66132) 2009-03-14 10:20

a very nice photo to see the March snow in your Virginia Bulent.
I think it's not a normal thing that the snow is falling there now.
nice shot, good sunlight on the trees, nice dof, good photo job and a good note, have a good weekend my friend.
regard jaap

jean11-3 (2799) 2009-03-15 12:31

Hello Bulent,this has all the qualities of a painting.
I find it a very pleasing picture with beautiful colours and light,and a good composition.
I would be quite happy to have this hanging on my wall.
Tfs, regards Jean.

isabela_sor (42757) 2009-03-17 12:21 [Comment]

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avene (11242) 2009-03-18 11:06

ah, yes, this is what I mean by sunshine and sparkling snow. I like a lot this natural abstraction, the web of branches create a fascinating lace-like patterns that look very delicate, even fragile. quite nice, even if if is still know :)

regards,
Kristine

Valerka (8159) 2009-04-10 23:48

Hello,Master,
It's April now, yes, but folling in your gallery I came upon this image reminding me as you say of Russian musical classic as well as of the Russian Peredvizhniks , such as Savrasov etc.
Very nice light,too and very poetic.
TFS
Valerka:)