K100d Super / Smc A 50mm 1.7
Hopefully spring will bring happier times..

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[channeler]

Nice exposures if images a bit bleak as you say. Like the shadows on the snow.

Paul

[cyclocross]

Nice pictures. I have a question for you, when I have tried similar pictures, I have a hard time with the snow causing my exposures to blow out everything else. How did you avoid this?

Eric

[bwield]

To be honest I don't really know how lol.
I use bracketing in the hopes that I will avoid that, and If I have time I do multiple white balance shots.

[spyglass]

Here is something to toss into the idea pool on success of snow related shots. Overcast days tend to work well for me, light becomes very even due to the clouds, shadows tend to be softer, nice results from afternoon or early morning when the sun is low in the sky. If you look at Bwield's shots you can see that the sky is overcast, that the shadows are long, indicating the sun is lower in the sky (at mid day when the sun is directly over head shadows are almost non existent - exception being in winter the sun never reaches an supreme overhead position and will produce some shorter shadows). Also watch your angles (if the sunlight is being directed off the snow into your lens etc. As a good test try shootin the scene from the four different compass bearings. You will notice a huge difference (bright, texture enhanced, dark, texture enhanced)
In direct sunlight, non cloudy days, I fall back onto graduated ND filters. Using the ND section of the graduated filter to limit the light intensity for the potential burn out areas of the photo. If the shot is of a small area (like a flower in the snow, I use a diffuser (white umbrella, white rip stop nylon, etc).

Like I said, something to toss in the idea pool.

[Sailor]

Nice and gloomy - just perfect for what you were trying, I believe. I'm impressed with the B&W conversions.

Jer

[vievetrick]

Great work and I look forward to seeing the same spot from you in a few months when hopefully there will be some green.

[daacon]

Indeed a before and after shot will be priceless ! Nice BW conversion.

[blwnhr]

Unreal, I love it, well done.

You don't live in Cernobyl by any chance, lol.

[J.Scott]

Indeed a before and after shot will be priceless ! Nice BW conversion.

I like these pictures. Reminds me of countless hours spent tramping through some of the wilder parts of Northern Ontario.

But maybe it should be called it "Coniferous Graveyard" as they look like they are (were) Eastern White Cedar. I just don't understand what you meant by 'before and after' Dave. Do you mean without snow? My experience of bush-lore tells me that dead cedars in winter will continue to be dead cedars in summer. Although I do see some living Black Spruce in the background.

[bwield]

Ah Good catch J.Scott.. They are coniferous trees, however I changed the name as the term coniferous is associated with those trees regarded as 'ever greens' while these swamp trees are now 'never greens'... i was under the impression that confierous meant ever green to some extent, however I've found that it is from the latin root Conifer with means to 'bear cones'

The title is possibly also why people may be confused, thinking that the trees will bud again in the spring.