Spring? Surely You Jest...

So St. Louis got a 'surprise' snowstorm on Sunday. It wasn't really a surprise, we'd known about it for a few days. But unlike the last few predicted snows, the snow exceeded expectations. The official tally was 12.2" which is a record since 1982. In my area of St. Louis, I'd say we got at least a healthy 6-8". The biggest factor is that it came down fast and hard in the beginning and was preceded by a rainstorm that prevented the roads from being pre-treated.

Needless to say, it threw my work for a big loop on Sunday - and we had to scramble to cancel performances AND classes - something we were pretty reluctant to do. I spent several hours getting things all ship shape with some of my coworkers before heading home for an unexpected partial snow day.

One factor about this snow, is that it was a nice, heavy snow that sticks. Bad for roads and such, but really pretty for photographers. So before I headed home "for good", I stopped in Forest Park for a slow drive around. I certainly wasn't the only shutterbug to be paying a visit, but I didn't really want to get out of the car (wasn't fully outfitted/prepared). So I drove around in search of some good sights. I purposely overexposed some of these shots to get the effect I wanted, and one of them was just pure luck.

Enjoy!

                            


           

Now as much as I photographically love snow, and really am a fan of it... it's time for Spring to arrive!

Snowy Missouri Botanical Garden

Sometimes, it takes "extreme" weather to tell you how dedicated you are to your 'art'. We had a lovely snowy day and it was crispy cold. This crazy blogger decided to bundle up and head to the Missouri Botanical Garden to take pictures of the garden in snow. This was inspired by a recent gift.

It was beautiful and worth being freezing cold (next time: wear long underwear!) and being one of the few people out there! Here's just a few of the pics:





There are tons more under the Missouri Botanical Garden set, and a few more featured in the next photo project 2011 post...

"Macro" Snow

I don't have a true real macro lens, but I wanted to try to get some close-ups of snowflakes. They're not the greatest but not they're not so bad either.











And of course, one can't resist a snowy dog pic:



Next up - checking things off the Photo Project 2011 list

Snowy Christmas Day

I don't celebrate Christmas in the sense that other people do, but I do celebrate it as a more special day than others. I'd been itching to get another crack at snow photos and mom wanted to take the dogs for a walk - so we compromised and she accompanied me to Forest Park. I had fun, the pups had fun and mom would've had more fun had her steps counted.

While it was fun to try to catch the falling snow the day before, the pictures from Christmas were much clearer, cleaner and crisper.

Here are just a few of my favorites:









This was great wet snow - the kind that sticks to trees and sticks to itself, as evidenced by these mini-snowmen









We also came across a tree that was planted in the memory of a person whose friends decorated his tree for Christmas:

Snowy Christmas Eve

Before I start posting my project photos (which I've already knocked some off my list...), I need to work on the backlog of photos. So I start with a snowy Christmas Eve. Our first real snow since Thanksgiving, and that one barely lasted that day.

After reading an article in my new photography magazine (courtesy of a friend), I really wanted to take pictures of snow. Not quite sure why I got the proverbial bee in my bonnet about it since I will be spending all of February and March in ALASKA, where it snows A LOT.

Time flew by on Christmas Eve and I headed out a little too late in the day. Plus it had started snowing much heavier than it had when I had left the house. Nevertheless, I still caught a few good snaps. Here are my favorites:











And this one which I caught on the way home from catching up with old family friends:



This gate is pretty in its own right, but highlighted with snow and hit with perfect light - just made a trifecta of good and I couldn't let that moment pass by.

My DSLR's First Snow

Yeah, it certainly isn't *MY* first winter. Certainly not, I'm a midwestern gal. But I don't live the midwest anymore and I keep living in places that don't have 'true' seasons: LA, Houston. I think this is my first snow in a good long while. I don't remember where I was last winter anyway - probably Houston.

At any rate, it's the first time I've been around snow since my increased interest in photography and the acquisition of more advanced equipment to pursue said interest.

So when the snow really began to fall like it does in a shaken-up snow globe, I broke out the camera and walked downstairs.

Here's just a few photos to share, check out more at flickr.











At least this was pretty snow that only stuck to greens, flowers and parked cars. It didn't stick to roads much at all, thankfully.