Celebrating Winter's Beauty: The Pursuit of Photos

 

            Is it too soon to wish for spring? I confess I am ready. This winter has already been long and dreary. (I have been thankful it hasn’t been extremely cold, except for that one little stretch right before Christmas!) But even though my heart still wishes for days of warm sun (or wintering in a sunnier state), I cannot deny the stunning beauty of winter in all its glory.

            If you can bundle up enough, catch your breath against the icy air, and see even when the wind pushes into your face, the sights of unmarred winter views are such a gift.

            I do love a proper winter photo shoot, but each time I go out, I find myself wondering if it matters. Does one snow really look that different from another? How many times can I photograph a leaf – up close – with snow resting on its fragile surface?

            Though the same, each winter is different. Each landscape is distinctive. Even every leaf is as unique as the snowflakes that land on it. They’re worth visiting and capturing in photos.

            The first couple of years Ryan and I were married, we had polar vortex-level winters. We lived in Marion and played in the snow in our backyard, made snow-cream, and dug ourselves out when the snow fell tall and drifted taller. We stuck a ruler in the snow and measured the accumulation, and we watched as the branches of the evergreen trees along the alley bent beneath the weight of white.

            We moved to Kokomo, and I marveled at the beauty of snow falling against the backdrop of the woods across the road from our house. We went sledding down the icy driveway of the neighbor a couple of doors down. I watched birds flock to the pear tree in the front yard, looking for respite from the biting wind. It was picturesque in new-to-us ways, and I captured all of it.

            Then we went to WillowBridge, and while shoveling a parking lot by hand dampened the joy of snowfalls, the movie-esque town was stunning in snowfall. We took quiet walks late at night – across town to get the mail – and marveled at the beauty of snow on old-fashioned buildings. Our beloved meadow, where we so often walked and talked, was a winter wonderland. We had fun on the sledding hill and watched baby Lexi bound along the path, joyfully exploring the new-fallen snow.

            I’m so glad we’ve captured these places we’ve called home – in their snowbound beauty. We’ve moved on to new chapters, written by the Lord, but we have the photo-captured memories of winters in other seasons of life, homes, and calendar years.

            And it’s not just our own homes we’ve captured. Nita’s stunning log cabin in the woods never looked more majestic than it did in the snow.

            Seeing the awe-inspiring Biltmore Estate blanketed by snow was an unscripted travel memory we will never forget.

            Enjoying our Beloved prayer chapel against the backdrop of snow was a perfect way to celebrate our marriage.

            Winter is fierce, but it’s also fiercely beautiful. Take the pictures. Capture the snowfalls and drifts, the icicles and encrusted puddles, and the pops of color against the white blankets. Capture it all. Capture the memories and beautiful views.

            As the years roll by and things about life change, you’ll be so glad to look back on the pictures you took and remember the memories that accompany them!