I could quite easily spend the whole winter taking photos of berries. They are so very well behaved and cheery to look at, and certainly brighten up a cold, old winters day, don’t you think?

PS – There’s lot’s more wintry cheer to be found in the 100 Days of Winter flickr group

I know it’s only the first day but I can honestly say that 100 Days of Winter has changed my whole outlook on the season and I am actually quite enjoying the prospect of winter this year!

Who can blame me – look at the wonderful write-up from my new BFF (blog friend forever) Cass – she rocks, by the way!

And look, look at all these amazing photos that have cropped up in the ’100 Days of Winter’ flickr group. Wonderful!

Yes, I am seriously LOVING winter so far!

1. Untitled, 2. project 365: 11.13.11, 3. Winter 2011, 4. Untitled, 5. Winter Around the Corner, 6. on a misty morn, 7. Frozen pasture, 8. project 365: 11.21.11, 9. Fire Tea

How do you feel about winter?

Do you feel blue when the days draw in and the thermometer struggles to rise above freezing?

Do you feel the world envelop you?

Do you grow smaller and quieter with every layer of frost; sealing you into a numb, wintry cocoon?

Do you wish it could be summer all the time?

This is just how I feel when winter takes hold and I know it’s silly to feel this way because there’s nothing I can do to change it; this year I want it to be different. I can’t change the season so I am going to change me – there are so many wonderful things that winter has to offer, and it’s not like it lasts for ever.

This year I have a plan to see me through the winter months, and I would love it if you joined it too – this year let’s celebrate winter through photography, let’s celebrate…

100 Days of Winter

Let’s look forward to woolly mittens and the reflections of light in black, rain-slicked streets. To cozying-up into crocheted blankets and sipping hot cocoa. To watching ice-crystals form on the window-panes and the crackling sounds of an open fire. To the long, long shadows and the weak, watery sunlight. The darkness will no longer be a veil to stifle us but rather a magical cloak of stars and moonlight to show us the world in a whole new light. It’s going to be marvellous!

PS – It’s not a competition to see who can take the ‘best’ photo – it’s about looking at winter with new, appreciative eyes, whether we’re shooting with our phones, a simple compact, a vintage film SLR or the latest dSLR with all the bells and whistles – it’s really all about the sharing and the fun :)

PPS – I realise it isn’t winter everywhere in the world (although that fact still confuses me greatly) – if you want to share what it was like when you did last experience wintry weather that would be fabulous! (Or how about showing us wintry objects in sunny locations – like snowglobes and ‘nordic pine’ christmas trees in tropical locations – that would be crazily cool)!

 

Number one on my photography wishlist is a tilt and shift lens – specifically this one, which, when you see the price you’ll realise why it’s not on my ‘lenses I own’ list!

For now then I will make do with the pretend tilt and shift setting on my Canon G12 (the ‘miniature’ mode).

Here’s how todays sunset looked…

Autumn can be quite show-offy and brazenly colourful at times, don’t you think?

Often though it is quite muted and serene.

These are from a late afternoon stroll in the old cemetery over the weekend – it was dark by teatime and a brisk pace was required to get out of there before the veil of darkness (and spookiness) descended…