Magic in the Ice

As the Arctic air wins the battle with the Tropic air from the Gulf we'll see the surfaces of our lakes, streams, and ponds cease to ripple. This transformation is the true litmus test of winter's might. If in the middle of February you can still cruise around in a boat, surely it's been a mild winter. It seems that we're heading the opposite direction here in the Poconos. Up on the plateau they received up to 20" of snow in October, lakes were covered in a thin coat of ice by mid-November, and the ski resorts are celebrating one of the earliest openings in their history.
If your looking for an interesting subject to photograph this winter I urge you to go out to your favorite lake and search for magic in the ice. The ice provides many wonderful scenes. In this post I'd like to talk about the beautiful designs the wind can produce in the coves of lakes. Where the water exits or enters ponds and lakes the water tends to stay unfrozen. The wind enters these coves and carves curves into the edge of the ice. Look for these curves and get in tight with your framing. Also, look for reflections in the water alongside these wonderful curving lines. Just make sure you don't step out on this ice it's almost always thin! See you out there!



All photos from the winter of 2004 at Promised Land State Park, PA Copyright 2008 Daniel Brodeen

For more tips and photos by Daniel Brodeen please visit www.brodeenphoto.com/blog1 and www.brodeenphoto.com

The Beautiful Hidden Lake

HIDDEN LAKE
by Daniel Brodeen
Contributing writer and photographer
www.brodeenphoto.com
www.brodeenphoto.com/blog1

Residents of the Pocono Mountains can make no mistake that winter is knocking at our door. With over 2ft of the white stuff in the higher elevations we're all starting to think that this might be a good old fashion winter. But before we give up on autumn this year, there are plenty of leaves still on the trees. Grab your camera and head down to Hidden Lake. It's located between Bushkill and Shawnee in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. When most of the foliage on the Pocono plateau have fallen to the forest floor, down near the Delaware River there are still plenty of colors. I've found that at the end of October and early November the reds are the strongest. They really stand out against the dull gray and brown of the naked trees that have lost all their leaves. There's a nice meandering trail that goes all the way around the lake. It's about a 30 minute hike without taking a single photo, so plan accordingly. Photography wise, look for isolated areas of strong color(especially red). Set those colors apart from the rest of the forest to give them a sense of silence. Also, once 75 percent of all the leaves have fallen, it's easier to find unique patterns of standing and fallen trees with the slight warming effect of lingering foliage. Most often setting your camera to under expose will get you the moody feeling that compliments this time of year best. Arrive before sunrise or a couple hours before sunset to get the best light. Mornings will always be the most dramatic. The light comes up over the ridge that rises up around half the lake and will peak through the mist rising off the lake. See you out there!
Essential Equipment:
Digital Camera with manual settings
SLR with good quality slide film(Fuji Velvia,etc.)
Tripod
wide angle to telephoto lenses

All Images Copyright 2008 Daniel Brodeen




















Hidden Lake Road is roughly parallel to River Road, but farther inland from the river. From the traffic light on Route 209 at the Fernwood Resort in Bushkill PA, turn east (a right turn if northbound) onto River Road and continue 1.5 miles around a sharp turn to the right. Bear immediatelyright onto Hidden Lake Road.
From River Road, continue past park headquarters on the right 300 yards and then turn very hard right onto Hidden Lake Road.
Once on Hidden Lake Road, continue 2.25 miles, past a small parking area on the left along the dam, to the picnic area entrance on the left, which has a sign.