First Snowfall Assignment Winner Harry Lichtman

Congrats to the winner of the First Snowfall Assignment, Harry Lichtman!

“Finding the combination of vibrant fall foliage and snow seems to be more unpredictable in New Hampshire than out West. Often the leaves in New Hampshire’s White Mountains have browned or fallen by the time of the first snow. On this occasion, I was in a great place for the season’s first snow and used the harsh conditions to my advantage,” says Lichtman. “The wind and blowing snow limited me to this type of image, but it was a refreshing change for me from the standard wide angle shots so tempting in fall foliage landscapes under clear conditions. The sun was occasionally reaching the trees through the clouds, so I tried to find a location perpendicular to the blowing snow that would allow some side or back-lighting of the trees and snow. In this way the snow would be more prominent in the image.

“After some hiking, I settled on this composition. Finding a suitable mix of colorful trees and darker evergreens that would be back-lit was harder than it might seem. The darker trees were best at contrasting the blowing snow, and made it more visible in the image. I experimented with various shutter speeds to create the streaking effect of the snow. I tried to find a balanced grouping of trees and used the color and textural contrast to create a visually dynamic scene.”

Equipment: Canon EOS 5D Mark II, Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS, Gitzo Tripod