River of Ice

A cold, cold day at Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge. The Little is still heavily tidal at this point, so it rarely freezes. The image is, of course, about the contrast of the rich brown water, the white snow/ice, the green of the trees and the blue of sky…all very intense. Composition is important in a shot like this, because it determines the balance of the elements and their importance to the visual effect. This is a classic 2/3rds, 1/3rd landscape, with the trees on the horizon placed at the upper Rule of Thirds horizon.

Sony DSC H9 at wide angle (31mm equiv.). F5.6 @ 1/800th @ ISO 80. Programed Auto.

Recovery in Lightroom to reclaim some color in the sky and bring out the white wispy clouds. Clairity and Vibrance to enhance the colors and slight sharpening.

The image is from the Rachel Carson Seasons Gallery.