Sunday, December 27, 2009

Christmas in Small Towns

December of 2008 was the beginning of a very snowy winter. Record snowfalls were recorded here in Wisconsin, and Joann and I made a record number of winter photography trips.


One Thursday, rather than head far out into the country, we decided to spend the day capturing Christmas scenes and snowy scenes in the small towns around us.


We photographed some creek scenes and historic buildings in the small towns we visited for most of the day and then towards dusk, Joann asked if we could go to photograph Christmas in a small town. She wanted to catch buildings lit up and the town’s Christmas tree as the lights came on.


It had been a cold day even though the sun had been shining, and as the sun set, it became bitterly cold. Joann is a die-hard. I am not. She took quite a few pictures around town and then we headed to the park for the Christmas tree. The Christmas tree sits on the side of the park near an old mill.


As she was photographing the tree, she noticed that there were reflections of the mill and a little shed in the big shiny ornaments. As she was trying to get the mill reflecting in the large shiny ornaments, she got an idea. An awful idea. Joann got a wonderful, awful idea. (Sorry for the Grinch reference, but I couldn’t help myself). She would take a close-up of herself reflecting in the big shiny bulb and use it for her Christmas card.


She asked me if I would come out and take the picture when she got herself reflecting in the ornament. We tried everything we could think of as we both got colder and colder, but there were so many reflections that no matter where I stood, the tripod and me were reflecting right along with her. And baby, it was cold outside! I returned to the car to wait, while she braved the cold some more, determined to end up with a Christmas card.


The end result was as it should be since it was a picture of Joann and her tripod reflecting in that big shiny bulb. The photographer and her equipment reflected back in the glow of that Christmas tree.


We hope your Christmas holiday has been safe and happy and, as always, Happy Shunpiking!
Ruth

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1 comment:

  1. Wonderful pictures as always, but the reflection in the ornament is fantastic.

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