It was FREEZING cold outside (about 1 or 2 degrees F) and I was glad I was inside the toasty warm house. I was washing up my breakfast dishes and trying to think of some new places to go for taking winter photographs. I wanted to find something new and different. Then I looked up and out my kitchen window and THERE IT WAS! Right in front of my eyes on my garage door…
I grabbed my camera, threw my jacket on over my pajamas, slipped my boots on and ran outside into the snow bank. On the garage windows were the most beautiful and intricate frost patterns. Shiny, sparkly, complex, branching crystals of ice. Breathtaking. The sun was coming up fast and I worried they’d melt before my eyes so I tried to work quickly. I had my macro lens on my camera but no tripod. It was SO cold and I thought I’d just be out for a minute. After 30 shots and completely frozen fingers and ears I stumbled back into the house to let my camera warm up slowly before downloading my shots. A few came out pretty good. Unfortunately I was a little too close while standing in the snow bank so many of them are not as sharp as I would have liked or have a little too much reflection in them. Here’s an example:
Want to take frost pictures too? Me too. I looked up a little information so next time I’d be better prepared. Here’s a few hints in case you find yourself in a similar situation.
1. It’s got to be COLD outside – temperatures have to be near zero degrees F or colder for the crystals to form
2. Take your tripod – the crystals are so fine and intricate that you can’t afford the slightest bit of camera shake
3. use your macro lens so you can get up nice and close
4. Move your camera around – a few inches in any direction will produce totally different patterns.
5. Don’t forget to grab a plastic bag or your camera bag when you head out. You will want to MAKE SURE to put your camera in the bag BEFORE going into the house and let it warm up to room temperature to prevent condensation from forming on the inside of your camera and possibly damaging the electronics or lens.
6. HAVE FUN! Dress warmly.
If you have cool frost pictures let me know – I’d like to see them!
Stay warm…