A Dogs DecisionI do not care for the type of winter the northern United States has to offer. Perhaps it's because I lived in the southern states for so many years. As a child, I lived in the land of the Lake Effect in Western New York. I A Winter Walkthought 200 inches of snow a year was normal. I never learned to ski. I could only wobble across the ice on skates. Cold, snow, sleet, ice and slush are not my friend.

But I can endure them, and I do, so I can go on walks this time of year. I’m not a power walker, usually just a bit faster than a stroll. That way I can observe and watch and wonder.

The best part of winter is that fresh snow transforms the landscape, converting the world to grayscale. TurnaroundThat is something I am comfortable with, having photographed nearly exclusively in black and white the first 20 years of my career. When out in the snow I imagine my camera is using Tri-X or Plus-X instead of pixels.

Patterns emerge, curves are more defined, and contrast rules the landscape. And, you can see what has gone before you. Footsteps are a winter thing (sand and mud excluded). What Is Composition?And it surprises me I don't see more photographers out and about.

So I look for the symmetry, the contrast, the curve and the footstep.

Note: All photos taken with an iPhone 4.