This has been a tough winter. More so than usual it seems, but maybe it was because last winter was so mild.

As a kid I lived in the snow belt of Western New York. I don’t remember the schools closing just because it was cold or for less than a two-foot snowfall. And we lived in the unfortunate location of being a half block less than one mile of the school, the distance allowed for taking the bus.

Anyway, this recent cold snap reminded me of how the air and light change when it gets cold, really cold. Anywhere around the 0 degrees mark, give or take.

So I went out this week just after sunrise to see what I could see. Here are a couple of images from the jaunt. I was out and about for about 30 minutes, and could have gone longer but for the fact of having to take my gloves off to operate the camera. I don’t remember that piercing cold that settles in the joints and makes your fingers not want to cooperate.

Of note to photogs: Batteries die quick in low temps. Make sure you have a spare battery and keep it next to your body (or even better, take the battery out of the camera, keep it warm and then put it in the camera when your are ready to make some photos). Keep your camera inside your coat until you are ready to use it. Don’t shoot with the light, shoot against it. Look for patterns. Good luck.