David Askham - A Glimpse of Winter

A Glimpse of Winter

Coming downstairs for breakfast early one Sunday morning in January, I drew the lounge curtains and noticed that winter had arrived. Overnight, the landscape had been transformed. Momentarily I forgot about breakfast, grabbed my Leica X Vario, and captured this simple scene. That was almost exactly three years ago.

Today, it is rather different. Rain. Rain. Rain! So I spent a few moments delving into my Lightroom catalogue to find a more seasonal scene to offer our worthy webmaster.

What appealed to me in this simple scene was its abstract nature. A carpet of freshly fallen, undisturbed snow covered the lawn. A solitary snow-laden tree, unruffled by breezes, stood centre-stage and caught my eye. The tree contrasted with a backdrop of a much-maligned Leylandii hedge, which faces the north. Very little snow had disguised it. Although my picture was shot in colour (DNG), without any effort on my part, it appears to be monochromatic, apart from its dark green leaves which blend into shadows at the base. Only a hint of the chaotic branch structure is revealed. How different from the tree’s appearance in spring, when it bears many tiny pink blossoms and lives up to its reputation as an ornamental specimen.

This tree is normally full of bird life. Not today. One can imagine them curled up in a sheltered spot, merely intent on survival. They know where the humans place food for them.

The Leica X Vario is a useful camera to have at hand for picture opportunities such as this one. My viewpoint was limited. I needed to press the lens close to the glass window, to avoid internal reflections. So framing entailed zooming until a pleasing arrangement came into view. The Vario-Elmar lens is a masterpiece of design, matching its sibling M-lenses in its ability to capture detail. Its modest range of focal lengths covers most photographers’ needs.

Purists might contest the central position of the tree trunk. So what alternatives did I consider? An off-centre tree trunk, without an obvious counterpoint of interest, would leave the picture visually unbalanced. The margin of hedge on the right edge I felt was necessary to be included. What do you think?

How many photographers consider shooting winter landscapes without first leaving home?

(Leica X Vario ISO 500 1/60 second f/5.6 (28-70 mm @ 57 mm) Sunday 24 January 2021 08.44 hours)