Stunning Post-Storm Morning
We were very lucky in WMass compared to so many other parts of New England for the Blizzard of 2026. We had howling winds and we did get snow… but nothing like other parts - and we didn’t lose power. I could not wait for the roads to get cleared and for the winds to die down to get out into the Hilltowns.. On the morning that I did get out it was frigid - with no wind. I knew if there had been wind I just couldn’t do it - it was 10 degrees and the ground was just radiating so much cold because of the huge snow pack. I wanted to go to the Hawley Bog so I got up extra early and had an absolutely stunning ride up through Conway and Ashfield into Hawley. I was hoping that someone had snowshoed into the Bog. I pulled into the parking lot surrounded by enormous snowbanks.
I decided to put my extra tall boots on, face mask etc and give it my best shot. I hardly made it 20 feet when I knew that I was asking for trouble because in some parts the snow was up to my hips! Because I am carrying my camera and tripod in my hands I couldn’t use snowshoes… so I had to turn back - ugh!!! . I got back to the car and decided on Plan B…. there has been a farm that I have wanted to photograph for quite some time. I arrived just as the sun was coming up over the mountain to light this up…I was in luck! It was bone chilling cold out - but wow what a photo op! :)
I decided my next stop would be to a place in Conway I have gone to before after we have had a snowstorm. I love the little brook, the fields etc. and I have always found it beautiful. Once again I dressed from head to toe and this time took out my camera with the 70-200 lens and left my tripod inside the car. The snowbanks etc were so high and the snow was so deep it just wasn’t possible for me to use a tripod - so these shots are all handheld like the farm above.
In this part of Conway the sun hits much later because of being surrounded by mountains and hills - so I knew I had a good chance of getting there just as things would be lighting up - and it all worked!
Everything was sparkling like diamonds -
I wanted to try this one in black and white -
I turned around and saw these glorious scenes behind me -
I then climbed up over a huge snowbank and crouching as low as I could so that the sun filtered through the trees right in front of me. I tried once again to capture prisms of light. I cannot tell you how cold I was but to see this magic in front of me kept me at it…. I hope that you enjoy this series - I did not use any filters - this is the world as I saw it on that frigid morning where white was blue it was so cold…
I then decided to step back to take this shot to my right and zoom out….. and fell through the snowbank up to my waist! :). It was worth it! :)
As I was crawling out of the hole I was in I saw this spectacular play of light… I never would have seen this otherwise… this just took my breath away -
I knew that I had to warm up so I headed back to the car walking through this winter wonderland.
As I was driving back the sky started to get all milky and everything became shades of gray. I decided not to go straight home and took a detour down another road in Conway, just because…. And I as was driving very slowly (no one was on the roads)… I looked up and saw these two red-tailed hawks - just so beautiful!
I kept going and the light kept changing… more of a white chalky light. I kept pulling to the side of the road looking everywhere… and then I spotted this magnificent eagle not too far up ahead!
I drove up a little closer, put the car in park and literally opened my car door and took this shot right from there!
As soon as I took the above shot I could see that he had his eyes locked on something down below… I immediately zoomed out to get ready for his take-off…
And then I zoomed in to capture this last shot! He then swooped down behind some other trees and out of my sight…. and I decided it was time to go home and take a nice hot shower!