The first few days of the year have been very cold. I am frequently lured out in this weather – it is one of my favourite times to make photographs – as the landscape shifts in and out of light and the breath from the river envelopes everything in its wintriness.
The sighting of a robin used to be a harbinger of spring but it is no longer uncommon to come across small flocks of overwintering robins. These robin photographs were made on one of the coldest days of the winter.
© Karen McRae, 2014
draw and shoot 
Very beautiful poetry here.
The eyes strongly gazing into deep behind.
But in the same time, the mind is flowing over the air.
A beautiful poetic response, Yoshizen. Thank you.
Nothing less than glorious! That third image sends my imagination absolutely reeling!
Thanks so much, Elena. It is a tucked away place that is a little tricky to get to and it’s often quite breathtaking there.
Really excellent and mind blowing, the gift of Nature!
Thank you. Yes, the gift of nature for sure. We live in a truly amazing world.
marvellous!
Thanks very much, Alois.
These are so beautiful. I can feel the cold and the delicate iciness. It’s warm in L.A. with Santa Ana winds blowing from the desert. So vastly different…
Yes, vastly different but no less beguiling. Thanks very much, Merilee.
Another smashing photoshoot – I particularly like number 3 ! Re the cold spell – it’s affecting us in the UK as the jet stream is causing storms and some pretty horrendous flooding everywhere ! So let’s hope it warms up just a little for everyone’s sake ! Best Wishes C !
Thank you,Chris,
I have heard there is some difficult weather there. Best wishes to everyone affected.
The cold has eased up here today and I’m going to head out with my snowshoes…
these are incredibly beautiful. best, beth
Thank you, Beth!
A beautiful wonderland Karen!
Yes, fortunately there is lots of wonderland around here. : )
Thank you, Elina!
All of them are gorgeous but, for me, the fourth, sixth and tenth are especially good!
Great work!!!!
Thank you, Jesús, much appreciated! I love the cold weather opportunities for photography.
Really wintry magic pictures! Awesome!
Thank you, Alexander. There is lots of beauty to find if you are dressed for it.
You’re so subtle with light ! A real delight.
Thanks very much, I appreciate your comment.
Beautiful, otherworldliness to this set of images. Winter with snow and ice is a world I do not know but can appreciate from your images without the cold. Love, love the close ups.
Hi Lee, thank you. I do love the magic of winter – it requires lots of layers, though!
Not something I’m doing right now. It’s only 8am and already 30 degrees C
Frosty blooms, great tree pictures.
Jim
Yes, it was quite frosty for a few days. not too bad today, though.
Thank you, Jim.
Splendid pics!
Thanks very much!
Wonderful photos, as usual, Karen. I do miss real winter. Feels like it will never come here in southern Finland…
Is the winter just slow to come this year? I love your winter photographs of Finland, I hope you get real winter soon!
Thank you, Sorin.
It’s certainly very late… I also hope to get longer lasting snow. Till then, I will enjoy your pictures 🙂
Just wonderful!
Thanks very much!
All beautiful. So many warm colours you have discovered in all that frozenness. That one with the fog- I half expect Odin to pop his head up out of the water. Or celestial ocean. Looks like a mystical journey.
Thank you, Steven. I have not yet encountered anyone resembling Odin here (unless the robin was in disguise…)
Celestial ocean – I like the idea of that.
The nature gives us so much beauty:) This looks amazing but cold. Artistic photos!
Yes, cold it was! But the cold creates a bit of magic so I can’t resist. Thanks very much, I’m happy you like them.
Incredible
I’m glad you think so, thank you!
simply breathtaking
Thank you Anthony. We are surrounded by all sorts of possibilities.
Amazing and fantastic pictures.
Thank you, Iksa!
Karen, the series of photographs is fantastic.
Do you know how is called the bird?
Does hot springs between the ice?
Thank you, Isabel.
The bird is called an American Robin. Most of them migrate south in the winter but in the past few years I have seen small flocks of them all winter.
There are no hot springs in any of these photographs, the air is just so cold ( -26 Celsius ) the water appears to be steaming – the water is cold too, though, but the moving water at the rapids doesn’t freeze over like the rest of the river.
Thank you, Karen!
American Robin is: Turdus migratorius!!
They seem to have forgotten the ‘migratorius’ part! : )
Tough little birds.
Spectacular pictures. The ice on the branches look like white glistening berries (my favourite).
Thank you, it’s been pretty beautiful around here!
Fairytales, storybooks, every one..I love how your winter creeps in, each branched touched with icy fingers..fills my heart with joy visiting here!
What a lovely thing to say, Cath. Thanks very much! There has certainly been some icy fingers around here. : )
Great series. These photos look harsh and soft all at once, I just love them. I especially like the 7th and 10th photos and the plant in them — sumac? Just guessing because of the fuzziness of the branches.
Thanks very much, Sarah. Yes, you are right, those are sumac branches all fuzzy and frosted.
Beautiful start, Karen.
Thanks very much, Harrie!
So beautifull. J’adore.
Such otherworldy trees. Your photographs transport me into their midst.
Thank you, Kari!
Happy new year, Karen – love your winter photos – especially the close up of the ice crystals on the grass stems and the curly twig – but will be happy when this cold retreats back to you – down to -3F tonight with wind chill -18F That is a little cold for my Ozarks! K
Hi Kathleen, happy new year to you, too! Thank you. Our real cold has slipped away today and now we’re having freezing rain. I hope it warms up for you soon.
nice shot!
Thank you!
A beautiful sequence of images. The robin was a wonderful surprise.
Hi Cynthia, thank you, there is lots of beauty out there to find. Yes, the robins; I’ve been seeing them the last 3 winters but it still surprises me that they stick around. It must be a very hard winter for them. It was -30C for a while last week.
Lovelyu, lovely, lovely. I can even feel the cold making these beauties. Make me long for the cold which we don’t really have just now.. And looking forward for the Karen-2014!
Thank you, Bente. I look forward to some more of your wintery cold photographs. Best wishes for the new year!
Beautiful Karen.
Thanks, Allen!
These images are absolutely intoxicating…Superb! I could just live in them.
Autumn Jade
You would have to dress fairly warm, Autumn Jade! Thanks for your comment, I’m glad you find them interesting.
Wow, just love the lighting and the crisp white of winter that comes through in your photos. Very inspiring for the new year. Wish you the best in ’14!
Thank you, Randall. I do love the winter landscape. Best wishes to you also!
Exquisite fairy tale winter beauty. I was looking for the White Witch from Tales of Narnia or perhaps Hans’ Christian Anderson’s Snow Queen to emerge from the icicle cover trees. Virginia
Thanks very much! Yes, the cold brings a little mystery with it…
: )
I don’t know if anyone does winter as well as you – and the Robin really made it extra sweet.
Oh probably, and then some… That’s a very generous thing to say though, Lynn, thank you. : )
Yes, the robins looked pretty cold all puffed up!
I can see exactly why you enjoy making your pictures at this time of year – it looks breathtakingly cold! There are so many colours in white aren’t there?
We are on a weather roller-coaster today! It was well above freezing for a while and tonight we are supposed to plunge back down to -23c. I wonder what tomorrow will look like?
The way snow transforms the landscape always fascinates me.
Splendid and breathtaking, Karen.
Thanks very much, Melanie.
Karen! These are absolutely breathtaking!! It is no wonder that winter is my most favourite season… once again, you have captured the natural beauty of earth’s winter white bliss! xo
Thanks, Jo. : )
Winter is full of beauty, isn’t it? Stay warm! xo
This takes our breath away! We long for the cold and you bring it to us. Thank you so much!
All the best for 2014, dear Karen
et riktig godt nytt år til deg!
The Fabulous Four,
Dina
Hi Dina, thanks very much!
Best wishes to you, “the fabulous four”, I hope you are enjoying the start to the new year.
xx
Extreme cold brings everything into the sharpest of focus. Love it!
Yes, thanks, Brenda. I guess we are headed right back into that cold for a bit! Stay warm. : )
I love the way you sequenced these, Karen – orchestral swells, plucked strings and bird calls. Beautiful.
Thanks ever so much for your lovely string of words, Richard.
: )
It will be close to -41 degrees with the windchill tomorrow – Toronto will probably look a lot like these lovely photos – icy!
Yes, the temperature is quickly dropping here too. Be careful out there, Mona.
: )
Beautiful images!
Thank you, Karen!
Beautiful images. I’m particularly entranced by the fourth image. It makes me want to push back the branches and see what is beyond…hope you’re staying warm!
Thanks very much, Micka. Its warmed up here quite a bit, but I do have many layers for those cold days.
Wonderful, Karen. Love the backlit ice particles and your trees…always.
Happy New Year!
Thank you, Jane. Yes, happy new year to you, too!
Absolutely magical!
Thanks, Adrian. What would we do without ‘weather’!?
: )
Beautiful captures!
Cheers,Laura
Thank you, Laura.
Wonderful Karen, wonderful…
I’m surprised to see you have robins. We don’t have them here until spring. I hope they will survive in this very cold weather. Usually at this time of year we have common redpoll but they’re not here yet.
Thank you, Jocelyne. Yes, the robins are surprising but some of them seem to have expanded their wintering grounds. This is the third winter I have seen flocks through even the coldest spells.
Love the light in so many of these. Cold is beautiful! Just make sure you stay warm 🙂
Cold can be very beautiful! Sometimes I think I’m one of the few around here who likes it when we have a cold snap. : )
Thank you, Inga.
These are absolutely breathtaking! I’ve always wanted to shoot photos of snowfall, but never know how to make them look interesting. Thank you for the inspiration.
Thanks very much for your kind comment! I hope you get out there and make some winter images.
Je découvre votre site et toutes les merveilles qu’il contient. J’aurai aimé vous dire en anglais, le plaisir que j’ai eu de vous découvrir… à bientôt
A wonderful series of photographs. I always love your delicate colour palette and the softness in it. Simply beautiful. I wish you all the best in the new year, Karen.
Thanks very much, Otto. Best wishes for the new year to you, I hope it’s a creative one!
nature is an incredible artist! especially in winter, the nature can be magical, sophisticated and unique. the snow and ice make of nature compelling landscapes and some unique pictures. you made them unforgettable, by making incredible winter photography of them. wonderful!
I agree, nature is often astonishing. I love winter for its gorgeous beauty. Thanks very much!
How wonderful. I hope you had a pocketful of seed, when you went…
Really love this so much! Winter is absolutely beautiful 🙂
Light and composition… breath taking photography (beside breath taking temperatures).
awesome feeling of the winter !
thank you for this beauty…
I like the sequence here. Somehow it really looks cold!
I’ve been in a bit of a fairytale world lately, and these photos fit perfectly. Lovely! And I agree with you, this time of year is such an exciting time to take photos.