The almanacs and soothsayers predicted that this winter would be cold, and so far they’ve been correct. In the spirit of these long, chilled weeks, here’s a look at one of nature’s most lovely winter phenomena, hoarfrost.
Hoarfrost is also known as rime ice, although there is a technical distinction between the two, depending on the weather conditions and the precise way in which the ice crystals form.
These photos show hoarfrost, which requires a suitable level of moisture in the air, which then freezes, generally overnight. In this case, these bushes are along the banks of the East Branch of Tunkhannock Creek, which provided the necessary moisture.
Hoarfrost crystals are very delicate, crumbling at the slightest touch, and melting at a breath, or even close proximity to skin.
To be honest, I wasn’t expecting to find them that morning – I was out seeking sunrise views on a winter’s morning, and stumbled upon the frost when I arrived to photograph the creek from the bridge, at the end of Lackawanna State Park. Had I expected to find this – or been thinking ahead – I would have brought my macro lens, which would have been ideal for capturing in the intricate structure of the frost. As it was, I made do with the lenses I had to get as close as possible.
The real challenge was what to capture as a subject. With frost coating every branch, stem, and stalk, the possible framing combinations were overwhelming, and it was difficult to select any individual cluster of crystals into focus.
One of the better “problems” to have as a photographer, to be sure!