winter

I've always harbored a bit of a prejudice against winter. I wouldn't go so far as to call it full-blown animosity, but with its brown foliage, shorter bouts of sunshine and cold temperatures, my preference had always lied in spring, summer or fall. However, my perception of these stark months changed drastically this week. And, ironically enough, it happened in a place that is arguably an archetype for the harshness of winter -- Wyoming.





 It was a work assignment that brought me to Saratoga, Wyo., a small, quaint town located in the southeast portion of the Cowboy state. And, it was there, and in my travels to and from, that I gained a vast appreciation for the winter landscape. I, however, cannot take credit for this newly discovered appreciation as it came through the insight of a great photographer, who also happened to be my companion on the trip.

It was through his prompting and explanation that I began to see beyond the dead and dreary and instead discovered textures and colors that were undetectable in my prior mindset. Gratitude and respect for the cold, the snow and the land replaced resentment. Instead of complaining about the cold and wishing for an indoor escape (which was my past inclination), I began snapping photographs in an attempt to capture the beauty. The photos on this post, although they don't do the actual scene nearly enough justice, are a sampling of what I experience.