Winter Light: Scituate Harbor, Massachusetts

Sunset with the Winter Light Photo Workshop (thanks to Phil & Lisa Downey)

Cold Light-Winter Light

About mid afternoon the cold air abruptly hit us. Temperature slid, wind raced, wind chill plummeted. It reminded me of a trip to the Great Plains that I’d made with a dear friend in late December 1990 when the wind chill descended to 75 degrees Fahrenheit below zero, we were camping. On this recent trip to the exposed shores of Scituate, my students never seemed upset by this cold, worked long and hard at each photo site, and were delighted by the warmth of our cars and eventually the Downey’s home—Phil had graciously guided us and his wife Lisa offered us warm food and beverages.

The overarching theme was light. At the 4th site, the boat yard as the sun neared the horizon, with the boats shrouded by tight white plastic, lined up as if models, I suggested they concentrate on shades of gray that help shape the forms. And finally, at the last stop, we returned to the lighthouse for the sunset at 5:15. We were now immersed in the Arctic air mass depths. The sun set thru a clear sky, not very photographable, but opposite that, in the east, over the water, the clouds took on various shades of pink, a perfect color for the day before Valentines Day. Fingers freezing thru my thick gloves, I made a panoramic which may be my highlight of the day, despite or maybe because of the cold.

photos by skip schiel & teeksa photography

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