Frostweed ice thrice

Last month you saw a picture of frostweed ice for the second time this season. That photograph was from December 29, but when we had a morning about as cold two days later, I checked the patch of Verbesina virginica plants in Great Hills Park again and found not a single bit of ice. I figured that might be it for this winter, but on the colder morning of January 5th I discovered ice emerging from more of the plants than in either of my two previous sessions. Duty-bound by the nature photographer’s oath never to pass up a chance for good pictures, I put on several layers of clothing and my hip-high waterproof boots, then went back and ended up spending 75 minutes kneeling and even lying on the cold ground. Ah yes, dedication.

The first picture of frostweed ice you saw this season was taken with a flash. The second was not, and in fact none of the photographs from that session included flash. On this third and last occasion I took every picture with my ring flash. When photographing frostweed ice I usually go for close and abstract images, and I almost always aim horizontally or even somewhat upward to avoid the clutter on the ground around the base of the stalks. It occurred to me, though, that for a change I should show you an in situ image of the phenomenon, so here it is, clutter and all. At least this picture has the virtue of including two “frost flowers,” and the ice is more horizontally expansive and ribbony than in the other pictures you’ve seen here recently.

© 2015 Steven Schwartzman