Wind Blown Snow 2-7-2014

A bitter February nor’easter can carve snow drifts into incredible sculptural forms if the wind blows hard enough. I stepped outside right after the storm passed to catch the low winter sun raking across the untouched snowbank. Angling the lens downward helped highlight the sweeping wind ridges without blowing out the delicate highlights across the crust.

The composition emphasizes sweeping diagonal contours, carved drifts, and sharp sastrugi ridges across a frozen white expanse. Raking side lighting casts cool blue and soft gray shadows into every indentation, revealing tactile, powdery texture. Minimalist in scope yet rich in detail, this crisp monochromatic winter scene makes a clean, peaceful desktop backdrop.