Genesee Valley Photography Society & Letchworth

Let me start out by thanking Mike Carney, Joe Granita and all the folks of the Genesee Valley Photography Society for a wonderful evening, not to mention an enjoyable early winter morning shoot. I had the pleasure of being invited to discuss creativity and nature photography at the GVPS’ monthly meeting this past Thursday evening.

Then, a few of us met at the Archery Overlook in Letchworth State Park just before sunrise on Friday morning. I have to give a lot of credit to the photo stalwarts who braved minus-sixteen degrees to try and capture a winter sunrise. It sure was cold, but it was fun.  I hope everyone went home with a few keepers.

We greeted the while sunrise stumbling in sometimes deep snow, but I think I can speak for everyone when I say that it was the cold temps that had most of our attention.  The sunrise was somewhat short of the impressive displays we all have known the overlook to show off. Still, it was great to be there, even if just to get to shoot with enthusiastic, like-minded photographers.

Of course we had to stop by the “ice volcano” that’s been making the national news shows as well as youtube recently. It’s a lot more impressive in person than it is in the news or on

youtube. I particularly like the designs in the ice that forms the “volcano.”  We could have been forgiven if we had thought it had been sculpted.

Before leaving we had to take time to visit the Middle Falls. Wow! Talk about a lot of ice.  I’d love to be there when it all starts to thaw.  It’ll have to be reminiscent of a small caving glacier.

The only unfortunate part of the whole thing was that there was no fresh-fallen snow and no snow lingering in the nearby trees. That would have been spectacular.  Still, we won, just for being there.

Thanks again everyone.