Winter has taken hold and autumn is only a distant memory. this tiny puddle captured the essence of the two seasons in transition.

We have gotten very little snow so far this year which is a big let down but this field had enough to let me get this shot which reminds me of waves on the water a little bit.

A boat ramp sits covered in ice from recent rains that overflowed the river in the background.I t was a little dicey walking here.

A carriage makes its way along a side street in Cape May.

I stopped to shoot this old mill because the area above the falls was frozen more than normal and reflected the mill in the ice but I ended up doing a second shot with the waterfall too. The last rays of the setting sun were glowing in the mill windows and on the buildings.The little house on the left had some Christmas lights that reflected in the water to round out the shot.One thing that perplexed me here was the fact that it was 14 degrees out,the water was bitter cold pouring over the edge, but the concrete dam breast right beside me that I was leaning against was almost warm? With no gloves on,I held my hand against the wall and it felt almost warm to the touch. It is hard to believe the sun could have warmed that up in 14 degree weather with the cold of the water drawing into the concrete.

A small window display features an Angel tree,golden star and carved nativity scene.

This is an image I did at the Strasburg Railroad recently and every bit of illumination except the lamp-post was added by me to create this scene. I directed my flash into the train car and the station buildings to give the appearance of it being open for business.I have a short pole to extend my flash about 8 feet up which helped light the roof line. The temperature was right around ten degrees so it was a rather chilly shoot.

Late evening light shines on this Amish farm as snow showers fall in the distance. I wish I could somehow share the brutal cold so everyone could get the whole experience of getting the shot.

I spotted this little shack glowing in the late winter sun and decided to snap a quick shot. I could use one of these as a workshop for all kinds of projects.

I shot this a few days ago when the temperature was exactly four degrees and a light breeze blowing which multiplied the effect. The problem was I decided to walk 50 yards from where I parked without gloves and carrying a metal tripod.After a minute or two I could not feel my hands and the pain got so intense it made me dash for my vehicle. It took at least 5 minutes till the pain subsided and I got warm again. Hope not to repeat that anytime soon. I also walked onto what I thought was the solidly frozen stream but as I took the third step I heard cracking,so I gingerly backed up

This image was taken this week as temperatures hovered  around the single digits in the morning.I was cold in my truck with a heater so imagine how it felt in the buggy. At least they don’t need snow tires,and I often wondered how deep the snow could get and still have this setup navigate okay? It seems the wheels would offer little resistance and the horse should get through a foot at least with no trouble.

We finally got a couple of inches of snow,so even though Christmas has passed,I just now got the opportunity to photograph this unique nativity scene still on display in a yard in a nearby town. I know little about it but it appears to be made by someone with some talent and creativity. I backlit it to create the rays on the snow and then lit it with a variety of flash pops to highlight the figures and detailing in the wood.

Seeing I was the only male around,these twelve doe were watching my every move. I was simply driving down a back road and as I rounded a curve they were standing right there in a field. There was a fence right beside me and I had to peak out of the car window to shoot over it and try not to spook them. Add to that the fact I was in the opposing lane of travel hoping no cars would come,which thankfully none did and I managed to get this image of the curious group. A few seconds later they all bounded away with their white tails bouncing.

Another view from the RLPS gingerbread display featuring the Gem-sylvania train station.Ice cream cones form the forest on the left which includes a hunter peeking out from the trees. It’s hard to see in this small version but there are root beer barrels on the dock and the one guy is shoveling icing off the station sidewalk.

I came across this little vignette from the past as I was heading to Cape May recently. Not sure I could find it again,but when I passed it,I quickly hit the brakes and turned around. I walked in and was greeted by the friendly owner who seems to have a real love of old things and the restoration of those things.This image was actually taken on my return trip because it was darker then and I could use my lights to illuminate the scene.The truck was parked at what I felt was a rather tricky angle to photograph and to also include the station,so this is somewhat of a compromise visually.

I took this image in Cape May after ten o’clock when all the tourists were snuggled in their beds,and the two shots are for comparison to show what the scene really looked like before I added light to it. All the light came from either my spotlight,which illuminated the soldiers or my flash,which lit the church. I knew I was sleeping over in my truck that night so I stayed up till almost midnight wandering around shooting photos because I had nowhere else to be till I hit the hay.

This is another shot I did on my day trip to Cape May and was one stop on a home tour I wish I had signed up for. The details in the architecture just astound and leave me in awe of the skills that the craftsmen had in that era. I can’t imagine trying to replicate this stuff nowadays.

This stunning former Cape May Church is actually someones private residence.In a town with so many stunning properties,it never ceases to amaze what you come across around every corner. I can only imagine how dazzling the inside must be.

I spent a day in Cape May this past week and spotted this gorgeous home all decorated in colorful lights and seasonal decorations. The owner graciously allowed me to come behind the fence to add some light here and there to get what I was after. Next year I plan to go for a couple of days and go on the home tour they have in town. I shot a few more homes after it got dark,which I usually hate to do because I don’t like black skies,but a few that I chose were on the tour and just the glimpse I got when folks were going in was enough to make me drool at the amazing Victorian decor that was inside. There are also horse-drawn carriage rides that make you feel like you have traveled back in time. The colored lights shining on the white paint here presented a bit of a challenge for me but hopefully I captured something that reflects the beauty.The bottom photo is from the steps of the porch and included the ornate santa keeping warm by the pot bellied stove.

This is a Christmas display in the old spring house at Poole Forge.I was asked to shoot it as part of the record for the event.It was very tricky to light considering it is in a tiny little room in pitch black darkness and I could not move around the room.Everything was lit by shining light through a small window or by using an extension pole with a flash on it.

I captured this winter image a few weeks ago in the only snow storm we have had this year so far. The weather men predicted a colder and snowier season but so far this has been a major let down. I am tired of rain and hope we get about a foot or two of snow at once so I can get out and enjoy the scenery again.

This set of images features the home in the middle on the top photo,and caught my eye on another rainy night in Lititz ,PA. The shimmering streets had me looking for a great reflection and I had admired this home for years,so decided to give it a whirl. First I found a business across the street that had an overhang to keep the camera dry and then the real work began. First the street was empty except one car and guess where it was parked,and if you said right in front of the home you would be right.Well  I hoped for the best that the car would miraculously leave and began shooting my exposures,and about 5 minutes into the shoot a second car pulls in behind the first. I knew I had the portion of the photo captured with that second car missing so I only needed the first car to leave and thankfully the owners came home and as they were talking to me, I commented on the car and they said it is ours and we will gladly move it. I spoke to the neighbors on both sides and asked if a few strobe pops would be okay and they said sure,so I included a bit of their homes as well.The Moravian star in the attic window was the finishing touch.

It was night-time when I shot this,so I had to use a long exposure to get some sky to show up and I covered the lower part of the lens with my wallet during the exposure to keep flare from the lights to a minimum and once again doing even 15 second exposures proved frustrating because this is along a major highway through town and traffic is relentless,so I am rather proud to have accomplished a car less shot. The lower image is a closer view of their beautifully decorated porch and the three cats were moved to their perch at the edge of the porch because I could not see them from my vantage point and the one with the hat just cracked me up. The windows on the curved wall are actually original and curved as well,and thanks to a light mist,the porch had a wet layer that reflected the urn at the end.