Diminishing Blizzard

[Two23]

I love winter.  I especially love the very harshest conditions it can bring to the Northern Plains.  I was out last weekend in the latest one and took a few shots with my Chamonix 4x5.  Below shot is of the BNSF Appleton subdivision near Waubay, South Dakota (northeastern South Dakota.)  Visibility had improved as the snowfall decreased, but the temperature had fallen to 4F below zero (-20C) with winds 30-40 mph.  For the first photo I parked my Subaru to block the north wind enough to take the shot.

1. BNSF Appleton sub, Chamonix 4x5, Nikkor 300mm M f9, Ilford FP4+
2. Main Steet, Waubay, Nikkor 90mm f4.5

Kent in SD

[RMW]

Very nice fotos.
And a very brave act.
Richard

[stamper]

Bleak, dystopian and worth the effort.

[Paulo Bizarro]

The first one could belong in a Western movie, it's great.

[Rajan Parrikar]

The first one is especially appealing.

[Bob_B]

The first one could belong in a Western movie, it's great.

Wonderfully apt description! Nice work on both.

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

The first one is especially appealing.

+1.

[armand]

I feel the cold.
I do have a question: did you use the film camera because you enjoy it or because you thought it will give you superior results?

[MattBurt]

Nice and it makes me chilly to look at the first! Still snowing a lot around here too but the temps are climbing. Slowly...

[Arlen]

The first one is excellent. And the details in the sky, though faint, add significantly to the image balance.

[Two23]

I feel the cold.
I do have a question: did you use the film camera because you enjoy it or because you thought it will give you superior results?

I guess the answer is both.  I truly enjoy using these kinds of cameras because they are all mechanical.  I make all the decisions and they are very hands on.  I enjoy the challenge.  Using them also gives a connection to all the photographers who have come before me.  As for superior results, my Nikon D800E with Sigma 35mm f1.4 would be sharper, but that's not what this photo is about.  The photo is about the wind and snow, and both conspire to make the scene very unsharp.  From an artistic POV I felt that b&w film was the best way to go with these scenes.  I shoot a lot of b&w film in winter as the scenes are mostly white/black/gray anyway.


Kent in SD

[HSakols]

Incredible!