14°F this morning. I tried out my new Heat 3 Smart Gloves and they kept my hands pretty comfortable except for my thumbs. The heat pack pocket is only for your finger tips so my thumbs were kind of left out in the cold. The mitten kept them cool but not frozen as has been the case with other gloves. The ends flip open for use of your fingers should you need to make fine adjustments. But I was able to use all the controls on the camera without opening the mittens. Should the gloves need to be removed, there are cuff bands to keep them at a handy dangle. All in all I’d say I am pleased…which I had better be for $200. So far it’s money well spent.
I visited the Middle Branch of the Swift River at Gate 30 of the Quabbin for the umpteenth time. Although the river is still running free and unimpeded by any frozen blockage, there were some nice icicles forming and I picked out these with some interesting flow for contrast.
I tried several different exposure times to see variously defined flows and settled on this one….5 seconds@ISO100. I made a few at shorter times but felt that the more defined and rough flow competed too much with the solid ice formations. I made several other framings but like the inclusion of the curved water on the right here better than the rest. Ordinarily I would prefer a lower angle, but that drew the rock into the right edge of the ice and I wanted a little separation there. So the tripod was elevated to get that angle.
So that’s my first of the season. More to come.
Stephen Gingold Nature Photography Blog 
That’s an interesting ice formation with the horizontal bar and vertical teeth. The swirl beyond doesn’t distract at all.
Do the gloves have heat inserts you buy? Re-usable inserts?
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btw…today in eastern IA it is about 50˚ with rain due tomorrow. I much prefer this to 5˚.
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I think I have mentioned a few times how much I dislike cold weather, Jim. So I agree that 50° sounds a lot better than 5°. However, three months of dried leaves and bare trees would not offer up much for photography, so I will live with the cold. And how much sweeter the arrival of Spring.
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You provide the hand warmers size heat packs, Jim. Or rather, I do. I am not aware of any reusable heat packs. Although, many years ago we had a piece of soapstone that we could heat upon the wood stove and then place in a little hand warmer cozy that we could hold to warm our hands.But that would start too hot and cool down too quickly.
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I should invent some microwave-able warmers that don’t get too hot and release their soothing comfort for 2-3 hr stretches. They will be small and reasonably priced. Sounds like a winner to me. 🙂
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Let me know when you go crowd source.
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You will be the first.
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Nice … I’ve taken these before too. They look like candle sticks. I had always assumed that they formed from the top-down … and although that may occur I now wonder whether ice may also accumulate at the bottom, as the level of the water surges and subsides as it passes. Each surge adds a bit to the advancing, lower, edge. Black and white works nicely and the image is as sharp as a razor … something I very much appreciate. I’ve been wondering for some time whether the view of the D810 at 36.3MP would by that much sharper than my D600 at 24.3MP. Certainly at mural sizes … but perhaps not here on my screen?
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I think they form, as you guessed, from the top down but to a point and, again as you guessed, they then build those masses at the base by the constant addition of freeze as the river laps at the bottoms. I imagine that is how Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum were formed.
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Wow … those are terrific … they look like salt and pepper shakers … or a matched set of candle holders.
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Thanks. I have seen similar a few times, but never quite as perfect as these. How about the third one down Finding those really blew my mind. Add the prism effect and it was really an amazing New Year’s Day.
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I have already replied to that ice post in its original form … GORGEOUS … really. So crisp. Sharp. I really like sharp (have I mentioned this before). Although we had icy roads yesterday, we’re thawing a bit today and I’m feeling at a motivational low to go out with the camera. Joanna always says, the only way to get images it to snap ’em. She’s right … but I’m lacking get up and git!
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Sharp I like too, David. And as I try to pursue artistic images, sharp gets in the way of creativity sometimes.
Same here today. Mary Beth is visiting her sister over night and I stayed home to keep Murphy company and bake some bread, etc. I push myself out the door most free days, so gave myself the day off today. But most days I’ll get out and enjoy nature even if I come home without any images.
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Funny I was just reading about those gloves this week. From the descriptions, they did everything. Hopefully they keep you out in the cold!
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So far so good, Lyle. I had a pair of mittens with a packet pocket from Dicks, but you had to remove the entire glove to get at your fingers and I would invariably drop them.
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An excellent start Steve but $200 for gloves??? That’s a lot of greenbacks. Can you pay extra and get thumb protection?
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If you are surprised at the price then imagine Mary Beth’s, Andrew. If they do as advertised and experienced yesterday, then the price is worth it. I wish there were a way to get the heat to the thumb compartment but I don’t see a way. Years ago I bought wrist bands that could hold a hand warmer packet and the theory is that warming the blood as it passes through your wrist will keep the fingers warm. I’ll see if that helps the thumbs. Maybe then my fingers will get too warm. Ha!
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The ice looks kinda like fringe, I think.
Glad you found good mittens/gloves~that is important. My boots came! Now we are enjoying 53 degrees and rain. Perfect. I’m probably the only one who thinks so 🙂 I believe reality returns tomorrow.
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Kind of like washing your car on a sunny day. Sure to bring rain or, in your case, warm temperatures.
It does look kinda fringy. 🙂
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I love your ice work, Steve. I keep hoping we will have weather that provides opportunities like that here in Omaha, but so far it’s just been most dry and dreary–though there is some very welcome rain today. Should get out in it for a while…
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Thanks, Gary. For the time being, Omaha and Western Massachusetts are in the same weather pattern. Christmas Day is predicted to be in the mid-fifties and rainy.
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