Over the many years of photographing ice on Lake St. Clair, I’ve certainly learned that you have to take what you can get when you are out there. It isn’t a very welcoming environment unless you are into ice fishing. It is usually quite windy making the wind chill a factor to consider in layering up. Some mornings can be quite dramatic, others can be complete duds. You can’t move around very quickly to keep up with changing light conditions as climbing over some of these ice blocks can put you in some precarious spots.
To complement my previous posting on Blue Ice, I took this image in a completely different direction to emphasize the challenging environment. I am always scouting for some interesting foreground elements and spotted this one little ice block. It was a bit of a challenge to get close enough to it. In such situations, I am always evaluating if I can safely get close enough to what caught my eye.
I don’t know how widely used the term “Black Ice” is used, but it is typically associated with quite hazardous roadways here in Michigan. Conditions that create a thin layer of ice over asphalt surfaces and often a very hidden hazard. It seemed applicable also to scrambling over these piled ice blocks.
Developing in black and white always provides a few more liberties in playing with tonal ranges than in color in my opinion. This helped create a bit more drama to further emphasize the environment I placed myself in.
Featured Image: Black Ice, Lake St. Clair, Michigan Image ID# IC10483
Love black and white photos. To me, they always seem to add intensity.
You totally succeeded in conveying the intensity and power of the weather, Mark. I’m familiar with black ice, having learned to drive in the NY metro region. It’s not something one ever want to run into. A great image!!
Yeah, I hate such conditions here in MI for driving – definitely white-knuckle trips! Thanks Lynn!
Viewing this image I’m wondering how or if my perception of it has been influenced by your previous “Blue Ice” image. I’m not sure but I feel somehow it has been. This image has a clear dark and dangerous feel to it. It’s attractive in its own way but certainly not typically beautiful. Very interesting and kudos for the efforts it took/takes to capture an image such as this.
Understandable. I was going for a more dramatic, darker feel. There wasn’t much color to work with in this spot overall.
Glad you made it okay! We do take that risk when we venture into nature for some of our images and can be rewarded for our effort or not. Well done, Mark!
The rewards are often far and few between but I’ll take it. I kick myself if I don’t try.
Kudu is to you for bra bing the elements. Its not easy. We use the term black ice here in western PA as well. Neat shot!
Hmmm. That should be kudos to you for braving the elements lol. The danger of commenting via phone.
These darn phones will be our doom someday. Thanks Howard.
Glad you lived to tell the tale, Mark, and to post the photo to your blog. It’s a goodie. Love that clear chunk of ice—and all the drama.
Haha, hope I didn’t make it overly dramatic, I didn’t even come close to calling the coast guard for a rescue. That would have been quite embarrassing to explain! 🙂
Glad you lived to tell the tale and post the photo on your blog. It’s a goodie. Love that clear block of ice—and all the drama.