Images: The beauty of winter
We have had snow, record-breaking cold and even ice storms. Sometimes the most brutal conditions can make for some great photos - as demonstrated by readers who shared their pictures of winter scenes, icy conditions and even animals in the snow.
The horses boarded near me on the east side of Elgin love to go for a quick run when they first get into their corrals each morning. I photographed this beauty running in the snow recently.
Photo courtesy of Mary Lou Roder
This was taken in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin on January 31, when the temperature was minus 30 degrees. The open water and water condensing into the air and the geese all huddled in the calm open water.
Photo courtesy of Ken Fritz
I was captivated by the intricacies of the unique patterns that nature can create.
Photo courtesy of Paul Chapman
A frozen quarter in the ice.
Photo courtesy of Cindy Spudich
A picture from my front picture window, showing a very cold robin. The date was January 30, 2019, when we woke up to a minus 25 degrees temperature.
Photo courtesy of Thomas W. Leimbach
This was taken in the early morning after the snowstorm. It shows the warmth I wish was there instead of the cold. It looks more like a painting than a photo.
Photo courtesy of Paul Chapman
I really like how this photo has the end of the river combine with the sky in the background. Just the overall look with the snow makes it very peaceful.
Photo courtesy of Aaron Busiel
Photo courtesy of Debi BornThis photo was taken on February 2, at sunrise, in an Elk Grove Village business complex. After the previous week of many inches of snow, the most bitter cold we have seen in a long time, it was so refreshing to be witness to a magnificent sunrise.
Photo courtesy of Joan HammelA photo from my garden looking like the bud of a rose.
Flying home from Bessie's restaurant at the Janesville, WI airport. A perfect day to be back in the air in my Helicopter after weeks of cloudy weather. The frozen fields glisten with the winter sunshine!
Photo courtesy of Pat Crawford
A red-bellied woodpecker enjoys some frozen suet in our backyard during the recent polar vortex. Most of the time he was hacking away at the suet so I was lucky to get a shot of him actually stopping to eat. The frozen crabapples glinting in the sun makes a nice background.
Photo courtesy of Dennis Dieball
I took this photo in a local woods just outside of St. Charles. I like the snow, trees and water. It all has a nice contrast and very interesting. It was a nice time of day and everything sharp and clear.
Photo courtesy of John Balzanto
This is a photo of our blue spruce in February after an icy week. It's dramatic and shows a lot of color.
Photo courtesy of Kim Meyer
After the "ice storm" in Elburn.
Photo courtesy of Madeline Gadomski
Blue eyed Husky awaits her owners as they climb the frozen waterfall, Starved Rock, Utica, on February 2.
Photo courtesy of Jim Kristof
A squirrel forages after a recent snowfall.
Photo courtesy of Dorene Wackerfuss
We had a visitor pop its head out of it's den under our dock to enjoy the warm weather and sunshine.
Photo courtesy of John M Sinitean
A snowy day at University of Illinois at Chicago in January.
Photo courtesy of Ted Munyer
Crisp winter sunset. I liked how the many colors of the sunset were showcased against the snowy white foreground.
Photo courtesy of Jennifer Galvin
Ice crystals during the recent freeze.
Photo courtesy of Cindy Spudich
Freshly fallen snow on January 23, at Cuba Marsh Forest Preserve. It was so calm and serene walking the trails.
Photo courtesy of Cindy Spudich
During the Polar Vortex, birds are hungry, too! I snapped this in Elgin.
Photo courtesy of Maralee Parker
I was driving down to Chicago to photograph the city before the snow melted. I took this shot off the Museum Campus right behind the Adler Planetarium. Taken with my Canon 6DMKii and my Tamron 28-75 mm lens. The sun had come up a beautiful orange glow and the trees, located behind the Adler Planetarium, were situated just right as I walked by. Realizing it was too nice a scene to pass up, I took a few shots.
Photo courtesy of Michael W. Noonan
The aftermath of snow melting, freezing, hanging off the roof on a cold February day in Roselle.
Photo courtesy of Ed Guzik
"Polar Vortex of Chicago" This was my view outside of the building I work in downtown Chicago, just a the day before the temperatures took a dive into the negatives.
Photo courtesy of Hillary Scaletta
Nature's chandelier taken in my garden.
Photo courtesy of Joan Hammel
A photo in January 2019 at Herrick Lake Forest preserve in Wheaton. It was near sunset, late in the afternoon when I took this shot, looking west. The snow was several inches, and I liked the contrast with the snow and the dark shadows of the track fencing; what is really interesting is the contrast that the 5/8 furlong race pole makes, sticking up into the shot. The grains of the painted white wood contrast with the texture of the snow.
Photo courtesy of Michael Krzywosz
A squirrel looking up after searching for sunflower seeds in the snow on our back porch. Apparently it was successful. I don't know why it jumped into this particular spot, and it doesn't appear to be worried about my taking this picture.
Photo courtesy of Don Cronauer
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