Photos of the Week – January 13, 2022

Last week, I shared recent photos of large ice bubbles in a restored wetland at the Platte River Prairies. This week, I’m sharing more photos from the same frozen wetland, but featuring other (mostly) subjects I found in between shooting bubbles. All these photographs were taken during two trips a couple days apart.

A dislodged plate of ice (probably caused by an animal’s foot breaking through a few days before?) Nikon 10.5mm fisheye lens. ISO 400, f/22, 1/320 sec.

Temperatures in my part of Nebraska were about 60 degrees F today. I don’t want to complain, but these warm temperatures are seriously restricting my ability to artistically express myself by photographing capsules of decomposition gases encased in frozen water. What am I supposed to do instead? Sit on my porch and watch tonight’s gorgeous sunset while wearing a t-shirt?? I guess I’ll have to.

Maybe next week will bring back the ice. One can only hope.

Coyote tracks in ice along the edge of the wetland. Tokina 11-20mm lens @13mm. ISO 400, f/22, 1/200 sec.
Wetland grasses, snow, ice, a tree, and a bonus tree. Nikon 10.5mm fisheye lens. ISO 320, f/22, 1/100 sec.
A recently-frozen-over hole. Tokina 11-20mm lens @11mm. ISO 400, f/22, 1/200 sec.
An ice ridge less than 2 inches high but maybe 40 yards long. Nikon 10.5mm fisheye lens. ISO 320, f/22, 1/100 sec.
The same ice ridge shown above, but considerably closer to the tree. Nikon 10.5mm fisheye lens. ISO 320, f/18, 1/80 sec.
Wetland grasses and some fascinating fractal ice patterns. Tokina 11-20mm lens @11mm. ISO 500, f/14, 1/125 sec.
A nicely framed setting sun. Nikon 10.5mm fisheye lens. ISO 320, f/22, 1/125 sec.
Water along the edge of an opening in the ice starting to freeze up as the sun dropped. Nikon 10.5mm fisheye lens. ISO 500, f/22, 1/100 sec.
Feather, ice, and sunset. Nikon 10.5mm fisheye lens. ISO 640, f/14, 1/320 sec.
This entry was posted in Uncategorized by Chris Helzer. Bookmark the permalink.

About Chris Helzer

Chris Helzer is the Director of Science for The Nature Conservancy in Nebraska. His main role is to evaluate and capture lessons from the Conservancy’s land management and restoration work and then share those lessons with other landowners – both private and public. In addition, Chris works to raise awareness about the importance of prairies and their conservation through his writing, photography, and presentations to various groups. Chris is also the author of "The Ecology and Management of Prairies in the Central United States", published by the University of Iowa Press. He lives in Aurora, Nebraska with his wife Kim and their children.

4 thoughts on “Photos of the Week – January 13, 2022

    • Ha! Not very. Elbows and knees got a little damp, but mostly the outer layers of my clothes. A few times, my damp coveralls froze to the ice a little while I was lying prone with the camera, but I peeled back off just fine!

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