A few days ago we finally went for a walk in the forest. We hadn’t been there since autumn. The weather was sunny and there was a slight frost. It was mid-February, and we heard a crane calling, and quite close. We were heading in that direction. After driving about 300 m, we saw a crane walking in the meadow. It was walking and calling. The distance was about 150 m. I took a few photos and a short recording. Too far away for good shots. I didn’t want to approach it so as not to scare it away. That’s all from our trip. It’s been freezing cold since then. Today, quite a lot of snow fell. What about the crane? Will it survive? We know that there are more cranes like that. This year’s winter is playing tricks on us.

Many years ago, there were no such winter anomalies. The snow usually stayed until spring. It was sometimes earlier, but it sometimes ended in April. There were winter thaws. The snow thawed a bit and then there was snow and frost again. Below are some photos of this poor crane.

 A decade of January has already passed. There is still no sign of winter here. The temperature sometimes drops to -3 degrees Celsius at night. Snow also barely covers the fields. Winter forecasts for the country are sometimes alarming. A lot of snow has fallen in many regions. Winter has not reached us, where it has always been the coldest. Road workers and drivers are happy. Probably forest animals and birds too. We are starting to get used to the climate change. Fortunately, winters did not disappoint us in our childhood. As children, we first used the ice and then the snow. We spent whole days outside during our free time from school. There was a lot of fun in the snow and ice. Below I am posting a few photos to commemorate the current weather.

     They say that autumn is the best time to photograph autumn. It’s true, we have colourful trees, autumn fogs in the morning. However, late autumn is coming. The trees become bare, and the days are cloudy and gray. Sometimes the views are almost black and white. The rainy weather is not conducive to walking or photography. You can try small elements of nature in the forest. Such macro images can be interesting. You need creativity to take interesting photos at this time.  

.

   It is said that autumn landscapes are a photographer’s favorite subject. The richness of colors, autumn mists and soft light are conducive to obtaining beautiful photos. Of course, you should look for good views and choose the right light. If you take a photo without much thought, it may turn out that the autumn landscape will be so-so. Sometimes a photo of a small element of nature is much more interesting than a landscape. Many attractive opportunities can be found in the forest. Trees take on various colors. Photos of mushrooms and mosses can be interesting. Here are a few photos taken with a smartphone and a SLR camera.

   Mobile phones are ubiquitous. Using them for photography is an everyday occurrence. Mobile phones take increasingly better quality photos. However, it is difficult to use only a mobile phone in nature photography. The conditions for taking photos can be so difficult that we can’t do anything with a mobile phone. However, mobile phones have the advantage that we always have them with us and they take up very little space. There are situations when we have the opportunity to take interesting photos and we only have a mobile phone. Macro photography requires specific equipment. Well, I sometimes use a mobile phone to take photos of insects. If you put in the effort, you will get quite a good result. Below is a photo of a butterfly that I took with a mobile phone. The sharpness is satisfactory and the background is beautifully blurred. Well, maybe not as good as with the right equipment.

    Photographing landscapes with a mobile phone happens. I happen to have great light. I don’t carry any equipment, and I have the mobile phone in my pocket. If we also take care of the composition of the frame, it is great. I take a photo and it is interesting. With photography experience, photos from a mobile phone can be quite successful. Unfortunately, many people take photos without any thought. They do not use the advantages of a mobile camera as they should. Even documenting family events with a mobile phone can be done interestingly with good quality photos.