I used to hate winter. That is, until I became passionate about photography, cross country skiing, snowshoeing and I acquired the appropriate gear to pursue these passions. There are benefits to photographing during the winter. First, there are many great photo opportunies that don't occur at other times of the year. For instance, fog, frozen mud puddles, ponds, lakes, ice cycles and people doing winter activities in the snow to name just a few. It can also provide a great source for exercise. It sure beats staying inside and coming down with a case of "cabin fever." If you live in an area that gets cold in the winter bundle up, load up the camera gear and set out for a winter photograpic adventure in your own backyard.  The photo below is of the American River in Auburn, California taken in December. My husband and I were on our way to shoot a photo assignment and came upon this beautiful scene. Although we visit this location often, we had never viewed it like this before. We had to stop and take a series of photos of this scene and this was one of our favorites.  To view more of our travel and adventure images of Northern California, Nevada and the West visit our on-line galleries. Happy winter shooting!