Snowy Cholla

We had a winter snow storm at our place, and when I looked out our back windows, the only thing I could see was this snowy cholla plant.  The homes in the distance are invisible, as are the mountains.  This sketch captures the icy coldness that was outside, and made me glad I was nice and warm inside!

Enjoy!

Note:  This image can be found in a variety of sizes and finishes at https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/nadine-berg.

Inspiration of Winter

After a winter storm at the end of December, Jeff and I took a drive along a secondary road that I love to travel down for some photo inspiration.  The trip on this day didn’t disappoint – there were a couple of views of my favorite subject that inspired me –

Recovery and Preparation

There was an ice fog that morning, and it clouded the atmosphere at ground level.  It created this sort of ethereal effect to the scene around us.  This view of a deserted cabin that has most definitely seen better days made me think about the changing of seasons, and this quote summed it up quite well.

Rising

The scene of a cabin that has fallen down seems a bit odd to name rising.  However, when I look at the cabin, I don’t see a cabin that is in its final stages.  I see all the seasons that it survived, perhaps going through a spring repair when people lived there.  Roof, windows, and door – all of these were repaired or replaced – rising up every season for years on end.  So, let’s not judge this cabin by the present, but by all it survived over the past years.

Enjoy!

Note:  These pieces are available in a number of different sizes and formats by visiting https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/nadine-berg

Magical Winter Morn

Last weekend, there was an unexpected snowfall on Saturday night into Sunday.  When I saw the snow in the morning, I threw on some clothes, grabbed my camera and took off in my car to photograph the magic of a winter morn.

Winter Tree Stand

There was something about the textures and shadows of all the trees gathered together that just begged for this to be a black and white image.  Color would only get in the way of the pattern that the trees created.  Even the fence posts, with their caps of snow, and the wire fencing added to the overall textural effect of this image.

Winter Barn

On a snow covered dirt road, I happened upon this quintessential winter scene.  The snow that remained on the trees perfectly framed the old red barn, which seemed to glow in the soft morning light.  The tops of the grass still showing above the snow line adds a bit of warmth to this image and gives you the feeling of looking at it from the inside of a nice, warm home.

Early Winter Morning

The sky was especially photogenic on this winter morn.  It was shades of gray, with some almost cream color in the sky.  You can even see the sun rising just above the horizon.  It, too, is shrouded in cloud cover, so its light is muted.

Long Hard Winter

This poor little cabin has been a favorite photo subject of mine for several years, and it’s now in such a state of collapse that you wouldn’t know it used to be a cabin unless you’d seen it in better days.  It still has plenty of character and reminds me of how hard winters could be on the plains in years past.

Barn in Field

This barn just caught my eye – a bright spot in the midst of grey and other neutral colors.  I liked the texture of the fence, weeds and old grass peeking up from the snow.  I feel like altho this is a quiet moment, activity lies just around the corner when the rancher’s family wakes up.

Pale Blue Winter Sky

There’s nothing quite like the pale blue that a winter sky can be sometimes.  I liked that you can see it thru the delicate pattern of the winter trees.  The fence in the foreground serves to ground us so we don’t all float away into the blue!

Tree Line

While driving on a seldom traveled snow-covered dirt road, I noticed this different sort of tree line.  I’m not certain if someone planted them in this way years ago, or how they happened to be lined up so perfectly on the side of the road, but they remind me of soldiers lining the route of some dignitary.  That would certainly not be me!

Enjoy!

This images are all available for purchase in a variety of sizes and finishes via https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/nadine-berg.html.

.

Early Morning

This year, for Foto Art Fridays, I thought I would share a “pure” photograph that I’ve taken and share that, instead of creating a photo collage or some other artistic altered image.  I also thought I’d tell you a bit about the image.

Early Morning

This image is of one of my favorite subjects, which is no longer around.  This deserted cabin is just down the road from our home, and I love the character of it.  The tree standing next to it adds to the character, and makes the scene truly photogenic.  This cabin seemed to speak of past times when I think people, in general, were made of tough stuff.  It doesn’t look like it had any running water or electricity when it was someone’s home.  It managed to survive for generations, but within the last few years, time and the elements have finally taken their toll, and the cabin is mostly flattened.  Here’s to (slightly) better times!

Enjoy!

Note:  This piece is available in a variety of sizes and formats (including notebooks, mugs, and tote bags) on www.fineartamerica/profiles/nadiine-berg.

Foto Shop Friday – July 28, 2017

The Perch

It’s the dead of winter, right after a brutal snow storm.  Most birds, in fact, most animals, are burrowed away, waiting for the sun to return, to once again warm the earth and melt the snow.  And, I see this raven, alone but not lonely.  A curious creature, seemingly oblivious to the conditions around him, perched on just about the only thing around not covered in snow, waiting, watching, content in his own environment.  Looking for some unlucky creature to venture out and become lunch?  Hard to say.  I do love the hardiness of these independent, and intelligent beings and this piece celebrates their uniqueness.

The Perch

Enjoy!

This piece, in a variety of finishes and formats, is available on my web site at www.fineartamerica.com/profiles/nadine-berg.

Foto Art Friday – May 5, 2017

Breakup

It’s hard to believe that a week after the image that’s the foundation of this piece was taken, the weather outside is sunny and in the 70s.  A sudden spring snow storm had left the ground covered in 8” of snow as a result of the storm.  However, as is often the case with spring storms where I live, the meltdown, or breakup, happens quickly.  The day after the storm, snow and ice were melting, and I captured this moment of a drop of water leaving the icy rain chain to which it had been attached, just a second earlier.  It reminded me of how, as children grow into adulthood, they will reach the moment when they, too, need to breakup from the familial unit and take the brave step to make it on their own.  This piece is dedicated to that moment, when child becomes adult, and takes the first scary, exciting and exhilarating step to live their own life.

Breakup

Enjoy!

This piece can be found as a print and in a variety of other formats by visiting

www.fineartamerica.com/profiles/nadine-berg.

December 23, 2016

Winter Snow Globe

We were having some winter weather here in New Mexico when I was contemplating this piece.  It was a semi-snowy, icy day, full of sleet, and it just felt so cold looking out the window of my studio and home.  Because of the icy sleet, I didn’t venture out to photograph scenes, but instead looked back on some images from other winter storms, and found this wonderful image of a willow tree in a past storm.  The day today was sort of snow globe-like, altho no snow stuck to the ground.  The snow and ice just sort of blew around, reminding me of a snow globe.  For this piece, I used some sheet music as a foundation piece, and then layered that with a Citra Solv background piece I created a while ago.  It has a bit of text in there, but the reason I chose it is because it helps to create the snow-globe effect.  Specialty brushes add some nice touches to finish off the piece.  Hopefully, this piece makes you want to snuggle up with a comfy throw wrapped around you, a good book to read, and maybe even a lovely fire in the fireplace.

Winter Snow Globe

Enjoy!