Weather here in upstate New York is fickle. It is especially so during winter. Temperatures can range from 50 degrees to -10 and the windchill can be punishing,

The last several years there has not really been much in the way of significant snowfall during the colder months. For me that makes enjoying photography a little more challenging. I prefer to photograph nature, but the plain drab scenes during a winter with no snow are not as enticing to my creative eye.

I often gravitate towards waterfalls during the cold months. Waterfalls are literally fluid and dynamic. They are ever changing. The weather conditions can create a difference scene upon each visit.

Not too long ago we actually did have a decent amount of snow with several inches coaching the ground. But with a few days it warmed up and all that snow melted away and we even had some rain. That is when I decided that it would be a good time to go out and visit a few of my favorite nearby waterfalls.

The water was really flowing at high volumes thanks to the recently melted snow and the additional rain. Some waterfalls are always pretty substantial while others dwindle to a trickle when there is no precipitation. So, it is nice to have an opportunity to get out and photograph them when water levels are up.

Then less than a week later the temperatures dropped significantly, not getting above freezing for several days. And then we even had a bit more snow. That is when the real magic happens.

Frozen waterfalls. Maybe the best kind of waterfall photography, The ice formations and snow seem so magical.

I love how the ice forms along the surface of the cliffs. While the main source of water flows through the center. Water misting into the air. Falling to the ground. Quickly turning to ice on whatever surface it falls on.

I was fortunate enough to get out and photograph a few of the same falls less than a week apart. I love seeing the change from the rushing flow of water in the warmer weather to the freezing crusting landscape formed by all the water in the cold cold air.