This is the first blog for 2012, so Happy New Year to everybody! In December 2011. I went to lake Geneva in Switzerland and France for the wintering Common Merganser.

Sadly the weather was terrible for those 2 weeks, no snow but even rain. The hope was for cold winter weather with frost and smooth water. But instead we had a lot of rain and storming weather with a lot of wind. But suddenly after 5 days of rain the weather changed into winter!

Heavy snowfall as wanted, so finally the change to use the snow in images. Sadly the Common Mergansers where not arrived yet, this have to wait to next time. Only a few were present. But with the snow we had the opportunity to make some images with fresh snow. And on the last day of the trip, at last we had the change to make some images of wildfowl in the snow and falling snow. Some of the images will be shown later. But for now I want to show you an image of a mountain river.

About this month photograph. This is the river the “Dranse” coming from Morzine and Avoriaz (well known ski resorts) and ending in Lake Geneva. I know this place already for many years and like the way you look onto the river under the bend tree. Also the rocks in the foreground make a nice viewpoint. I have made photographs in spring, summer and autumns here, but now for the first time I was there with fresh snow, so hurried down to the river!  Used is a Nikkor 17-35mm with a ND filter and a tripod. Iso 100, F 18, shutter speed of 25 seconds, -1 LW to prevent burn out of the water rafts.

The image is at the processing phase converted into black and white to emphasise the snow on the trees. Then brought back the colours only at the rocks in the river to add some feeling to the image.

December 2011