Frozen Splendor

Like much of the U.S., Charlotte was blasted by a winter storm this past weekend. National forecasters warned that our city would be one of 12 hit the hardest – not in terms of total snowfall recorded, but by the impact of the blast. During Charlotte's last big ice storm in 2002, at least 24 people died and some were without power for more than a week.

Although the impact of our latest storm was not as devastating as the one in 2002, we got a good dose of winter's fury: freezing temperatures combined with loads of precipitation, which turned everything into a slick sheet of ice. When that happens, roads are impassable and the weight of the ice can uproot trees and bring down power lines.

But something else happens, too: In the midst of the treacherous conditions, a breathtaking new world reveals itself. The very same ice that can wreak havoc and cause millions of dollars in damage can bring a delicate whisper of beauty to everything it touches.

Between periods of freezing rain on Sunday morning, I went out with my camera to photograph the frozen spectacle in our backyard. The leaves, the rocks, the water in the koi pond – everything was sprinkled with a light dusting of snow, like powdered sugar on a freshly-baked pound cake.

I would have been happy photographing for hours, capturing the sublime scenes that the storm was creating. But before long, I joined the ranks of things that were frozen. I was wearing photographer's gloves that leave the tips of the thumb and forefinger exposed for access to the camera's controls. In the bitter cold, my uncovered fingertip soon grew so numb that I couldn’t press the shutter button.

The storm was an ice-cold reminder that nature can be fierce, unpredictable and overwhelming in its power – but even in its most tempestuous moments, it can give us scenes of exquisite splendor.

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Photographer's Footnote: These photos were taken in our backyard during one frigid session that lasted about 30 to 40 minutes.