I found this shot while searching for a composition while walking around in my crampons on a frozen reservoir in Alberta. In the winter, many lakes and streams freeze and have bubbles within the ice due to the methane released from decaying plant matter underneath.
On this particular week of visits, the lake was mostly covered in snow, which is less than ideal conditions for landscape photography because the bubbles were mostly covered. I decided to use this to my advantage, using the snow as a framing for the few bubbles I could find.
These bubbles looked interesting, as they were framed within bigger ones. When visiting locations like these, make sure to take all the necessary safety precautions by checking the past temperatures of the area and ice thickness.
It is also important to foresee extreme winds on these large open lakes. Windy days are crucial in these areas for photography as they are responsible for clearing the snow off and exposing the ice bubbles.
I decided to wear a cheap pair of "crampons" that fit as a sleeve underneath my boots to give me more grip when walking on the ice, but these are unnecessary. Take your time to look for compositions beneath your feet because there is a good chance that nature created some amazing bubble art not too far away.
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Dimitri Vasileiou • Editor