Stillness and Story: Art in the Winter Landscape

Speaker Dan Pollack will help you see the photographic possibilities with seasonal lighting and other aspects of winter such as snow, ice, frozen lakes, long shadows, and low light; seemingly mundane scenes can become your artistic triumphs.

Dan will explore topical ideas, camera capture settings, and post-processing techniques so you can produce beautiful black and white and color images. Common challenges of winter photography including exposure, color balance, and balancing the light in large scenes can be conquered with Dan’s guidance and his creative approaches to winter photography. The following topics will be discussed:

• Compositional Techniques
  • Using negative space in winter landscapes
  • Finding the leading lines, reflections, and symmetry in snow scenes
  • Creating depth in winter photos through layers and contrasts
• Storytelling in Winter Photography
  • Conveying emotion and atmosphere in winter scenes (loneliness, serenity, harshness, and resilience)
  • Capturing wildlife, human elements, or abandoned structures for narrative depth
• The Art of Abstract Winter Photography
  • Focusing on textures (frost, ice, and snow patterns)
  • Creating images with macro photography (close-ups of snowflakes, frozen plants, and textures in nature)

Dan will prepare you for winter photography. His expert advice about how to protect your gear and yourself from precipitation and harsh temperatures can bolster your confidence when braving the elements. After the program, when you think of winter photography, hibernation will not be an option.

Speaker Bio (Refer viewers to speaker’s website or include brief description.)

Dan Pollack has been a photographer since 1983. Others may know him as an IT Director for the University of Illinois at Chicago, a genealogist, a rockhounder, a musician, or a woodworker. But if you ask Dan, photographer is his identity and his lifelong passion.

In 1985, Dan launched a successful commercial photography studio; clients have included numerous Fortune 500 companies. As a member of the American Society of Magazine Photographers (ASMP), Dan’s stock photography has been chosen for advertising campaigns worldwide. In 1998, Dan narrowed his focus to the subject matter that he loves most—landscapes and wildlife. Since then, Dan has been a photography instructor. His courses at The Morton Arboretum include digital capture and post-production image processing. Most recently, Dan has taught winter photography courses at the Arboretum including “Winter Macro” and “A Study in Ice and Water.”

Dan has lived in the suburban Chicago area his entire life, currently residing in St. Charles since 1993 with his wife Sheryl.

Recording: Dan Pollack – Stillness and Story: Art in the Winter Landscape