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Edward J. Zellar is a nature photographer born and raised in Central New York. He began his photographic journey in 2018 with black and white film; he has since moved into digital photography for its increased creative freedom. His passion is avian photography, although anything natural is of interest in his outings. Nature is constantly changing, consistently writing unsung best-sellers and creating elusive masterpieces, and she needs someone to document them.

Artist’s Note:

Needles and Rays: When I walk in nature, I often miss the trees for the forest, a reversal of the age-old adage. This was an attempt to focus on a smaller form. With the importance of trees in all ecosystems I thought that illustrating their need for light would be my task. I lined the shot up to have the sun trickling through the canopy outline the snow-free pine clusters. This composition illustrates a tree’s penchant for light, with the healthy needles almost glowing due to their proximity to the dappled light.

Path to Light, Guarded by Dark: In most areas of the Northeast, vast forests reign unhindered. In areas like this the path of and to light is long and shrouded by canopy overhead. I wanted to showcase this idea in a way that is more understandable to us animals capable of locomotion. This image shows the sun, bright and radiant, in front of us. As we look closer though we see that the path ahead is shadowed and treacherous. The rocks overhead are not only making it harder to see, but also, making it harder to traverse, as their shade has kept the ice ahead cold. Much like how the shade of the canopy hinders the growth of young trees, the shade of these rocks hinders the progress of any who attempts to ascend them.

Glimpse of Warmth: Winter is a season categorized by shortened days and frigid temperatures. These traits push many to feel alienated from the natural world. In a way, the lack of sunlight can seem almost suffocating. Luckily the snow that comes from this season also acts to amplify light. This moment captured on one of the sunnier days renewed my connection with nature when I was in need of a refresh. A single bright moment, even if obscured by trees, reinvigorated my spirit and allowed me to push on into the dark before the warmth of Spring.

Flurries of Brightness: I was fortunate enough to have a day off after the mid-January snowfall, which allowed me to get out and snowshoe before dusk. While on a trail a gust of wind knocked the fine layers of snow from the branches above and as I looked up to see the extent of the flurry, I was greeted by the mid-morning sun shining through the trees, magnified by the reflective snow particles in the air. The composition of this scene, with the dark edges and tree trunks reminds me of the hope one feels both during and after hardships. Despite how uncertain one’s trail is, nature can often provide a guiding bright spot. In this case, a flurry of snow that, instead of blocking the sun, served to magnify its radiance.