We had one of the few snowfalls of this winter come down on our town (Medias, RO) today, starting at about 4 pm. By 6 pm or so, it had begun to settle on the ground, which is when I took a walk through the town’s old center to capture some photographs.

A cold front is projected to move in, so we’ll have negative (Celsius) temperatures (both highs and lows) for the next several days, which I hope means that the snow will stick around.

That incoming cold front meant that the air was quite chilly, unusually so for a snowfall, and the tips of my fingers did not thank me for not wearing gloves.

It was quite peaceful in the town, with very few people walking around. We are certainly living through strange times…

On the bright side, I am using a beast of a camera these days: it’s an Olympus E-M1X, their top of the line, their “swan song”, which they put out before selling their camera division to Japan Industrial Partners. I have it on loan for a couple of weeks, along with a remarkable lens, the M.Zuiko 25mm f1.2 Pro. That’s the combo I used for these images, and what a combo! Even wide open at f1.2 it’s incredibly sharp, and it focuses so quickly, even in very low light. It is a joy to use and it is a testament, in more ways than one, to the kind of work Olympus could put out when they were still making cameras.

Enjoy the photographs!

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An evening snowfall

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This winter has been uncharacteristically warm, with little snow, which has been disappointing for me. However, I’ve gathered here a set of photos which will show a nicer, whiter winter to you. Enjoy!

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Today’s images

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This is a mix of images from throughout this year: from last winter, the spring, the summer, the autumn and this winter, which has been quite soft so far. Enjoy!

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Today’s images

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Snowfall in the forest

We were treated to a second spring snowfall a few days ago. I love snowfalls in the spring. A cold wave can be unwelcome after spring has set in, but you know it’s not going to last, and if a snowfall is in the works, then it’s going to be a fun day: a short celebration of winter buffered by warm fronts at either ends, with lovely snowflakes to boot.

The first one happened right at the spring end of February, on the 27th to be exact, and I had so much fun taking photos of it at home and in a forest near Magarei (Pelisor), that I wished there might be a second one this spring. Come the 31st of March, there it was, practically begging to be enjoyed and photographed, so I was off to do just that. I stopped at one of our favorite hiking spots in that same forest and spent a bit of time taking in the scenery and photographing it to my heart’s content. I was, of course, on my way to do a bit of work at one of the monuments in the care of our NGO, the Saxon Pfarrhaus and Kirchenburg in Magarei. It’s seldom that I go out just to hike or just to shoot photos; I’m typically on my way to, or on my way back from, my various projects.

I also shot a little video, which I present to you here. It’s quite likely that most of you are staying at home during these new and weird times of ours, so I hope you enjoy the video and the photos! I have the good fortune of being able to travel through the beautiful countryside of Transylvania almost every day, as I go to work on our projects. Please understand I’m not rubbing this in your face, it just is what it is. This is where we chose to live and work and being in and around nature is one of those benefits, while people who choose to live and work in large cities reap other benefits (which may or may not be enjoyed or even wanted just now as they #stayhome till they’re sick of it).

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We were driving back from Meschen a couple of days ago when I saw these beautiful cloud formations where the light was breaking through the thick cover and creating these beautiful effects that resemble light pouring through cathedral windows. I suspect the reverse is true, which is to say that cathedral architects were inspired by this natural phenomenon when they designed buildings where the light comes in like this at certain times of the day. Enjoy the photos!

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Today’s images

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