Being of strong west coast persuasion, all things relating to snow never cease to be of immense excitement. And with the forecast of the first winter storm of the season upon us, I knew I had to do something beyond just staring out of the window. This time, the motivation brought me out into the Catskills, looking for photographic inspiration in the bare trees and sleepy towns.

While these places aren't specifically new to me, I've known them to offer dynamics in its wildlife and landscape scenes across all four seasons. And so I decided to venture out to the same spots, to immerse myself in the cold and watch as the first snowflakes approached at considerable speed.

I noticed textures as the predominant feature through the day: of the driftwood, in the tiny patterned disturbances in the water, through snow falling across infinite focal planes, of the edgy evergreens detailing layers toward the obscured horizon.

More storms will be upon us shortly, and I can't wait to see how their characteristics might influence our creative inclinations.