The coldest days and nights of winter on the Manitoba prairie are marked by the relentless howl of powerful winds. Sweeping down from the arctic and across the snow-covered landscape, these gales leave their mark in the rippled textures known as sastrugi.
As a photographer with a strong interest in textural abstracts and natural forms, I find these particular winter details to be quite captivating. Even more so when the sunlight falls across the ridges and whorls in dramatic ways, creating deeply contrasting shadows and highlights, often making the fine icy texture of the wind-driven snow more apparent.
I tend to think of these textures as fingerprints left by the winter winds. The patterns sometimes resemble the rugged terrain of a landscape viewed from above. They are also shaped by the movement of the air around nearby structures, such as buildings or plants and trees. Beneath the crusty, ridged surface there may be deep drifts of soft snow.
In many ways these sculptural shapes resemble the patterns that water creates when disturbed by the wind. I find it fascinating that in all of its forms, from frozen to liquid, this essential element finds its way into the shape of breaking waves with the help of the moving air. And likewise, the impression the wind leaves on the snow or water is a way for us to see something that is otherwise invisible, despite its incredible power.
Sastrugi are an ephemeral example of erosion, shaping delicate drifts of snowflakes into stone-like textures. While the winter wind may make conditions more inhospitable for venturing outdoors with a camera, there is so much beauty to be found in the sculpted shapes it can leave behind.
For more winter wonders, check out my winter-themed blog posts.
