Red Rock Coulee, Alberta. Surreal winter landscapes that are likely not much different than Mars, especially when the temperature is -30 degrees with a howling wind and blasting ice crystals. These wild and woolly days make me appreciate being a photographer.

Whenever I hear myself complaining about the cold (or snow, or wind, or ...), I try to remind myself that is only because I was stupid to not dress properly. Fortunately two pairs of long johns, my full winter ski gear, including helmet and goggles, chemical hand warmers and my -60 degree Sorel boots kept this photographer warm and happy. Of course having four camera batteries charged up was also important. Even with a hand warmer taped onto the side of my camera over the battery compartment, I would only get 20 minutes or so of shooting before the battery was drained. That being said, once the batteries were warmed up in my inner pockets, I could usually get another 20 minutes of life out of them before they were completely dead.