Search this site
Sweet and Subtle Photos of Twigs, Leaves and Branches Frozen in Ice
In a striking editorial series of still lifes, acclaimed New York-based photographer Anna Williams captures natural elements—leaves, branches, and twigs—caught within blocks of ice.
The shoot, she explains, was commissioned by Real Simple to illustrate an article about skincare in frigid winter climates. She executed the project collaboration with Art Director Marcus Hay, who selected each element and chilled them in his own freezer, a surprisingly complex feat. The texture of ice, notes Williams, varies vastly based upon how it is frozen. To create transparent ice, the water must be filtered, heated, chilled, and heated once more. If one deviates from this process, the mass of ice will be colored by layers of mist and fog, caused by entrapped air and minerals; in this case, the nuanced areas of clouds and clarity served to heighten the perceived depth of each organic object.
No matter what the assignment, Williams constructs her photographs to tell stories. Here, with these shrouded petals and branches, she evokes sensations of wintertime and the mythos of arctic climates.
All photos featured in this post can be found on Offset, a new curated collection of high-end commercial and editorial photography and illustration from award-winning artists around the world. Offset is a category partner on Feature Shoot.