Ice Cold Hay by Tisha Clinkenbeard

Captured in the aftermath of a devastating ice storm, this image depicts a quiet, frozen pasture in Sumner, Texas. The photographer encountered the scene while traveling, struck by the contrast between the brilliant, shining sun and the lingering, icy destruction coating the hay, grass, and fencing. By documenting this juxtaposition of natural beauty and environmental hardship, the image serves as a poignant record of a local weather event. Its award-worthy quality lies in the photographer’s ability to find stillness and visual harmony within a landscape recently transformed by the harsh, crystalline grip of winter.