Thank you, Becky. I have enjoyed your and the others’ company during the month November Shadows. It is one of the darkest months of the year for us, filled with long nights, short days and the chill of autumn settling into winter. This, along with some other challenges has kept me going and provided a much-needed sense of connection.
These are from my archive; we have a dull gray day here, and there are more to come in the foreseeable future, casting a monotonous light over everything. Today, the sunrise was at 8:58, and sunset is already at 15:25, with still 21 days to go until the winter solstice, a time when daylight feels like a distant memory. These images are wishful thinking – it could be, should be like this. As I said, wishful thinking, not a real possibility here in southern Finland, where the reality of winter often envelops us in a chilly embrace and grey dull days, leaving us longing for those bright, sunlit moments.
Ritva Sillanmäki Photography 
oh these are stunning shots – you are right, light makes such a difference, we even notice the change here. These months makes us value it.
Light makes a HUGE difference and If you add snow that reflects light it is a blessing during the short hours of light
Congratulations! You’ve made it through November once again! 😉. That first shot makes me homesick for “my” park in Illinois, where I walked even in winter. It looked very much like that.
Janet, it is so much more fun in memories. Add the cold and it’s not so much fun anymore 😀 Thanks Janet glad to have you journey it with me
great shadows
Thank you Prior
🙂🙂
That first shot is truly beautiful, Ritva, but I’d have to be a ‘snowbird’ and go south for the winter months xx
Winter does look lovely in photos. Thanks for the company this NOVEMBER
Yes, but as you know, I’m not so fond of the real thing xx
Rather stunning landscapes of snow and shadows with the sun at just the right angle
Low light of winter…
Does the sun stay low in the sky for most of winter?
Well for example this is the sunlight time we have today 6 hours 26 min, no sun to be seen today, even dull gray.
December 21, it’s 5 hours 49 minutes. But if it were to be sunny it would be low. Life begins to brighten up in February. In Helsinki on February 15, 2026, the length of the day is about 9 hours and 45 minutes. The sun rises at about 08:22 and sets at about 18:07. The length of the day increases rapidly in February, by about 5.2 minutes per day.
This is all for my area, in north it it less. Polar night has already begun un does not rise at all until between January 1st – 17th
That is amazing thank you Ritva 😀 It would be so strange to be where there is no sun for even a couple of weeks.