Canadian photographer Trevor Pottelberg battled through harsh winter conditions to capture stunning images of Lake Erie's frozen shorelines. (Trevor Pottelberg)

Whether it’s waiting long periods of time for something to happen or running around to photograph ongoing action, photographers will go to great lengths to get their perfect shots. Canadian photographer Trevor Pottelberg braved blustery conditions, his fingers freezing, to capture stunning images of Lake Erie’s frozen shorelines.

“It may not look like it in the photos, but there were a few days that I almost called it quits,” Pottelberg told weather.com. He said that there were days when he could “barely bend [his] finger enough to press the shutter button.” But his perseverance bore great results.

“It definitely tested my endurance and willpower, but I stuck it out and came away with some truly unique artwork,” he said. “I often find that working in the most extreme conditions usually ends up producing the best results.”

While extreme conditions may work to his benefit, so does patience. “There are times when I have to wait hours in one location for the perfect conditions,” he said, which includes lining up factors like time of day, atmospheric conditions, composition, lighting and subject matter. “I strive to incorporate all of these elements into my images whenever possible.”

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The lackluster and uneventful start to winter, however, especially tested the photographer’s resolve. “I prayed that we would get some winter weather before spring hit,” Pottelberg said. His prayers were answered with an arctic blast of winter weather in the middle of February. “I waited a week or so for things to ice up before making my first of three visits to the northern Lake Erie shoreline,” he said. He made three trips during the day: one at sunrise, midday and sunset.

“There are days when the lake is smooth like glass and others when it acts like an angry ocean,” he said. “I was utterly amazed at how drastically different the landscape was during each visit.”

At times though, Pottelberg’s passion for photography can be physically demanding. The photographer lives with Ulcerative Colitis. “I have to prepare a lot more than most people and it has helped give me a real sense of drive, commitment and accomplishment.”

To capture sunrise, Pottelberg needs to wake up at least two hours prior to sunrise just to calm down his stomach. Oftentimes, his sunrise schedule will need to also include enough time for travel and setting up—a lot of work to capture a sunrise. For example, on one of his past trips to Niagara Falls, he woke up at 2:20 a.m. to capture a 7:10 a.m. sunrise.

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Despite the challenges, both physical and weather-related, Pottelberg uses photography to fulfill his passion of producing beautiful artwork. “It wasn’t until three years ago that I decided to really pursue my passion regardless of what others thought.” Ever since, he has been exploring areas all over Ontario.

“Everyday is a new challenge, but I keep pushing myself to get out there to explore nature and all it has to offer,” he said.