It's hot as heck here today in Croton on Hudson, NY.

To cool off, I did a search on my hard drive for ice and snow pictures I have taken over the year. These photos from the Ice Hotel (www.icehotel-canada.com) in Quebec, Canada popped up.

The Ice Hotel is a cool place to photograph and visit. You can sleep in the hotel (on a bed of ice covered with cozy blankets), or do as I did: sleep in the cozy lodge next door.

Enjoy the photos - and keep cool.

Here are a few photo tips if you go:

• Shoot HDR to capture the entire dynamic range of the scene. New to HDR? Here is an article that will help you get good HDR images.

• Use a polarizing filter to reduce reflections on the ice.

• Use a tripod at night for steady shots.

• Bring your wide-angle lens for indoor shots. The wider the better.

• Check your camera's histogram and make sure your highlights (ice, snow and lights) are not washed out.

• Keep extra batteries warm inside your coat.

• In Lightroom or Photoshop, use Shadows/Highlights to fine tune your images.

I'll be back in Canada in September, giving a seminar in the comfort of a meeting room. I'm also leading an HDR shoot - in a field with NO snow.

Explore the light - and keep cool,

Rick