Ryan McGinley pits naked bodies against extreme elements

Winter is a black hole of darkness. In England, it means it begins sometime in October and lasts through – more often than not – March. It's a void filled with damp clothes, wet umbrellas and crammed public transport. For Ryan McGinley, winter is glorious. A snow-dumped landscape full of nude bodies; patched with freezer burn and cut knees, all frolicking around and inside incredible ice caves. Autumn is equally as grand for him, so much so that the American photographer has dedicated two simultaneous exhibitions to them, over two galleries, one in New York, titled Winter – shot in Los Angeles – and the other in Los Angeles, titled Fall – shot in New York.

Hot off the release of his book Way Far, McGinley brings his signature style to both shows. For Fall, just like he has done before with his infamous road trips, him and his team tripped to upstate New York, taking inspiration from American landscape painters Frederic Ewen Church and 19th century art movement the Hudson River School. For Winter, McGinley and co. tackled the extremity of the frozen landscape – utilising ice-fishing tents, propane tanks and rock-climbing equipment in order to face the harsh reality of such weather. The images are worth it though, a breathtaking series of bare pink skin against white-blue ice. View these photographs from Winter and weep (seriously, we can only imagine the models did).

Ryan McGinley's Fall and The Winter are on show 5 November – 20 December, click here for information