11 Winter Photography Tips & How to winterise your images

Winter holds a whole host of challenges when its comes to photography; it’s freezing outside, the harsher lower light bouncing off the white snow, and balancing your focus in the sea of neutral monochrome landscape is challenging. Make sure you know these best winter photography tips for beginners, and creative winter photography ideas so that you can make the most of the season.

11 winter photography tips

Winter Photography tip #1 – Plan your shot

There’s nothing worse than watching a newbie, stand out in the cold looking for a shot. Very few people has success in photos finding you. So you need to think about what type of photo you’re trying to achieve and now you’re going to achieve it. Planning you shots, locations and timings are essential to minimise your exposure to the elements. It’s cold outside, so you may as well prepare for it.

Winter Photography tip #2 – Winter photography gloves

With the cold weather you’ll need to find the best winter photography gloves to keep you warm and you need to pick a style. Whether you want thin tactile smartphone compatible gloves, glove liners, fingerless gloves with removable finger caps or fold down mitten gloves. You really need to think about what you are shooting and where you are going? There is big different between a hike in the local forest park for some stunning landscape and skiing sports photography. Take your time working out whats most important to you and check out this:

Winter Photography tip #3 – Protect your gear

The two biggest problems with winter photography when it comes to your gear, is moisture and the cold temperature. You’re going to need two bags. I’m secretly hoping you’ve already got a decent camera bag and that protects your gear, but you’ll also need a plastic bag.

PRO TIP: protect your gear – going from freezing cold outside, to the warmth of inside is going to create condensation, By sealing your camera and lens into a plastic bag (like a big freezer bag) with cold air, it allows your camera to warm up slower avoiding the build up of condensation inside your lens or camera, which can cause havoc.

Camera in plastic bag - winter photography tip to avoid condensation

Winter Photography tip #4 – Spare batteries

The cold will also cause havoc with your batteries, the battery life tends to last a lost less in the cold, so it’s worth taking extra batteries with you, but also keeping your batteries warm. Inside jacket pocket tends to do the trick. Now that your gear is safe. Let’s talk the walk. Winter photography challenges include; bouncing meters, glares, winter edits and colour casting.

Winter Photography tip #5 – Dull grey

Bear trees without the hard frost or snow looks dull and boring. Or actually maybe it’s just time to think a little different. Winters not just about sparkling snow flakes and cosy warm winters curled up together. Use the elements you have. It’s it cold, dull and gloomy. Maybe it’s time to embrace the mood and the monochrome colours.

Winter Photography tip #6 – How to get snow to look white(with winter photography settings)?

Guessing you want your snow white, right? It might sound obvious but in reality it can be a little trickers to get right. Ever tried to take a photo of snow on your phone, and its grey or blue?

Yep, that because of two simple things. First, your camera (yes, even your smartphone camera) tries to evaluate the amount of light in the scene. Thinks there’s way too much light and adjusts your exposure. I suggest you increasing your exposure compensation by -2 /+2 stop. Working with exposure compensation +/- is something I cover in the academy, but in essence, allow both more and less light in. Second is that the white snow will always bounce the light and colour of what’s above it. Grey sky= grey snow. Blue sky = blue snow. So it’s important for you to be aware of what’s happening around you, so you can compensate for it. Blue snow, you’ll need to warm things up in edit, or choose snow mode on your camera. Grey sky, boost your exposure up.

ProTip: Change your LR background to white instead of grey and it’ll help you see just how bad your colour casting is and is a great reference for what the snow should look like.

So how do you turn those snowy landscapes into a winter wonderland?

Winter Photography tip #7 – White balance

You’re gonna want to leave your white balance in auto, but potentially grey card the scene in your test shot. It makes everything so much easier in edit after, especially if you’ve got a strong colour cast.

Winter Photography tip #8 – Filters for winter photography

If you’re lucky enough to be out there in the sunshine. There’s two bits of gear you’re gonna need. First is a polarising filter, it’s like a pair of sunglasses for your camera, or if it’s super sunny you might want to consider a (ND) neutral density filter to deal with the sun bouncing off the blanket of snow. Secondly, you’ll want a lens hood or something to block out any glares/ lens flare.

Winter Photography tip #9 – Winter night photography tips

The longer nights, make night photography easier. If you want a starry night sky, the milky-way or are luck enough to capture the northern lights, then you’re going to want to plan to be shooting prior to the moon rise. Phone apps such as PhotoPills or The Photographer’s Ephemeris are very useful for those instances and make sure you’ve got a decent tripod for those long exposures.

Winter Photography tip #10 – Winter wildlife photography tips

The simple monochrome backgrounds of winter, really help make wildlife stand out and pop in your photos. Winter is a great time to help out the wildlife by attracting them in with fresh water and feeders, and you’ll get some great shots as well, just make sure you use a shallow depth of field to blur the backgrounds and avoid any distractions.

Winter Photography tip #11 – Try these creative winter photography ideas. 

Are you looking for some winter photo ideas, winter photography projects or kids winter photography activities? Lets me honest the following ideas are great for anyone.

Capture some wildlife in your garden or out on a walk.

Falling snow – So how to capture snow falling. If you’re shutter speed in too slow then you’ll get white streaks, and too fast and you’ll get a lot of white dots. I hate to tell you it depends, but it depends on how fast the snow is falling. While gently falling snow on a calm day may require as little as 1/125 sec. to freeze motion, during blizzard conditions, 1/350 sec. barely will be enough. So, you’re gonna have to trial it.

Frozen bubbles (if it gets cold enough)

Sunrise

Macro snowflakes

Winter Food photography – There’s something about the contrast of a warm and cosy hot chocolate and biscuit that makes it all worth while.

Winter Photography Bonus tip – Try Winter Photo effects

Over the years, I’ve noticed 6 distinct winter styles that you can incorporate into your photo editing, if you want winterise your images this season. But like anything you try you need to consider a style you like and the different winter colour palette’s. Whether you’re looking to switch up your style this year or want a cohesive style for social media photos. These are the this season must try.

Frozen white – get that muted fresh look.

Snowy haze

The simplest way to achieve the snow look without the snow. Is to add some haze and a snow overlay

Winter blues (light blue)

Snow overlay over brunette standing in

Teal and orange

Winter magic (de sat and high contrast)

Night sky (blues and northern nights look)

Which ever you choose stick to one colour scheme and feeling. It’s important to be consistent. If you’re not quite ready to implement these into your photography. Start simple with a winter colour scheme in your social media graphics. You can even save these colour schemes into your Canva style.

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