Winter Photography Tips

Susan and Richard Day

Just because the weather’s cold and dreary doesn’t mean you can’t be outside with your camera. Some of the most beautiful bird photos are taken in winter—just look at this and past winter issues of Birds & Blooms!

Shooting in winter does take a little more planning than fair-weather photography, but here are a few tips to get you started.

Be Prepared

Have everything ready before it snows. Scout out potential sites to return to during or after a snowfall: an old barn, mill, covered bridge, country road, mountain, stream or park.

Then find an area with evergreen trees or bushes with berries, such as winterberry or holly, which always look pretty covered in snow. If you’re after birds, place a feeder or two nearby so they can get used to feeding there. (The greenery also protects them from predators while they eat.)

You can take pictures of birds on the feeders with a nice evergreen background, or when they perch on the boughs or bushes.

Think Holiday

Even if it’s not Christmas, set out a couple of holiday props, such as a wreath, garland or some colorful bows, on evergreens, fences, barns or near bird feeders. You can use these photos for next year’s cards, or frame them to decorate your home in winter.

Look at last year’s holiday cards for ideas.

Know the Weather

When the forecast is snow, get your camera gear ready the night before so you can be outside the next day photographing the fresh, clean snowfall. Keep in mind that the whiteness can fool your in-camera light meter, making your snow pictures look blue or gray. You can compensate for this by opening up 1-2 stops on a manual camera, or using your exposure compensation on an automatic camera.

Though some winter scenic photos look gorgeous with white snow and blue skies, sometimes the sunshine produces harsh shadows. Watch for these when taking the photo. If they’re distracting, change your composition and try using the shadows as patterns against the snow. On cloudy days, avoid taking photos that show sky, because it will look gray or white.

Instead, focus on small things like pinecones, bird close-ups or part of an old building with snowy details.

Get Outside

An impromptu walk in a park or your backyard can reveal surprises like frosty ferns or animal tracks in fresh snow. Also, try photographing during a snowfall. Even though the snowflakes can be distracting, you may get some moody, wintry photos. Keep the shutter speed fast (1/250 or higher) so the snowflakes don’t streak.

Watch the Birds

You’ll see different birds at feeders in winter than in summer. After it snows, birds congregate at feeders for fast food. Attach an evergreen or berry branch above a feeder: Birds tend to perch a bit higher before eating, so this is a good way to capture them on a snowy or icy perch. Sprinkle a little seed or suet on evergreens so the birds will perch there. You’ll get better photos if the birds don’t see you, so use a blind, or photograph from inside your house or another building.

Stay Warm

Obviously, you need to use your fingers to operate your equipment, so a thin pair of glove liners under fingerless gloves or mittens will help you focus and use the dials and buttons on your camera.

Wear layers of clothing and cozy socks and boots so you’ll be comfortable outside. And make sure to have extra batteries handy in a pocket so they’ll stay warm, too.