Many people dread the winter months, and we can’t deny that some regions’ coldest months are pretty rough. But if you’re willing to look beyond the harsh weather conditions, you’ll soon discover that winter is often a magical season for photography—even if the outside temperatures don’t seem welcoming.

Regardless of what the winters are like where you live, you can capture a vast range of interesting shots when it’s cold. Keep reading, and you’ll discover eight ideas worth giving a try.

1. Portraits of Other People

photo of a woman blowing snow

Winter is an excellent time for portraits. If you live somewhere that’s particularly cold, the season brings an opportunity for colorful jackets and snow-covered landscapes. Next time you feel like staying indoors instead of getting fresh air, consider grabbing your camera and trying out portrait photography.

Winter temperatures in some parts of the world are so cold that they can cause eyebrows to freeze. If you live in or are visiting one such region, ask the locals if you can take photos of them; doing so will help you grab unique shots and tell an exciting story at the same time.

You can also use winter to take photos of friends and family members. In addition to standard headshots, consider getting creative; for example, you can get someone to blow snow toward your lens from their hands.

2. Self-Portraits

photo of a person sitting on a mountain overlooking a city

Taking photos of other people is fun, but have you ever tried capturing images of yourself? Self-portraits are becoming more popular, and they’re an excellent way to get a fabulous new profile picture and push your creative boundaries.

When taking self-portraits, you’ll typically need to place your camera on a tripod or another flat surface. Since you won’t take the photo from behind the camera, you will need a remote control to capture your desired shot or up your timer by several seconds.

You’ve got quite a few options with self-portraits, and you can take photos both inside and outdoors. Examples include:

  • Taking a photo of yourself in your favorite sweater while drinking coffee and reading a book.
  • Capturing a shot of you overlooking a dramatic landscape.
  • Taking a picture of you playing with your dogs in the snow.

3. Dramatic Drone Shots

photo of mountains from above

Regardless of the weather conditions, taking photos from the air often looks more dramatic than ground-level images. But during the winter, you can make your surroundings look even dreamier and capture several unique shots with your drone.

Drone photography in the winter is an excellent opportunity to use several photography theories, such as leading lines and the rule of thirds. For example, you can capture a road running through a barren landscape.

When using a drone during the winter, remember that flying your equipment in certain weather conditions is dangerous. If it’s particularly windy, you risk crashing your equipment and needing to pay a significant amount for a new one. Make sure that you’re not putting anyone in danger when using your drone.

4. Adventure Photography

photo of a person skiing

Winter is the perfect time for adventures, especially if you’re into sports. Many people take to the slopes for skiing and snowboarding, and the colder months are also excellent for the likes of sledding and ice skating.

If you plan to travel during the winter, consider packing your camera and adding adventure photography to your portfolio. You can capture your friends skiing as one example, and you can also attend events in your local area to get what you’re looking for.

If you plan to travel for your photography, you should take some time to think about the equipment you’d like to bring with you. You might need a lens with a longer focal length to capture faces, and taking a weather-sealed camera is also a good idea.

5. Close-Up Photos

photo of a frozen plant

From a nature perspective, winter is a magical time of the year. Although many animals go into hibernation and several plants die, you can find several interesting textures to take pictures of with your camera.

If you’re stuck for image ideas during the colder months, you might want to think about taking close-up pictures outdoors. Examples of textures you can capture close up include:

  • Empty tree branches.
  • Close-ups of textures in the snow.
  • Surfaces in cities, such as grit for snow.

To take close-up images, you should put your camera in Macro mode. Widening your aperture is also a good idea.

6. Moody Landscape Shots

photo of a moody fjord and mountain landscape

Many of the photography ideas we’ve discussed so far involve snow. But as many of us know, not every country gets enormous amounts of it every year; instead, their winters can be dreary, dark, and gray.

Winter is an excellent time to get out into nature and grab a couple of landscape shots for your portfolio. When the sky is particularly gray, you should consider trying out moody landscape photography. Even if you don’t live somewhere with dramatic scenery, you can still get excellent results.

Moody photos typically require that you lower the amount of light getting into your camera. As such, you might want to consider shooting at around -1 on the exposure meter.

7. Minimalistic Photography

photo of a mountain

Minimalistic photography has several benefits, but arguably the main one is that you can help your viewers hone in on the exact subject you want them to look at. Winter is an excellent time to get better at this particular genre.

During the colder months, adopting a minimalist approach for your photography can create dramatic images that express scale. For example, you can photograph one person trudging through a blizzard or an isolated mountain cap.

You might need to use a lens with a longer focal length in some instances. Think about how far you expect to stand from your subjects and pick one accordingly.

8. Cozy Indoor Shots

photo taken indoors indicating a cozy feeling

If you really don’t want to venture outdoors, you don’t have to. During the winter months, many of us spend a lot of time indoors—and we try to make our homes as cozy as possible to brave the weather.

Winter is an excellent time to take cozy indoor shots. You can take pictures with warmer tones in the build-up to Christmas. Some ideas include:

  • Photos of objects that invoke other senses, such as smell (like cinnamon).
  • Images of you and your family cooking Christmas dinner.
  • Shots of sweet treats associated with the winter, such as gingerbread biscuits.

Don’t Let the Cold Weather Stop You From Taking Interesting Photos

Winter in some countries is rough. However, staying indoors all the time isn’t good for your health—and you can discover plenty of photography opportunities during the colder months.

After reading this, you should have plenty of ideas to try during the winter. Use the low lighting and more challenging weather as a chance to improve your craft and potentially discover a new favorite style.