Post-Christmas Snaps: 3 Ideas For Late Winter Photography
Christmas is the perfect time for photographers. With glistening lights in the streets, homes with snowy windows and all the family gathered together, there are so many opportunities to fill up your Instagram page and make it shine.
But what about when the festivities are over? There is a strange sort of mid-space between January and March. The days are still dark, the air still cold, but the joy of Christmas is over and most people are simply waiting for spring to kick in, and for fresh scenes and colours to come to the forefront of their photographs.
But missing out on the late winter period is a mistake. There is always something to photograph if you put your mind to it, and late winter is actually a great period to flex your photography skills and find even more beauty in the darkness.
For the budding photographers out there, here is a small list of ideas, techniques and scenes that you can snap when the turkey is eaten and the decorations are back in the box.
Don’t Say Goodbye To Family So Soon
Although many families might spend Christmas bickering about how long to cook the turkey or the rules of Monopoly, it is mostly a wonderful time of year to get together and appreciate what you have. This year, then, try not to say goodbye so soon. It is often the case that the next family gettogether is left up in the air, but you should try to reconvene again as soon as possible, whether that’s for New Years or simply to for another catch up.
This will also give you a good opportunity for more photographs. Christmas can sometimes be difficult when it comes to photography. There is so much going on that it’s easy to forget to bring out the camera. This time, however, ensure you take as many pictures as possible. You can even make those snaps into their own square photo book (ideal if you’re printing straight from Instagram) to serve as an epilogue to your Christmas one. Family memories are special and this is a great way to create even more.
Keep Your Photography Warm
In terms of actual photography skills, there is no reason why you cannot keep on the same track as your usual Christmas photography. You know the like. Around Christmas time, Instagram profiles across the world are ablaze with comfortable, warm scenes that detail the cosiness that winter has to offer. Well, late winter is still a time for steaming cuppas (hard to photograph, but these tips are great for getting your photography off the ground), roaring fires, cosy foods and warm lighting, so try to take as many pictures as you can to keep your Instagram page cosy.
You can even experiment a bit if you choose to. If you go out on the town during the later hours – around sunset – then you have a great opportunity to capture some cosy scenes outdoors. Try to snap the moment the sun is going down and the lights of nearby houses start coming on. This is a great way to capture the juxtaposition between warm and cold. If it is raining, then this is even better. Taking pictures in the rain can lead to some beautiful reflections and light sparkles, so go out there and test things out. Just make sure that you are well prepared. You don’t want to get your phone wet and late winter is not the right time to be stepping out of the house without gloves and a raincoat!
Capture The Journey Into Spring
If you’re taking photographs with a photo book in mind, then late winter gives you a great opportunity to tell a story. This is especially true if you are looking for a photo book maker to document your entire 2023. All you have to do is experiment with light. Start off the year by taking particularly dark photographs. Scenes captured in the late hours, hued by that warm orange glow we mentioned earlier.
Then, as the days tick on, start to make your photography a little brighter. Take pictures around sunset, then midday, with lighter colours and brighter compositions to detail the gradual change of the season. Then, when spring starts to hit and the leaves begin to get a little greener, the impact of a new season will really be felt by anyone who looks through the photo book. It's always a good idea to tell a story with your photographs, and it’s a great idea to use the darkness of late winter and the dawning colours of spring to tell a story of changing seasons and the year beginning to grow into full bloom.
