14 Fun Winter Photos To Take This Season: A Photography Project

By The Red Tent, July 22, 2016

For a photos girl, I’m very behind on my kids’ yearly photo books. I plan to tackle them next year when my daughter starts school and I have a little more time on my hands, but for the record – I’m considering having season-themed editions just because I’m over the top like that. The Winter You Were Four Years Old – pages packed tight with crooked fringes poking out from beanies and first ice skating tries and little hands holding marshmallow sticks. The seasons bring with them a whole different slant on turning photographs into art: the shimmery water of summer – bold and bright colours, the soft pastels of spring – florals and nature, the reds and golds of autumn, the rich cosiness of winter.

You can feel it already – the change in feel to the days. It’s warming up and another season is quickly passing so as we ride out the last month of winter, here is a fun little creative project for you: 14 winter photos. Dedicate a wall of your home to seasonal photos and swap them out each season, turn them into photo books, or just use them as inspiration to do a few more fun things with your family.

14 Photos To Take This Winter:

Fire.

Nothing says winter like a good fire. Take pictures just before sunset so your subjects are illuminated easily and you can see smoke billowing. It will make you feel warm and rugged up just by looking at it.

Snow.

Real snow, fake snow, any snow you can find: the white, the mittens, the dusting of snow in the sky – they make for the cosiest winter snap and a great visual contrast.

Landscape.

Bare trees, barren countryside, pine forests — the right landscape can instantly make your pictures more wintery. Try to capture an outside setting away from the middle of the day – when the light is softer.

Winter tradition.

Do you toast marshmallows? Have a Christmas in July party? Maybe you go camping every winter?

Capturing a fun winter tradition pic each year is a great way to tell the story of your family.

Classic winter detail.

Quilts, hot chocolate, mittens — zoom in on a classic winter image to amplify the detail of those cosy wintery feels. These will look great in a collage and give further depth to the winter story you are telling.

Beanie picture.

No winter is complete without a beanie photo. This one is getting framed. How cute is he?

Temperature.

Try to capture the temperature of a scene. Here, the beach air ruffling Billy’s hair instantly makes you feel that cool, wintery breeze. It makes you feel like rugging up, or rushing home for warm baths. Try looking around your environment a little closer – find the movement happening around you: wind rustling leaves or branches, water crashing on a deserted beach, snow falling, hair whipping around. Movement adds more depth to photos – makes them come alive a little more.

Winter wardrobe.

Nobody is immune to the thrill of a season wardrobe change no matter how much they deny it. Capture some favourite outfits — some fashion details that make you feel cosy inside. Knee high socks, tights, boots, beanies, felt hats, heavy dresses, jackets, layers — winter is so fun when it comes to fashion and cute clothes always make for good photos.

Winter food.

Another great way to tell your winter story – do you bake or eat specific foods during the colder months? Pies, roasts, broths, cinnamon donuts? These add depth to your winter photo collages, amplifying that cosy feeling and the story of you.

Quilts and blankets.

A total winter must, patchwork or crocheted quilts. They certainly make a photo pop, but they also add a wintery element.

Nature Finds.

Go on a little nature walk and find wintery treasures — dried leaves, seed pods, pine cones. Take a photo and add it to your winter collage.

Night.

With the sun setting earlier in winter, use this time to practice photo taking in low light – thinking of other light sources to illuminate subjects instead of sunlight. Candles, sparklers, and fires all provide enough lighting to illuminate a face at night and can make for very striking photos.

Winter jammies.

Nothing says winter cosiness like a good pair of cute jams. Flannel, onesies, slippers or dressing gowns – find just one winter bedtime item and add it to your winter photo collage.

Home.

Capture the things which signal a season change in your home. Do you change up the quilts on the beds? Maybe you add new winter recipes to your meal plans? Grab out the fluffier rugs? Light a fire in your fireplace? Look around for anything which captures the cosiness of winter within your four walls.

And there we have it – 14 fun photos to take this winter.

Happy Friday!