Living in a cold climate as a family photographer can sometimes be a creativity crusher.
I often find myself going through a seasonal rut between the months of November and February. I live in Alaska, so winters are LONG and since I do not have a warm and cozy studio space to escape to, it has forced me to get out and make the most out of the long, cold, dark months.
Wintry landscapes can be undeniably stunning, however the cold and extreme contrasts in light and dark can be challenging to work with. I am not a fan of the cold, so I really have to give myself a mental pep talk before I go out on my winter shoots!
Since half of the year I feel like I shoot in frigid temperatures, I’ve learned a lot from past mistakes and have accumulated my top tips on how to make a cold winter session a successful one, especially with little ones who may be crying before the session even starts!
1. Make sure you are warm
First and foremost: layers, layers, layers and hand warmers, foot warmers, toe warmers. Every body warmer you can think of, get it! If you are miserable, it will show in the pictures you are taking. If your clients don’t want to take off their winter gear, just roll with it. You can still get very cute portraits of them! I try to get a mix of some with their jackets off and on.
2. Be familiar with your location
When it is cold, you need to work fast, especially when you are photographing families. Being familiar with your location makes a world of difference in having a great or awful shoot.
Knowing the best spots for light is also huge. I always make a plan for where I am going to start and end with my families, so the flow is smooth and seamless. Kids don’t care if you get a good shot of them or not, so you need to work and move fast!
3. Start with the staples
Get your basic shots done first: the ones for grandma and grandpa with everyone looking at the camera, and then have fun. It’s an easy way to get everyone’s blood flowing and that is usually when I get my best shots. I always try to add one shot of everyone throwing snow up in the air, having a snowball fight, or just being silly. It’s also a great way to end on a good note!
4. Reschedule if there is wind
Do not photograph when there is a wind chill! I have photographed families when it is zero degrees and then photographed families when it is 6 degrees with a wind chill and there is a HUGE difference: the difference between crying kids with snot dripping down their faces and non-crying kids!
5. Bring one lens
Now this is completely a personal choice, and I usually shoot with my Canon 135L and Sigma 35 Art for my shoots, but when I am shooting in the winter and it is cold, I just bring along my 35mm. It is more versatile for my family shoots because I need to be able to run around and get both wide and close up shots. I don’t have time to switch out my lenses. If you have a zoom lens, even better!
6. Bring a blanket
Have a blanket available or have your clients bring one. It’s an easy way to add variety to the shoot, plus it helps them stay warm and dry. If you don’t have a blanket, your clients more than likely are not going to want to plop down in the snow.
7. Resist breathing… for a moment
I love shooting in backlight, even when it’s super cold outside. When doing so, I sometimes encounter situations where the light is beautiful yet all I can see is my clients’ breath wafting above their heads. To combat that, I will have my clients hold their breath if they can. It usually only takes a second and if they are interacting and not staring straight at the camera, you can’t really tell if they have an awkward expression on their face from doing so.
8. Include some play time
Let the kids play and capture it! Parents love seeing pictures of their kids having fun, smiling and enjoying each other. Capture all the in-between moments, even if a kiddo wipes out in the snow and starts crying, capture the mom comforting the kid.
9. Consider shorter sessions during the winter months
I typically only offer one hour sessions along with my seasonal minis but for certain months I like to offer shorter sessions. Getting pictures done in a 30-minute session is more appealing to a client when it is freezing cold.
10. Be flexible with your schedule
Be open to rescheduling and let your clients know that you may have to reschedule due to inclement weather. Keep your schedule and communication open with your clients. Pay attention to the weather forecast and let your clients know a few days ahead of time if a certain date is looking good for weather.
11. Take care of your gear
Camera gear is pretty darn hearty, and mine still functions pretty well in zero degree weather but I can sometimes tell when it starts to slow down. In between shots or locations, I will sometimes wrap it in my jacket to keep it from getting too cold and freezing up.
Most importantly, even though being outside when it is freezing cold can be miserable, always put a smile on your face and have a good time (even though you may be dreaming of a nice warm fire). Be positive. Your attitude will rub off on your clients, and hopefully they will end up forgetting about the cold because the session was so much fun!
