Why winter is a photographer's secret weapon...
In 2021, more than any other year I have revelled in every season that the good earth has brought forth (something she does so every year without fail). Spring has always been a favourite of mine, followed closely by the fullnes and fun of summer but this year I have been captivated by the beautiful tones of autumn as the warmth inches away and even more so by the fragile beauty of winter.
There are probably a few reasons for this change in my perspective. Firstly when Covid hit, I found deep solace in nature. I also think that the climate emergency is becoming even more prevalent in our minds too and we are being called intuitively to reconnect to the natural world and realise how deeply connected and rooted to it we really are. I also spent two retreats really immersed in Mother Nature and learning to listen to her in new ways. And I’m currently reading Braiding Sweetgrass which mingles science with indigenous culture in such a beautiful and captivating way. (Head to this Instagram post for more books and musings on this topic).
But I also think that as a photographer I have honed my skills to read the messages nature sends us and the patterns that emerge. Any artist sees what is in front of them with immense detail. When I did some art lessons in Lockdown 1.0 via zoom with a friend I was surprised at the colours I could see in the sky that I had never seen before, or the colour of the shadows or the highlights that appear white actually have a subtle hue in them. The photographer, who essentially paints with light has super-spidey senses towards the intensity, colour, direction and diffusion of light. And it’s a joy to see this shift and change with as the months pass. I shoot all year round but I’m excited to share my favourite times to be outside capturing your beautiful faces!
Summer light
Most clients are surprised to hear that summer and harsh sunlight is a photographers nightmare! Give me a dull, cloudy sky any day! The sun is overhead most of the day in the summer so unless you shoot at sunrise or sunset, you are faced with squinting eyes, severe face shadows and even face shine if it’s a sweltering day. If you have assistants and areas of shade or other tricks up your sleeve like tights over the lens then you can still create beautiful and flattering portraits. But if you don’t then more lifestyle and full body/landscape is the best you can hope for. My favourite solutions are shooting in the shade or using tights over the lens…
Here are some images using tights over the lens which give a slight hazy look and dial down those harsh highlights on the face:
Here are some more summer shots using the shade:
And here is when you can totally embrace the sunlight…
The glory of winter light…
And here is where I can pull out my secret card. Winter light. It stays side-on, it has a rich golden colour most of the day not only sunrise/sunset and is beautiful diffused by moisture in the air. The most important thing is that even at 12pm, the sun remains to the side which mean super flattering light on all your facial features. Win win win for all!
Here are some of my favourite shots from this winter, which funnily was one of my busiest seasons ever…
And here is a brand shoot - I literally couldn’t believe how sunny it was yet how there was no nose shadows or bright highlighted areas of skin with the sun remaining low in the sky even at 12pm:
I know, you probably have a few questions so let me try to answer some them for you below.
But will I be shivering, will my blue lips or red nose/purple hands spoil the shot?
Well normally I will make sure that you are wrapped up until we are absolutely ready to shoot. We will keep moving so we are not standing still for too long. We can have hot drinks at the ready as well as an indoor location to warm up too. This winter has been much milder and I have not once had to reschedule a shoot due to weather. We plan the date and trust - it’s worked for me thus far. And if I notice any cold looking fingers or red noises I can colour correct these in Lightroom for you. Professional editing is standard on the final images with any of my packages.
Where will I get changed?
I probably won’t use my changing tent on colder days in favour of finding a warm changing location like a toilet or suggest wearing an outfit with a vest underneath for each top changes.
What if the weather is drizzly, overcast, thundering or snowing?
In well over 150 shoots in the last couple of years I have had to postpone a shoot due to weather only once! Cloudy skies are a photographer’s best friend remember and on photo mornings I ensure that there are also undercover places to shoot too. BUT I want my clients to be more than happy with the outcome so if something happens to ruin the photos (this has never happened either) then we will reshoot at no extra cost to you.
And there are other possibilities too, we can shoot in a studio if that suits your brand too. Get in touch if you want to know more about these sessions.
Head here for other frequently asked questions and if I’ve missed anything just drop me an email.
“ I really loved working with Donna. She has a great way of capturing really natural images with extra beauty that she has spotted. She is warm and has an amazing way of capturing images without being invasive. I love her work and her. She is a really gem of a person and photographer.”
This was shot at midday. Impossible to do this in a open space in summer and the colour of this light is utterly sublime.
Shot in December in a one-hour Power Portrait session with quite strong sunlight, the sun stayed side-on and I think you’ll agree these look like they were taken in spring or autumn. It’s important that your set of images can’t be placed into a season (unless your brand has a reason to do so) so that they can be really versatile and flexible for many uses. You can learn at least 20 uses for your headshot by receiving EXPOSURE monthly and get lots of other goodies too.
So there you have it! Have I convinced you? It’s such a joy to connect and really feel nature as part of your work and of course I work all year round. But I wanted to put your mind at ease if you were thinking of shooting now and unsure about the weather. The time is now!
So browse the dates here if you haven’t got your Power Portrait yet or book a call if you want to discuss a more detailed and tailored branding shoot. Because these are my favourite! You can get a sense of how in depth that process is here and if you want to learn more about my approach to branding and how exciting it is for you and your business then pop over here with a cuppa.
I cannot wait to hear your stories and capture you as you really are.
Love Donna x
P.S. Here’s a favourite shot from last week on the Southbank. The sun was literally positioned side on in the exact position I would place an articficial light!
If you want to keep in touch monthly via EXPOSURE then sign up below - you can keep learning more about your brand and how to uncover it with enthusiasm and authenticity as well as lots of other juicy recommendations. Plus there are tons of downloadable resources .