Finding Artistic Compositions on a Winter Nature Photography Walk

Many nature photographers hang up their cameras in the cold winter months and focus on their backlog of post processing work.  I find winter to be a great season for nature photography with great opportunities for creative, artistic photographs.

I recently took a winter nature photography walk and there wasn’t any snow on the ground.  Even without snow on the ground, you can still find artistic nature compositions in the winter.  Here are a few ideas for finding compositions while enjoying nature in the winter season.

Sunrises and Sunsets

Sunrises and sunsets are still beautiful in the winter.  Look for reflections in lakes, ponds and on the ice.  Also look for the sunlight shining through the trees in the forest.

Winter Red Leaves

Leaves Still Hanging On

Leaves still hanging on branches, especially with a clean background, can make beautiful compositions. Try darkening the background in Photoshop to make the leaves pop.

Winter Thistle

Seed Pods

Photographing seed pods, the tops of grasses, and thistle can make some nice artistic photographs.  Once again, a clean background is essential.  Try adding a texture to the background to add interest to your photograph.

Ice Pattern Macro

Ice Patterns

This will require a macro lens and maybe a set of extension tubes to get close to the ice.  But Ice macro photographs can be fun to photograph and each pattern is unique.

Ohio Barn in the Warm Morning Light

Barns and Buildings

Barns and buildings can be just as beautiful with dead grasses and barren trees if you get the right lighting on them.

Use the grasses as the foreground and see if you can find layers in the grasses to add visual interest to you photograph.  In this photograph of the barn, I use the different colors and lighting of the grasses to form layers and add interest to the foreground.

Written by Martin Belan

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Winter Macro Photography Ideas and Tips
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