Decent Photography in December: Tips & Ideas
It’s all too easy to want to stay indoors during December, but if you look outside, there is so much happening. Whether you are in the countryside or the city, the weeks leading up to the winter solstice offer unique opportunities that you just don't get in the spring or summer.
I took the opportunity to nip out and share some thoughts on what I’ll be shooting over the next few weeks, and how you can get the best out of this season…
Making the most of the Low Winter Sun
The first thing you notice in December is the position of the sun. As the solstice approaches (and after!), the sun hangs much lower in the northern hemisphere skies—sometimes barely breaking across the hills.
This low angle creates bold, long shadows that emphasise the texture and shape of the environment around you. It is also the perfect time to experiment with silhouettes and backlighting.
You can use the light coming from behind your subject to create a "rim light" or halo effect. To get the best from these powerful lighting conditions, you need to tell your camera how to handle the brightness to the effect you want.
Pro Tip: Exposure Compensation Whether you use a Mirrorless, DSLR or a smartphone, look for a feature called "Exposure Compensation." This allows you to manually brighten or darken the photo you’re about to take. Brighten it to keep the halo effect while revealing the details of your subject’s face. Darken it to strengthen a silhouette and embolden contrast.
Nature in Focus: Iconic Garden Birds
Starling Song visulaised in a photograph
From migrating exotic birds to grey seal pups, December is a fantastic time for wildlife. But don’t overlook your own backyard, as exploring iconic garden birds like the Robin, Wren, Blackbird, and Thrush offer wonderful and exciting photo oppirtunities. As birds thast are more accustomed to human presence, there’s real opportunities to create powerful and intimate photos of garden birds.
Look for frost: A crisp morning with frost on the trees or ground creates a classic "winter wonderland" look.
Capture the song: On very cold mornings, you might even be able to catch the visualisation of bird song as the steam escaping their beak
Keep an Eye Out for Rarer Visitors While you are looking at the garden birds, keep an eye out for migrants passing through, such as Redwings or the exquisite Waxwing.
Soak Up the City Atmosphere
If you are more interested in photographing people and atmosphere, head to the cities. Christmas markets and fairs are great for capturing candid moments, but don't let bad weather stop you. We can't expect every day to be sunny in December. In fact, the wetter days are often better for city photography. When the ground is wet, the road surfaces reflect the Christmas lights beautifully. Head out in the rain or just after a shower to capture those atmospheric, moody reflections that make for great greeting cards.
Document the Overlooked
Finally, don’t overlook your own home and festive tradition. We often assume everyone celebrates Christmas is similars way or that no-one would be interested in your own customs, but we all have our own unique traditions and celebrations that make for fascinating photographs. Try to document the mundane, everyday things that happen over the festive period that other people might overlook. Historically, the photographs that stand the test of time are often the ones that capture ordinary life.
Over to You! Hopefully, this gives you enough inspiration to brave the cold and head out with your camera in the weeks ahead.
I’d love to see what you create—let me know how you get on and share some of your photos in the comments below!
