In honor of Michigan winters and the last three weddings that I’ve shot being December snow-fests, this post is about shooting while you’re shivering.

Really, if you are a shooter in any great northern state such as mine, finding folks who want to brave the cold for their big day might be the biggest challenge for your winter shooting. Really, these people are out there and they (whether they know it or not) are  uncovering a less often found gem of the wedding date search. Venues are decorated more elaborately for the holidays, rates are often better for services and the winter landscape can offer a unique and beautiful setting. Winter weddings and winter photography can be truly rewarding if you go about it the right way.

First of all, it is going to be cold, so just get over it. Winter is cold. Snow is cold. Deal. If you live in the northern US, you ought to be used to it by now. I do suggest dressing in layers, though. I’ve discovered this year that fingerless gloves are an absolute must for outdoor sessions. Unfortunate enough for me, I just came to this conclusion after about five sessions that left my hands red and burning from exposure. My 5D MKII feels like gripping onto a block of ice after about an hour outside.

On this same note, I’ve taken to suit jackets and blazers more often than I do throughout the year. This way I can shed my coat if I am feeling warm, but still have an additional (and professional) layer to fight off the elements. Advising your clients to dress appropriately for outdoor sessions can be tough since you don’t want them to appear too “bulky” for a casual session. On the wedding day, they will be almost assuredly freezing, but properly adorned.

Once you’re comfortable it is just a matter of making the most out of the weather. Foremost, I like to incorporate the elements. If it is cold, I look for breath. If the snow or rain is coming down, I don’t run away from it, but rather light it up and use it to create atmosphere. You can’t hide from it, so you might as well own it. Also, going for bright blown skies and stark openness can provide good contrast with your subject, so I look for that whenever possible. Neither togs or subjects should ever consider winter too “ugly” or gray for a good session.

GEEKY PARAGRAPH:

To get the snow flakes or rain drops really glowing, I typically use a speed light (in my case a Canon 430ex on a light stand, triggered by Skyport universals). Placing this light behind your subjects and setting it to output a few stops over ambient will work for the glowing affect seen below. I have a tendency to shoot at a higher ISO, myself. This way the flash doesn’t need to do as much work and I can get a quicker shutter. Other benefits to the higher ISO are quicker recycle times on the flash and being able to let more ambient light sneak in, so that you can better affect the flash output using your aperture. You can either feather the light, stop down your lens or reduce the output of your flash to get more subtle precipitation and less flare. if it is dark enough the spill from the single light should be enough to illuminate you subjects, so you can get away with a one-light setup. This is the case in my examples below.

Finally, you can’t worry about shooting in the dark. The days are short, so multiple-light setups and moody beams of illumination can really make the dim afternoons and evenings of the winter seem festive and alive. Plus, if you must shoot indoors you’ll need these same lighting techniques at times to keep dim halls and churches feeling alive for your portrait sessions.

This was my busiest December ever for outdoor sessions, and I really hope that it repeats again next year. Happy New Year.