Winter is not only the cold season when we want to put on all the warm clothes that are at home. It also means beautiful snow-covered streets, frost on trees, and fascinating snowfall. And it is a great time to take beautiful shots on your camera or video camera. Let’s look at winter photo and video shooting ideas that you can use regardless of your camera or place of residence.
The right choice of equipment will make your shooting better
First, you need to be confident in your shooting technique. Stock up on extra batteries – at the most inopportune moment, the equipment may run out of power, especially if you shoot in the cold season. Just in case, bring a charger and a USB cable. You can go to a cafe or shopping center to warm up and drink coffee, as well as recharge your device.
Currently, the market offers a good deal of equipment from different manufacturers. The most popular cameras are from Nikon, Canon, and Sony, with FujiFilm not lagging behind these manufacturers. Each camera has its own advantages. New models are lighter and compact, so they are convenient to take with you. They also have the function of transferring photos via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to your smartphone. Just download the app that you can use to do this. For example, I recommend taking a closer look at FujiFilm cameras. I started using one of them not so long ago (before that, I’d worked with a Nikon camera for eight years). I like the color reproduction of images in this camera, as well as its size and weight.
If we talk about video cameras, then in this case, the manufacturer Panasonic is in the lead. But Sony and Canon also remain the favorites of professionals and beginners. Choose a video camera based on its functionality: the ability of night video shooting, zoom, image resolution, the ability to use as a camera (so you will save money by getting one device instead of two), the type of card and its maximum volume, camera size, and battery capacity. Some people often pay attention to the appearance of the device, but in my opinion, this is the wrong approach. First, you need to study the device’s functionality, read articles and reviews, and research forums for information. If possible, borrow a camera from your friends to test it and see if you like it.
As you understand, the quality of your photos and videos, your mood, and the mood of your client or friend you are shooting depends on the right technique. Choose your equipment responsibly, based on professional reviews and recommendations.
After choosing the shooting technique, we will discuss tips and ideas for selecting a shooting location.
The secret to successful photo and video shooting is in choosing the right location
Have you already decided where you will take photos or videos? Will it be a walking photoshoot, or will you be shooting in nature? Let’s look at all the advantages and disadvantages of ideas for shooting in winter.
First, you need to prepare for the photoshoot. Decide on the day, be sure to look at the weather forecast, and choose the time when you will go outside. It may be morning time – and you will catch the rays of the sun. Or it could be evening and you can take stunning pictures at sunset. And if there is snowfall on this day, then you will get magic shots, as if you were in a winter fairy tale!
Don’t forget about warm clothes, because you don’t want to get sick after shooting. During the walk, you can go to warm up in cafes or shopping centers, as well as take a break and drink coffee.
Now let’s look at ideas for photos:
Walking photo session on the street. This is the most popular and less expensive type of shooting. You just walk with a person and take photos near the places that you like. It can be a park, a busy avenue, a square, or local attractions. If the person you are shooting is shy or feeling uncomfortable, you can give them some tips on how not to be afraid of taking photos, as well as try to reveal it. If this is your friend, then you shouldn’t have any problems. And if you are shooting a stranger, first talk to them before shooting, discuss ideas, suggestions, and fears. During the shooting, behave naturally, smile, and give the person the opportunity to behave in the same way.
Outdoor photo session. If you have an opportunity to get out of the city, into the forest, mountains, or lake – take it. You have a chance to capture the sunrise or sunset, the play of sunlight or snowfall. Photos or videos in nature are an opportunity to show not only the beauty of a person in the frame but also the beauty of the environment.
You can take your props with you. For example, it can be a battery-powered garland, a thermos and a mug for tea or coffee (or maybe a glass for mulled wine), a blanket, Christmas toys (which you can hang on the fir tree if you are going to the forest), or sparklers.
Sports photoshoot. Winter is a time for active sports such as skating, snowboarding, and skiing. If the person you are shooting is interested in these sports, you can make a great sports photoshoot or record a video with various tricks. Go to the ice rink or ski base, and shoot there.
A love story or a fun photo and video shoot with a group of friends.In winter, you can shoot a beautiful love story. For example, on a day when it’s snowing, you can shoot a couple hugging each other. Take some props with you – a basket with food and a blanket for a photoshoot in nature, gift bags or boxes, as the New Year is approaching. You can take shots of a group of friends walking down the street or having fun in nature. Invite them to play snowballs or make a snowman, and your pictures will be lively and joyful!
Photo studio or home if the cold weather interfered with your shooting.If the weather forecast is incorrect and it is very cold outside, you can arrange a photoshoot in a studio or at home. The list of ideas, in this case, is diverse. On New Year’s Eve, you can create pictures or videos of the Christmas tree. Take a picture of a person or company decorating a Christmas tree, packing or unwrapping gifts, or sitting by the fireplace with a glass of wine. These photos will be cozy and warm and give you the New Year’s mood.
You have read the ideas for photo and video shooting, you already have beautiful frames, but they are not processed. Let’s talk about photo and video editors that are now popular, as well as effects and filters that are used by professionals.
Photo and video processing is another success criterion
Have you noticed that every photographer or videographer has their own style of processing? They may use the same programs, but their work is radically different. Finding your own style in processing is very important. Your work will be recognizable, thanks to an individual style of processing.
The most famous processing programs that you’ve probably heard of are Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom. It is often noted that this is software for professional photographers. I partially agree with this opinion. It is quite difficult to get the hang of these programs from using them for the first time, so I was looking for alternative options. I’ve tried a lot of photo editing programs, both on my computer and on my smartphone, and I’m ready to highlight my favorites.
Luminar – I use this photo editor often. I like its speed and simplicity. I often use the skin retouching tool if I take portraits.
PhotoScape is a simple photo editor when you need to quickly crop a photo or edit brightness and contrast. I would use the effects of this photo editor, but they’ve lost their relevance. You can also edit out the red-eye, remove pimples, and clone objects.
PicMonkey is an online photo editor with a lot of interesting effects and filters. If you don’t like natural photos and minimal retouching, you can use this photo editor. It offers a variety of effects and presets, stickers, and frames.
If we talk about image processing on a smartphone, my favorite is VSCO. Beautiful filters, traditional functions for adjusting brightness, contrast, temperature, as well as adding grain. This tool is available in the AppStore or Google Play.
This year, natural photos without numerous retouching and effects are more popular than frames and filters. It is more pleasant to look at a portrait where the skin looks natural, even with small flaws. Film effects, frames, and captions are common among many photographers.
The field of video editing does not stand still. Every year, there are new trends in video shooting and editing, and 2020 is no exception – subtitles, personal stories, and animation are a small part of the trends. This year, new tools for video editing have appeared as well, and online video editors have become popular, which I want to tell you about.
The discovery of the year for me was the online video editor Fastreel. This is a simple video editing tool where you can crop, edit, add effects, subtitles, and titles. Of course, this is a standard set for a video editor, but this program has a clear interface and fast operation. It doesn’t freeze like some programs. The main thing is to have a stable Internet connection to work in online video editors.
In second place, comes Kizoa. It is also an online program where you can work with videos. This program supports popular video formats (MP4, MKV, DVD, and others) and also allows you to add music to videos. I think it’s very convenient.
Also, I want to talk about FlexClip. In this video editor, you can also choose music for the video, effects, or animations. It’s faster and clearer than I like.
Conclusion
I hope that you have learned more about ideas for photo and video shooting in winter, and how important it is to choose the right technique and program for processing photos and videos. If you have any additions to the ideas or you want to tell us about your experience using the technique or program for processing, then leave your comments under the article.
Comments are closed.