Winter Trail Photography With Your Phone
I’ve suggested a few times that trying your hand at some nature photography is an excellent way to engage older kids and teens during your trail time. While excursions into nature are typically a break from technology, there are times to incorporate your mobile devices. It could be just the ticket to get a reluctant kid out there to enjoy some fresh air. Finding subjects to photograph also stimulates their observational skills. They’ll appreciate what’s around them more to find good photo subjects and won’t just be counting the minutes until they can get back inside.
The question then remains about how to go about a winter photography excursion. Here are several tips to help you make this outing a success that everyone will be eager to repeat.
First, dress warmly and protect your equipment. Make sure you wear the necessary layers for a winter hike or walk on the trail. Typically, you’ll want to choose a relatively warm day for your own comfort and so your phone battery isn’t drained by the cold. As you develop this hobby (no pun intended) you may want to invest in a protective cover for cold or wet weather. But as a beginner, stick to a nice day where you won't be constrained by lots of gear.
Optimize the settings for winter lighting. Early morning and late afternoon are the best times for natural light in winter. The sunlight is softer and more diffused. You can also adjust the exposure setting on your phone’s camera to help images not get washed out by light reflecting from the snow. Learn about your phone’s camera features to help you optimize the settings. You can find the online manual for your phone model or look up an instructional video on YouTube. It can be an educational project for you and your child together.
Here is an example of my husband using the portrait mode to take a selfie. It’s a fun image of us enjoying a walk. We’re in the background in candid poses with him crisp and clear in the foreground.
One setting you can explore is HDR (High Dynamic Range) Mode. This helps to balance the exposure in scenes with bright snow and dark shadows. You’ll find this a lot in outdoor winter photography. We’ve often tried to find a shady spot so that we can open our eyes for the photo more easily only to have everyone’s face in deep shadow and everything else shining bright.
You can also make those dramatic contrasts work in your favor. Experiment with silhouettes of people, trees, wildlife, and landscapes. The bright snow against a moody winter sky can create some captivating images. You can also look for pops of color in the landscape to bring interesting contrast to the scene. Some examples are a red barn or someone’s brightly colored jacket. A splash of color across the white, gray, and brown winter landscape will draw the viewer’s eye.
Here we have high contrasts in portrait mode of my daughter on the beach in Florida. No snow, but it’s still winter!
Converse to looking for interesting wide shots, focus in on close subjects like frost covered branches and berries, icicles, wildlife tracks, etc. You can create fascinating close-up images that capture the spirit of a winter trail walk.
When you’ve captured images to your heart’s delight, play around with editing apps to enhance, adjust, and touch up your images. Be mindful not to overdue it so you maintain the natural integrity of your photos. But you may end up with a beautiful final product to print and display in your home, or enter in the county fair.
Remember, above all, to have fun capturing the beauty of winter with your family as you enjoy nature together!