With the days being shorter there’s less time to capture your content using natural light. However, this doesn’t mean you can’t use the few hours of daylight at this time of year to your advantage.
There are several ways you can utilise natural light during this season to ensure your images stand out from the sea of content already out there. Planning the time of day you capture your imagery is essential as the light will reflect the mood and aesthetic your picture produces.
So, if you’re looking to use natural light in your photography, carry on reading.
Blue Hour
You may ask yourself, what is blue hour? Well, it’s the opposite of golden hour and it’s that moment just before sunrise. This time of day produces stunning blue hues when captured correctly and it can illuminate the subject in front of you. The blue hues in this image bounce off each other and create a cold look.
Light rays or bursts
There will be moments when the sun casts a beautiful light ray or sun burst onto the subject you’re photographing. Let this frame your image and highlight the objects you’re capturing; it will bring out the details you may have not seen before. Also, it will draw the viewer’s eyes in.
Shadows
The position of the low sun can create captivating shadows. For instance, this image looks like it’s a carpet with shadows reflecting on it – well that’s my interpretation. However, it’s in fact shadows casted on snow, which almost makes the image look abstract. With shadows, you can play with composition to make your imagery more unique.
Autumnal aesthetic
There are various locations during winter that will create an autumnal vibe when using natural lighting. The colours in this image create a nicely balanced autumnal image, with orange and red tones and mist in the background. If you live close to a forest area, why not take an adventure out?
Golden Hour
Golden hour is that time of day just before sunset when the sun admits a beautiful yellow-orange light, and creates shadows due to the angle. This is the perfect time to capture content and create a nice depth of field in your imagery. In this image, the sun highlights the detail in the foreground and creates a darker middle field, then adds a burst of light in the background.
Low light
During winter, natural light conditions may not always be bright. You’re going to get low light situations or overcasts. You can still capture great content by using low light to your advantage, using a tripod and longer exposure times will ensure your images are correctly exposed without camera shake. In this case, the low light and mist creates an eerie vibe.
With all that in mind, you’re now set to capture your content using natural winter light to your advantage.
Need further inspiration? Cast your eyes over our curated natural light lightbox.