How to nail winter and Christmas photography

With fewer hours of daylight and lower visibility, photo opportunities might seem more limited in the winter. But with the right perspective, the colder seasons can present a chance to capture more striking and atmospheric images than are possible on cloudless summer days.

We know that the appeal of getting outside with your camera can drop as the warm, sunny days dwindle, but winter brings with it some stunning backdrops for photography, and a well taken festive photo is something that can be cherished for a lifetime.

So, come rain or come shine, next time you're out, bring your camera and take note of our tips below for a touch of inspiration.

For great photography whatever the weather, take a look at our digital camera reviews to find a model that will do your snaps justice.

Make the most of gloomy weather

One of the best things about winter photography is that the season introduces new colour palettes to play with.

Whether it's the excitement of the city's bright neon reflecting in roadside puddles, the soft hues of a snowy day or the skeletal figures of leafless trees against a dark sky, there are new colours to capture in the environment and new moods to create. Even a grey, foggy day can become a moody, mysterious image with the right framing.

To properly capture this, pay attention to your surroundings and what will looks good in a photo. For example, when the evening draws in early, there are often synthetic blue and orange hues in the city, which make for a dynamic contrast. Because orange and blue are opposite each other in the colour wheel, together they please our natural affinity for contrasts.

In the same vein, if the weather's snowy, then there are unique conditions to capture. The white of the snow helps to create an image that's gentle to the eye and it makes splashes of colour pop in contrast - for example, by making a red winter berry or a dark orange sunset look resplendent.

Key camera settings for winter

Getting the perfect shot might mean you need different camera settings to those you'd use on a bright, sunny day. Here are some key tactics to try.

• Reduce the shutter speed for an artistic blur This will mean that moving objects such as drops of rain, falling snowdrops or flowing rivers will move quicker than the camera will take the photo. This can produce an artistic blur, showing the movement of the environment and really bringing your photos to life. It's also helpful for capturing the necessary amount of light without overexposing your photos.
• Or increase the shutter speed to crystalise rain drops on a rainy day A very fast shutter speed can help you capture falling rain, so drops appear frozen in mid air.
• Invest in a camera with good image stabilisation This will help if the weather is biting and your hands are shaking. Modern cameras are good at minimising camera shake and high-end ones have complex systems within them which let the sensor move around to counteract movement.
• Consider a macro lens to capture small details in full-sized glory This will make tiny objects look larger than life in photos. The sorts of details you could capture include frozen water drops, frosty objects in the early morning, tiny berries and more. All you need to do is attach the lens to your interchangeable lens camera and get close to the subject.
• Consider a black and white filter This can be a good option if you're struggling with muted colours. By rendering a photo black and white you call attention to the shapes in it, which is great for dramatic shots, shots of intricate details and photos on those days where the natural colours are decidedly sludgy.
• Adjust the white balance During the winter months, the light can be quite cool, so you should adjust your white balance setting to compensate. Most cameras will have a pre-set 'shady' or 'cloudy' white balance level you can use, which will help create a more natural-looking image.

How to photograph Christmas lights

We've all been there - you go to take a photo of a beautifully lit up Christmas tree or the town's Christmas lights, only to find that your snap is a blurry, lens-flare ridden mess. Taking any sort of photo in dark settings is difficult, and doubly so if your subject is thousands of tiny Christmas lights. Thankfully, there are a few steps you can take to help capture their beautiful glow and the scene around them. 

• Turn your flash off The likelihood is you're far enough away that the flash is not going to help you with anything, and even if it does; the flash will discolour the Christmas lights.
• Use a slow shutter speed Because the scene is dark, you want to let more light into the camera by using a slower shutter speed. This also helps with capturing every light if they're blinking. Keep in mind though that the longer the shutter speed, the larger the glow of each individual light source, which can leave your photo looking overexposed and cluttered. A slower shutter speed also makes your photo exponentially more affected by any wobbles as you're holding the camera, so if possible, definitely use a tripod.
• Adjust the ISO ISO is your camera's sensitivity to light, and you'll want to up your ISO to compensate for darkness. The higher the ISO the grainier the final photos become, so be careful not to overcorrect here. 
• Lower your aperture A lower aperture will allow more light into your photo, but it will give your photo a smaller depth of field - not ideal if you're trying to focus on a large-scale Christmas display, but worth playing with to find a good balance.
• Shoot at dusk or dawn, not night If you can help it, shooting in the twilight hours is the best way to capture the detail of Christmas lights. There's enough ambient light to define the shapes of objects and structures, but you'll still be able to get the full effect of the colours and brightness of artificial lights. 

Braving the elements, and what to do when your camera gets wet

Fortunately, your camera is unlikely to be damaged by a little rain, even if you briefly get caught in a storm.

But an extended, torrential deluge may be a different matter and unless you have a waterproof camera with an armour-like casing, it could be damaged by very hostile conditions. If you do get caught out and your camera gets wet, you should follow these steps:

• Turn your camera off. You don't want to fry any of the electrical components inside the camera.
• Take out the battery and memory card, and leave them somewhere they can dry out. Before removing the lens, use a soft towel to dab the seal where it connects to the camera body, to prevent any water getting into the sensor. Once you've removed the lens, quickly put the cap on to protect the sensor from any water or dust in the air. 
• Dab any other water droplets off of the camera and its parts, but be gentle - you don't want to end up pushing any liquid further into the camera. 
• Leave it to dry - make sure it's left somewhere well ventilated and reasonably warm. 
• If your camera still seems broken or faulty after drying off, you may want to seek professional help. Some camera repair shops may be able to help clean out the camera properly and replace any damaged components. 

Of course, ideally the camera doesn't get wet in the first place. Some of our tips to protect your valuable investment include:

• Use a lens hood. These wrap around your lens to protect them from bad conditions and they don't get in the way of your shot. They can actually help you, especially if rain keeps getting on your lens, obstructing or blurring your photo.
• Camera rain covers shroud your whole camera in something that looks like a poncho, protecting the whole device.
• If you're using a tripod, cover your station with an umbrella by affixing an umbrella clip to the stem. If you're on the go, this is where smaller cameras can come handy, because they can be operated in one hand while you hold your umbrella with the other.
• Place your camera in a bag before bringing it indoors. This allows it to warm up more gradually, and so avoids condensation building up.

Can I use my smartphone camera for Christmas photography? 

Whilst smartphone cameras don't allow for as much control over your image as an actual camera does, there are still some things you can do to try and capture the magic of Christmas lights. Follow as many of the steps above as possible, and be sure to use night mode if possible – this usually turns on automatically if your phone detects you're in a dark environment, but you can also turn it on manually. Just make sure to stay completely still while taking the picture.  

You should also take control of the focus and exposure – automatic settings are convenient, but with things like Christmas lights, they can just be annoying; constantly refocusing if lights are blinking or moving in some way. 

Lock your focus by tapping and holding on the subject (the Christmas lights you want to capture, in this case), and slide your finger up or down to adjust the exposure, and see what level is going to look the best for your photo. If you want to get creative you can experiment with focusing on something in the foreground, using the lights as an interesting out-of-focus background - blur as an aesthetic, rather than an accident. 

Find out why you should be careful with digital zoom

Great cameras for Christmas, and bad weather photography

If you want a good camera, you're spoiled for choice in 2022. There are plenty of fantastic models from brands like Canon, Nikon, Panasonic, Sony and more. 

Here, we've pulled out the key features of a couple of popular models as a starting point - a high-end mirrorless camera and a more affordable compact camera. Click through to our digital camera reviews to find out if they will deliver sensational shots whatever the weather, or check out two great picks below.

Nikon Z 50 mirrorless camera

As a high-end camera for less than £1,000, the Z 50 is a temping proposition.

It's an interchangeable lens mirrorless camera with the specs to serve you well in pretty much any scenario, including low-light winter conditions.

One of the main advantages that any DSLR or mirrorless camera has over compact alternatives is the larger sensors. This means they can take in more light, which is vital on gloomier days. They also tend to come with large ISO ranges to brighten images.

Is this camera worth spending the best part of a grand on? Find out in our expert Nikon Z 50 review.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX15 compact camera

With a single, fixed lens, compact cameras typically can't produce the exceptional quality of the best high-end DSLR or mirrorless cameras.

That said, modern compact cameras have become very good at offering control to their users. Although they boast smaller sensors and fewer lens options, they are still capable of taking great snaps given the chance.

The DMC-LX15 is one of the cheaper cameras you can buy. Billed as an enthusiast's compact, this small camera can be easily popped into a jacket pocket. It has a 20Mp 1-inch sized sensor, up to 3x optical zoom, and can take 4K video and stills. It also has image stabilisation features that could come in handy during cold snaps, 

One disadvantage is that it lacks a viewfinder, which some may find an annoying omission.

Discover whether its other assets make up for this lack in our Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX15 review.

Save money with a second-hand camera

A digital camera can be a great Christmas present for a loved one, but even the cheaper models are still an expensive option. A great way to save some money is to opt for a second-hand camera. The market for used cameras is huge - there's plenty of scope for finding a used version of whatever model you have in mind, at a cut-down price.

Of course, buying second-hand comes with some risks. Be sure to read our guide on how to buy a second-hand or refurbished camera to learn everything you should consider before snapping one up.