Kate Evans' Photography Tips

Well, well! Winter is here! You may think it’s time to pack away your camera. You might think there is not much to take photos of as it’s getting dark early and with the rainly weather. Actually there are plenty of opportunities to take photos in the winter! There will be more helpful topics online!

In this topic, we will talk about night photography.

All you need is a tripod, plenty of layers of clothing to keep warm, and your favourite warm drink in your bag! One of my regular Winter photography subjects is a Winter Wonderland. These are held in most cities, there are plenty of lights and it gives you an opportunity to set up your camera on a tripod to help take great photos. 

Have a look on your lens, does it have infinity on it? Infinity looks like this ‘∞’ symbol – show picture. If there is no symbol, take a photo in the day time, making sure your photo is in focus. Mark the spot you are using because you won’t be able to see if your photos are in focus at night time as it will be too dark or the movements too too quick. This will ensure your nighttime photos are in focus.

If you would like to achieve a blur movement, this can be achieved using a slow shutter speed. If you are after sharp images, use a faster shutter speed. To see how I achieved it, go to www.slfirst.co.uk/photography and look for my Winter Wonderland article. 

This time of year is ideal to think of the many picturesque and wonderful buildings, castles and bridges (Newport footbridge.jpg) that are lit up at night around you. This is a wonderful opportunity to take photos in a different way to the traditional photos taken in daylight. You will need some patience to get it right and you will need to be willing to take photos in the cold!

It is also a good idea to find out if there are any events on in your area. I am planning on going to Westonbirt Arboretum's Enchanted Christmas in a few weeks  http://www.forestry.gov.uk and I know it will provide the opportunity to take fab photos of wonderful colours at night. If you are interested in finding out what’s happening in the UK, search online using “illuminated gardens”. The link here shows a list of gardens that do illuminations www.greatbritishgardens.co.uk

I visited a beautifully illuminated building a few years ago. It was Picton Castle in Pembrokeshire and I was able to take great pictures. It had a theme of a ‘Secret Garden’. Sadly, they seem to have stopped doing it at the moment, but I had a great time and was ‘wowed’ by it.  These are some of the pictures that i was able take.

Please keep checking online for new articles on tips and ideas on what to do in Winter months!