Winter Photo Shoots

There is something undeniably special about a winter photo shoot, but it is often dismissed for a summer shoot instead. In this blog, I want to share with you exactly why I LOVE a winter photo shoot, but first just a couple of details on how I offer them.

2021 photo shoots are fully booked, however, if you are within a 40 mile radius of SY5 9EP, there is a small chance that you could make that dream photo shoot happen before the end of the year or early in 2022!

During the winter, planning a set date for photo shoot bookings becomes a little tricky. Of course, even in the summer, there is a risk of bad weather on the chosen day, however in the winter, the chances of this happening are much higher, which can lead to us sadly having to reschedule.

So what if I told you there is a way to guarantee you have the perfect conditions for your photo shoot, wether that be Frost, snow or a beautiful sunny afternoon? For the past 4 years, I have created a frost and snow list for this exact reason, for those of you who are flexible with dates and desperate for an amazing winter photo shoot! How does it work? If you would love a frost, snow or winter sun shoot and live within 40miles of SY5 9EP, you can request to have your name added to the list. When the forecast looks perfect (I can usually tell about about 48hours beforehand) for your chosen theme, I will contact the person at the top of the list and we will arrange the photo shoot. If you are at the top of the list, but not available on the selected day, that is no problem, as I will simply move on to the next person & Return to you when the forecast looks perfect again. Currently there are 4 people on my Frost list & 5 on the Snow, so if you get your name added soon, there is every possibility that you will have your shoot before the end of Winter or possibly even before the end of 2021!

So, choosing the theme for you!

I get unbelievably exited every time a frost shoot is scheduled and for good reason! What do I love so much about these magical sessions?

• I wake up early, before it is light and the first thing I do is get my torch and check that the frost has formed as anticipated! When a beautiful glisten is reflected back, I know that we are set to go ahead with the shoot.
• I start almost every frost shoot journey in the dark (unless my client is very local) the roads are always very quiet and as I near the location, I get to watch as it gradually becomes lighter and the full extent of the winter landscape is revealed.
• To the shoot itself, I adore the beautiful blue tones we get at the start of the shoot, before the sun rises above the horizon. After about half an hour, the golden light filters through the trees, casting long elegant shadows and adding a contrast to the already beautiful colours.
• As the sun shines through, I can capture the beautiful “dragon’s breath” effect, adding even more atmosphere to the images. (Dragons breath is when you can see yours & your horses breath on a cold day, but it is even more beautiful when illuminated by the sun)
• Another positive to a frost shoot… there is no mud, as it is usually frozen!
• Warm, cozy layers, puffer jackets, thick wooly jumpers and ear warmers, gorgeous accessories to really embrace on a chilly morning
• Every element of your usual landscape is transformed on a frosty morning. small water droplets which cling to a variety of different types of foliage really create spectacular backdrops or features for me to shoot through.
• When I get back in to the car after an amazing shoot, the heating goes on full blast & I am guaranteed to drive home with a big smile on my face!
• Getting home by late morning, making a hot chocolate and sitting in front of the log burner while backing up the images taken and having a brief edit while choosing a preview to send to you later that day.

Honestly, after writing that, it has got me even more exited for frost shoots & I can’t wait for the first (hopefully soon).

What are the drawbacks to a frost shoot? Well, there is only one really, early mornings! A frost shoot usually starts between 7:30 and 8am, as the frost melts soon after the sun has risen. Once you have allowed enough time to get ready, it does mean an early start (but trust me, it is worth it) and in comparison to a sunrise shoot in the summer, where we would need to start shooting at about 4am… it isn’t too bad.

I speak to a lot of fellow equestrians who dread the snow. As a horse owner myself I completely understand. The Ice, frozen pipes, freezing cold and unridable arenas are absolutely reasons to dislike it… however I think we can all agree it is BEAUTIFUL!

So this year, if you choose snow as your photo shoot style of choice, you will see the forecast and look forward to it with anticipation rather than dread.

What do I love about snow photo shoots?

• As I have already said, it is beautiful! wether it be a light sprinkling or a thick blanket, the images are always STUNNING!
• I often have clients ask If grey horses are okay for snow shoots (some people are concerned they will blend with the backdrop too much) but honestly, I LOVE them. You can easily distinguish between the snow and the horse, while getting a beautiful minimalist finish unlike any other season.
• Almost all of the positives from frost shoots apply here, Blue tones, dragons breath, no mud and lovely cozy clothing.
• Also, like with the frost shoots, there is usually no mud
• We don’t usually have to start the photo shoot quite as early as we would a frost one, which gives you a more civilised morning to get prepared.
• It is a real treat to look forward to on a day where you may not be able to stick to your usual riding routine.
  

(Increasingly while writing this blog, I am finding myself looking forward to winter photo shoots even more!)

What are the drawbacks to a snow shoot? Again, there is only one, which for the snow is me getting to you. I can thankfully use our 4×4, but if the snow really is thick, I may not be able to get to you immediately. Sometimes it is just a matter of waiting 24 hours for the roads to clear a little and then we can go ahead as planned.

Any sun that we are blessed with in the winter is to be celebrated, as we can never know what the next day will bring. What do I love about the winter sun photo shoots?

• During the winter, due to the shorter days, the sun never rises very high in the sky. The image above was actually taken at 1:30 in the afternoon, but due to the positioning of the sun, it meant that we had that beautiful golden hour light throughout the photo shoot.
• As with any winter photo shoot, we can embrace beautiful clips, which make horses look oh so smart.
• On a chilly winters day, the sun means we can capture the “dragons breath” effect
• Photo shoots can take place any time during the day (usually somewhere between a 10am and 2pm start time) which gives plenty of time to get yourself and your horse(s) ready
• We can use a multitude of different coloured backdrops. This beautiful evergreen gave a fresh, minty colour to this image, however we also found a lot of bronze, golden and mustard colours among the leaves left from autumn.
• Again, as with all of the shoot themes, cozy clothing.

I think you can tell from this blog that I LOVE winter sessions & I hope that if you were a little unsure about this as a photo shoot season, you are now equally convinced by it’s beauty. So when you see a frost, snow or some beautiful light this winter, you can almost guarantee I will be out photographing in it… the question is, will I be photographing you?

If you would like to be added to one of the photo shoot lists, please complete the form below. Once complete, please check your email for confirmation once I have processed your request. Thank You, Amelia.