The winter is a fantastic time for photography.

All that clean white snow makes a great background for your subject whether it be a brave bird on your feeder, a snowman with a bright red hat, or a child making a snow angel.

We've scoured the Internet and picked up a few helpful hints to make your winter photos a success.

Lighting & Composition

Chase the Golden & Blue Hours: Shoot during the first and last hours of daylight -- the 20–30 minute blue hour -- for rich, warm-versus-cool color contrast.

Use Negative Space: Blank white snow acts as clean negative space. Isolate a single subject—like a lone tree, animal, or person—to create a minimalist look.

Look for Color Contrast: Brightly colored clothing, red berries, or dark timber stand out sharply against a monochrome background.

Arrive Early: Be first on location before footprints ruin fresh, untouched snow drifts.

Gear & Battery Care

Keep Batteries Warm: Cold temperatures drain camera batteries fast. Store spare batteries in an inner jacket pocket close to your body heat.

Prevent Condensation: Moving a freezing camera into a warm house causes moisture to condense inside. Place the camera and lenses inside a sealed Ziploc bag or camera backpack before going indoors and let them warm up slowly for two to three hours.

Clean Lenses Safely: Use a rocket blower to dust off snowflakes instead of blowing warm breath or wiping, which can melt the snow into ice.

Protect Your Tripod: Extend only the bottom section of tripod legs if setting up in snow or water to keep upper joints from freezing and snapping.

Personal Comfort & Safety

Layer Up: Wear a moisture-wicking base layer, an insulating mid-layer (like fleece or down), and a wind- and water-resistant outer shell.

Protect Your Hands: Wear a thin pair of dexterity/liner gloves underneath warm mittens or bulky gloves so you can change camera settings without freezing your fingers.

Wear Sunglasses: Protect your eyes from intense UV glare bouncing off the snow and prevent snow blindness.

Sources: artifactuprising.com, Mads Peter Iversen, Vaclav Bacovsky, Mike Wardynski