What’s Your Favorite Time Of Year?
Portrati of a young woman on a winter's day in Eltham, Melbourne.
What’s your favorite time of year? Let’s explore the seasons and the opportunities for great photos they provide.
Do you love the long, warm days of summer or do you prefer being snuggled up on the couch on a cold winter’s day watching movies or your favorite winter sports?
Perhaps you get an extra bounce in your step when spring comes around. It’s the time of year for renewal and growth, and there’s no better time to wake from your winter slumber and get out and about with your camera.
If you’re like me you’re particularly fond of the sombre tones and contemplative state of mind that’s associated with autumn.
But all seasons of the year offer great opportunities for photography. In fact, no matter the weather, it’s the idea of making photos that best transforms my mindset and propels me into action.
I made the above image of a young woman on a winter’s day at a photography workshop I was running at Montsalvat, an artist’s retreat that’s open to the public in Eltham, an outer suburb of Melbourne.
As you can see winter days often provide very flattering light for portraits.
I’ve run my own portrait photography studio utilizing studio lighting and painted backgrounds. I have a good understanding of the quality of light and how to control lighting ratios between the lighter and darker sides of a subject’s face.
I’ve also done documentary and photojournalistic assignments where, with no other choice, I’ve had to resort to fill flash.
Under those circumstances there’s no doubt that fill flash can really save your bacon. But these days I work almost entirely with natural light.
It’s simple, if you know how, and a lot more fun than carting all manner of lighting equipment around with you. While flash works for some folks, it’s just not the way I choose to roll these days.
Frankly I’d much rather carry an extra lens or two. And there are some amazing lenses on the market these days.
I love writing and I spend an enormous amount of time crafting posts to inform and inspire you on the Travel Photography Guru blog.
Nonetheless, I’m happiest making photos and it’s the photos I create that prompt me to write more blog posts.
And so the wheel of life turns and one year runs into another.
A stand of trees in the snow near Harbin, China.
Winter Weather Isn’t For Everyone
Over the years I’ve known numerous people who proudly proclaimed that winter was their favorite time of year.
More often than not these folk lived and worked in very comfortable and well heated environments.
All that’s great and I wish everyone had the opportunity to live and work so comfortably.
Looking out on a snow covered landscape, such as this stand of trees near the city of Harbin in Northeast China, would be wonderful through the window of a well heated home or office.
As it was I made the image while making the most of my time, while waiting for well over an hour in conditions that reached minus 10 degrees Celsius, for a taxi back into town.
It’s a simple image that’s built around the tree in the centre of the frame.
Other than the central nature of the primary focal point, the image is based around line and the relationship between groups of trees within the frame.
This technique is particularly strong when you link elements within the frame into triangular shapes. Take a look at this image of the trees in the snow to see where I’ve been able to do that.
Believe me if it works with trees it will work with donuts, widgets or flowers. The notion of grouping elements into triangles is a really powerful way to improve the composition in your photos.
The texture in the trees is another element of composition that I’ve made use of in this image.
In this case it helps tell the story of the life cycle of the trees and how the surface of the bark looks during the winter months.
I do believe that effort and determination are critical factors in the success of any photographer.
I’m certainly not trying to put anyone down who doesn’t feel like they’re achieving the results they want from their photography. This whole site came into being as a way to help folks make better photos.
And, of course, the major of your time and efforts will be invested into your job and family. You may have achieved fantastic success in your career and/or brought up happy and highly motivated children.
I think that’s fantastic. You’re one of the world’s unsung hero’s and there’s no doubt you’re a success.
But to improve your photography it’s necessary to invest time and effort to begin to realize your own creative potential.
And if landscape or sports photography is your passion you need to ensure your mindset is such that you won’t fall apart when taken out of your comfort zone.
The idea of photographing snow on a beach in the Caribbean is a dream that, unless our climate goes completely pair shaped, just won’t happen.
Cold or rainy days are challenging, but they also offer great opportunities for photography. In fact I wrote a really popular post on this very topic which I’m sure you’ll find informative and inspirational.
It’s titled Rainy Day Pics and Inclement Weather.
Unless you actually experience the cold, the damp, the rain or the winds of winter then it might be that you’ve forgotten just how hard winter can be.
At the very least I think it’s important to spare a thought for folks who spend a lot of time outside in the elements or in a home with less than adequate heating.
For those not use to such adversity it’s amazing how negative emotions, defeatism and a lack of commonsense can seep into one’s behavior.
One way to help manage this situation is to grit your teeth and tell yourself it’s worth putting up with the hardship to be able to make a great photo.
Personally I prefer a different approach.
I simply smile, concentrate on the subject, the composition and the light and remind myself how lucky I am to be out and about in the fresh air doing what it is I love to do.
Trees, heavily laden with snow, in winter on Huangshan mountain in China.
Believe me I’m not trying to belittle anyone. That’s just not how I roll. I see these kinds of attitudes and behaviors as a metaphor for modern living and just how detached we’ve become from the natural world.
The solution I prescribe is immersion. I encourage everyone to get out and about into the landscape and into the weather whenever you can.
After all there’s nothing more pleasing than a warm home environment after a day out walking in the rain.
Clearly you need to dress appropriately and ensure you don’t take unnecessary risks when you’re out and about making photos.
But to appreciate rain, let alone be able to photograph it, you have to experience it.
For me that means walking in the rain, whenever I have an opportunity to do so.
But it also means sitting down and slowly enjoying the simple pleasure of a cool glass of tap water after a long walk on a summer’s day.
It’s a pleasure that’s not available to many dislocated and disadvantaged people around the world.
Appreciating a natural resource, like water, means we’re much less likely to waste it. And there can be no doubt about the importance of managing such an essential natural resource given the nature of our changing world.
It may well be that getting wet will make your hair go frizzy. I’m sorry if that’s a problem for you and I’m afraid I can offer no solution to that particular dilemma.
But one thing I am sure about is that, while being out in the cold and rain might, on occasions, be uncomfortable it simply will not result in you coming down with a cold.
That’s a myth and, I suspect, it’s become a myth of convenience that promotes a lack of action.
I don’t believe you can growth (physically, emotionally, financially or creatively) without taking action.
While some folks have the option to turn up the heating when they’re cold, perhaps the best option would be to move around and, perish the thought, put some warmer clothing on.
I can tell you I had as many layers on as I could manage when I went out in search of a sunrise on a bleak winter’s morning on Huangshan Mountain in Eastern China.
It was bitterly cold and there was no sunrise to speak of. But I was determined so I pushed on into the gloom without known where the steep, winding mountain path would take me.
And what an adventure, it was one of the great experiences of my life, thus far.
With little color in the early morning light or the surrounding landscape I worked hard to make interesting photos relying on strong composition.
This image of a snow encrusted tree on the side of the mountain is a good example of the kind of photo that came about through good composition and the desire to make the most of my situation.
In fact the concept of Making Something Out Of Nothing is a major part of my own philosophy when making photos.
Notice how I’ve used overhanging branches and the surrounding trees and rocks as a frame within a frame to draw attention to the primary focal point within the image.
With very little color to work with the success of this image is also dependant upon the textural and tonal qualities within the scene. And those compositional elements were very much in my mind as I made this photo.
Splash of autumn color on a frosty landscape near Arrowtown, New Zealand.
It’s Simply Life
This post is all about appreciating beauty. Sadly many folks seem unable to do so when they’re feeling uncomfortable. But what’s to worry about?
What if the only thing that separates us from being comfortable is an unwillingness to either move or put warmer clothing on.
That might speak to mindset and the fact that it’s easier to view life through the soul destroying lens of negativity.
Imagine if I was prone to such interpretations. I probably wouldn’t have gotten out of bed, let alone gone outside, on that frigid morning.
But if I hadn’t I’d never have made this image of a vibrantly colored tree surrounded by a frost laden landscape near Arrowtown in New Zealand.
Life is simply life. We all experience hardships and sorrows along the way. They’re an essential part of the Human Condition.
Without experiencing such states we wouldn’t be able to fully appreciate happiness and bliss.
Once we accept that life involves all manner of experiences it’s a small, but crucial step to understand that the secret to a happy life is how we perceive the things that happen to us.
You see life is actually not about what happens to you. Life is about how you perceive what’s happening to you, in the here and now.
Hardship, sorrow, sickness and death are an inescapable part of the Human Condition. What matters is not that, like billions of other people on this planet, you experience such things.
What matters is that you understand, accept, embrace and move on from such things.
One thing that can help is to understand that, immediately after a negative experience has occurred, it’s already in the past.
It’s history and it shouldn’t, necessarily, determine your future outlook on life.
Federation Square screen illuminated on a cold winter night in Melbourne.
Winter In Melbourne
It's true to say that winter here in Melbourne, where I currently reside, is my least favorite time of year.
The days are short and, for the most part, grey.
But the long days of winter make it a great time to write, to process photos and, of course, to travel.
I love traveling to warmer climates during Melbourne’s winter months. The warmer weather really motivates me and the longer days provide loads of opportunities for photography.
But winter in Melbourne is what you make of it and there’s lots of things we can do to make the best of the winter months.
Some folks head to the mountains and spend their time on the ski slopes. Good for them!
I’ve found the best solution for managing with the long, grey days of winter is to undertake creative activities.
One thing I find particularly exhilarating is to head out for a night photography session during a Melbourne winter.
I made this photo of the large TV screen at Federation Square late on a cold winter’s night.
In fact it was well after midnight and I was on my way home after photographing the amazing White Light Festive in Melbourne, Australia.
It’s a typical night photography where the relatively bright screen causes the much darker surroundings to render near black.
But those very dark tones work to increase the sense of saturation in the illuminated image and surrounding display.
That’s an interesting reciprocal arrangement between the brightly illuminated display and the much darker surroundings.
The great news is you don’t have to go very far to make great night photos. Here’s a short post that describes how I made a pretty creative night photo exploring movement, light and color less than 200 meters from where I live.
It’s titled Photographing the Big Tree at Night.
A happy life is based around a purpose driven, meaning rich existance.
I’ve found blogging, post processing photos, playing guitar and going on long walks brings me great pleasure during Melbourne’s winter months.
What I love about winter in Melbourne is the footy.
After a number of years with only a passing interest in the game I started to come back to Australian Rules Football (AFL), and my beloved Collingwood, a few years back.
AFL is a fantastic game and a wonderful spectacle to watch at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) or one of Melbourne’s other premier sporting grounds.
What’s more the game also translates well onto a big TV screen, particularly when you’re kicking back on the couch with a few pies and a refreshing beverage.
Needless to say I particularly like Friday night footy when my team, the Collingwood Magpies, are playing.
Go pies!
Lupins and warm afternoon light in spring at Lake Tekapo, New Zealand.
Spring Is The Time For Renewal
Springs great, but the weather in Melbourne at that time of year is very changeable and it’s often the time of year that brings windy days.
Regardless of the time of year, I’m not a fan of windy days. However, I really don’t care what the weather’s like when I’m making photos.
I remember losing all sense of time while photographing the lupins bathed in warm afternoon sun on a spring day at Lake Tekapo on the South Island of New Zealand.
As you can see the lupins were backlit and I placed emphasis on the main subject by ensuring the flowers in front and behind it were rendered out of focus.
It’s a lovely effect and, for those who dig such things, there’s a lovely bokeh display in those out of focus highlights.
Photography is such an immersive experience that I find myself able to put up with all manner of difficult and uncomfortable conditions in the pursuit of great photos.
Nonetheless, the weather you find yourself working under can have a defining impact on the stories your photos tell.
Weather not only adds to the experience, it becomes an essential part of it. Rather than hiding from the weather, I’ve learned to embrace it.
When you’re hot, cold or wet perhaps you should aim to make photos that explore those concepts. After all such conditions have the capacity to translate into very expressive and emotive images.
Food photographers are very much aware of this notion. That’s why, when they photograph ice cream, they make sure it looks cold.
Likewise the inclusion of steam in a photo will make a photo of a hot pie look particularly inviting.
Beautiful fountain on a summer's day at Peterhof near St. Petersburg, Russia.
Rejoice in the Long Days Of Summer
Being a photographer I love light. After all, without light there would be no photography.
I’m also partial to warm, sunny days and clear blue skies. That’s the kind of weather that makes most of us feel alive and super positive.
It’s also a time to be thankful for the good fortune that’s come our way. And that’s exactly how I felt when I made this image of a beautiful fountain, on a warm summer’s day, in the grounds of Peterhof Palace near St. Petersburg in Russia.
It was such an idyllic scene and, if there hadn’t been so much to see at Peterhof, I’d have taken a restful break in this exact spot.
But summer presents a range of difficulties when making photos.
Bright, midday sun produces hard edged, dense and impenetrable shadows.
You might very well be able to discerned fine details in shadow and highlight areas of a scene. However, if the photo’s made on a bright summer’s day you’ll likely end up with burnt out highlights and shadows that record as black.
“The brighter the light, the darker the shadows will photograph.”
Needless to say the threat of fire poses a particular threat during the summer months. Bushfires are a scourge and Australia has been ravaged by bushfires over recent months.
The summer months also bring out snakes which, frankly, give me the screaming willies.
You need to be on the look for snakes when you’re hiking or photographing in the Australian landscape during summer.
Backlight illuminates autumn leaves in a park in Melbourne, Australia.
I Love Autumn in Melbourne
Personally, while I’ve traveled and photographed in all manner of climates, I’m most comfortable in mild climates.
While I love the long days of summer, Melbourne in mid autumn is a particularly beautiful time of year.
The sun’s not so high in the sky, which is beneficial to photographers as it brings out shape and texture in the scenes and subjects we photograph.
Likewise, as the light’s not as bright as it is on those extremely hot summer days, there’s more chance to retain fine details in highlight and shadows areas.
Yet autumn brings days that are warm and sunny and nights that are pleasantly cool.
It’s the kind of weather that you can be active without having to be too worried about constant hydration, sunscreen or stacking on multiply layers as a way of staying warm and dry.
As the season that separates summer and winter, autumn very much represents a time of transition. And that’s a great subject to explore in your photography.
I often see autumn as a time of melancholy, a metaphorical bridge between the extremes of joy and sadness, light and darkness.
Now, please, don’t read too much into that statement. I’m not melancholic by nature, but I do enjoy visiting that state in certain landscapes and, on occasions, through my photography.
There are many kinds of beauty and I see melancholy as a particularly quite and reflective state. I wouldn’t want to spend my life there, but I do find it a beautiful place to visit, now and again.
You might call it the middle path which is, of course, a very Buddhist notion.
I find autumn in Melbourne to be a visually beautiful and thoughtful time of year.
While I love joy, bliss and happiness as much as the next person it’s true to say that I find melancholy to be a particularly beautiful and poignant emotion.
Has happiness not brought people to tears?
Emotions are interesting and, at times, quite complex. No wonder emotions make such inspirational subject matter for photographers.
Needless to say without emotional impact our photos simply would not resonate with our audience.
Icebergs on a spectacular zodiac cruise around Cuverville Island in Antarctica.
Travel Allows You to Follow Your Bliss
Regardless of the time of year, or the weather in your neck of the woods, travel provides opportunities for the enthusiast photographer to follow their bliss and photograph all manner of interesting places throughout our world.
There are so many wonderful places in our world to visit and photograph. I won’t get to them all, but I do hope to return to Cuverville Island in Antarctica again. It really is that special.
But photography can be challenging, as is so often the case when photographing from a moving zodiac in Antarctica.
I can remember having to balance the experience of being in a location of such sublime beauty with the reality of frantically recording my response to it.
It’s a compromise to be sure that much of the contemplative beauty of the location is replaced, at least during the time you’re there, with the intense adrenaline rush of actually making photos.
It’s an amazing feeling to know you’ve made yet another keeper. It’s now up to you what you decide to do with your images.
For me it’s all about sharing the beauty of our world and its people with an ever wider audience.
Central to my endeavors, and the mission that underpins this site, is the belief that we can change the world, one photo at a time.
Perhaps, like me, you’ll choose to share your travel experiences with the wider world and, by doing so, prompt the benefits of a more harmonious, cohesive and compassionate world.
And you won’t need a sunny day to do so.
