3 Tips for Taking Portraits in Snow


In Lancaster, PA, we just had a beautiful coating of the white stuff. The kids had a blast and it reminded us how much we love taking portraits in the snow….but it’s not always as easy as it looks.

Have you ever wanted to take pictures in the snow as it's falling but the result didn't come out quite like you had planned? Like this:


Here are 3 tips for the next time you give it a go.

#1: Use Clear Umbrellas

Clear umbrellas allow the subject to be covered without blocking the light, just like in the rain.


#2: Take More Shots

Your camera will have more difficulty focusing on the subject with the snow falling between the lens and the subject. You may accidentally hit focus on a big snowflake instead of your intended subject, so take more shots and re-focus in-between each one.


#3: Find Cover for the Subjects

When it gets to be too wet and too much for your subject, ideally, bring them to the edge of the cover so as much natural light as possible is falling on them while you are out in the snow, shooting.

It is quite water resistant, but you can buy a raincoat for your camera to ensure it stays safe and dry in the snow. We admit, they are a little awkward to work with though.

We suggest shooting in the snow with your lens hood on and try to get yourself to a higher elevation than the subject so that you can shoot down at it. We use a stepladder like this one. This will limit the number of snowflakes that land on the lens itself. This goes for rain too!


Have fun in the snow!!!!


Sharing all the nuggets of knowledge from our years of combined experience is what we do at Lancaster Photography School! Learn from active, successful industry leaders from across the United States. Learn at your own pace online or, for our local friends, join us in person for classes, workshops, meetups, practice shoots, and many other fun times.

Xx - Team LPS

This article was written by our founder, Megan Hoffer.

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