Winter in our northwest is a real challenge for photography.  Most days the weather forecast is for sprinkles, showers, rain at times, or heavy rain.  The sky is white, gray or dark gray and the streams and ponds all reflect those dismal shades.  The skyline is mostly leafless trees, dark branches silhouetted against the gray skies.  Light? what light? there have been days in the last couple of weeks that the street lights have stayed on until 10 o’clock in the morning and come back on by 3:00pm that afternoon. everywhere you look muted shades of gray, brown, yellow…. Stop. this is even making me depressed.

So what is a photographer to do?

Sometimes you just have to brave the weather.. a few years ago we went to Alaska on vacation. Even in the summer you cannot expect blue sky’s so we took turns holding an umbrella for each other.  it was cumbersome but we still managed to bring back a lot of fun photographs and memories.

If you enjoy photographing wildlife the best time of the year is in the fall/winter/spring when the flocks of cranes, swans, geese and  ducks migrate through the area. With these large flocks also come the predators that prey on them… eagles, hawks, falcons and coyote. It’s truly the best time for the wildlife photographer in this area.

But when you don’t want to face the elements…

• Bring your photography indoors. you don’t have to have a fancy studio to enjoy indoor photography. open the curtains wide, let in the natural light and supplement it with natural light fluorescent  bulbs. backdrops can be as simple as a sheet thumb tacked to the wall. Now is a great time to photograph that family pet or practice your portrait skills on family members.

• Visit your archives… now is the time to go back through all those photos that you took last year, delete the multiple shots that you took of that waterfall and only keep the best. It’s easier to have a more balanced eye after some time has passed and You will find new treasures (I always do).  while you’re there keyword you photos so that you can find them again.

• Improve your post processing skills.  Google  “photo editing software tutorials”, there are lots of 5-10 minute tutorials out there on the internet on how to post process photos … perhaps one that adds just the finishing touch on that favorite waterfall!

Wait.. I see a break in the clouds… some blue sky…. the sun is shining… sorry, got to go.