Smilebox Blog

For little ones, waking up to fresh snow is often one of the most exciting parts of the winter season. Capturing the joy that snow brings to your family is a must add to your collection of winter photos.

The bright lighting and wetness that snow brings, however, can sometimes make these kinds of pictures challenging, but with the right tools, they can also be fun. Smilebox has teamed up with professional photographer Lisi Wolf, of Seattle, Washington, to bring you insider tips on how to best tell your snow day story. Read on for three quick and easy ways to get professional looking snowy photos that all of your friends and family will love to see!

Zoom, Zoom, Zoom

Since action photos in the snow can be tricky with limited experience, close-up shots are where you want to focus, says Lisi. Close-up, detailed shots are one of the easiest (and most adorable!) ways to capture snowy moments. Zoom in on a still shot of the kids’ snow boots, mittens and hats drying by the fire.

Remember that accessories are key! Arrange their boots in a line on the snowy porch, or scarfs hung up by the door. Not only do these kinds of photos help tell your snow day story, but they also illustrate the current stage in your child’s life.

Capture the essence of the day by taking close up pictures of your kids’ faces as well. Don’t worry if you can’t actually see any snow in the picture itself- the warm hat, bundled up scarf rosy cheeks, and wide-eyed grin will tell the story just as well!

Ready, Set, Action

Your kids will be ready to get outside and immediately start the action, so don’t be afraid to follow them! Grab your camera (and some cute boots!) and head out into the snow.

Because action shots can often be hard to capture, try to focus these kinds of photos on the moment right before the action. Get photos of your children with snowballs in their hand, right before they toss it, or sitting on the sled, right before they zoom down the hill. Take pictures of the snow angles and snowmen they make as well!

When the kids are outside playing, make sure to capture the emotion on their face. This will help tell your story. Instead of focusing your energy on snapping a photo of the snowball mid fight, try to capture your children’s faces as they throw the snowball, or head down the hill on their sleds.

While out in the snow, experiment with angles for some added variation. If you have trees in your vicinity, they can make for a great background. Take pictures of your subject with snowy trees in the background and use an angle that comes from either above or below them, but not straight ahead.

Don’t be afraid to take some pictures from behind, as well, says Lisi. Snap a photo of the kids’ backs, walking away from you in all of their snow gear, or dragging a sled.

Before and After Count

It’s good to capture the sledding, snowball fights, and all of the action that comes with a snow day, but don’t forget to focus on the preparations too! These are the pictures that people end up loving, says Lisi.

Snap a shot of your kids getting bundled up in their snow clothes, pulling their sleds up the hill in anticipation, or coming in for warm hot chocolate. Take close ups of the fire, the kids warming up in blankets, and hot chocolate on the counter. All of these memories will help tell your snow day story.

After you’ve braved the cold and gotten your photographs, warm up inside with a hot cup of tea and show friends and family how you spent the snow day! Send out a Smilebox for a quick and easy way to show off all of your favorite pictures from the day. One of our favorites is the Snow What? slideshow, below, but be sure to check out all of our other winter slideshows, collages and greetings as well!