Photography is relaxation for me. There is something calming about walking around with a camera, looking at the light and shadow, textures, shapes, colors, and anything else to see if there is something of interest for a frame.

“One should not only photograph things for what they are, but for what else they are.” - Minor White

Finding what else something is can be a challenge for me. And it is what gets me lost in the moment instead of everything else that’s on my mind.

Then along comes Substack with an amazing photography community. The pace is slower, and there’s no feed filled with perfect photos.

And stories….

Writing about my photos: How hard can that be?

A photo is something, more often than not, that just happens in my viewfinder.

I come home with a few, bring them into Lightroom, and see which ones look good.

Then what? What do you say about them? Stories about the place you took the image start to sound the same if you go to the same state parks and small towns.

I’ve been posting for around a year now. Finding my voice and figuring out what to say is definitely not getting a lot easier.

What’s my plan?

Going forward, I’m going to try to write more about what I noticed about a scene that made me hit the shutter button, and what I like about the composition. In my visual field notes posts, I’ll add more technical tips and discuss challenges some shots may have presented.

This week’s images

I have a few images along this hill. It faces west, and late in the day, an interesting sky can provide opportunities. This sky wasn’t great, not many clouds, not late enough in the day to start turning colors. But I happened to drive by while these horses were grazing along the hilltop. The bright blue sky behind them, with the backlit horses, made me stop and see how the silhouettes would turn out.

If you’re a photographer, does writing here on Substack come naturally, or do you struggle with the narrative side of a post?

✅ Where to Find Me

You can find more of my work on the web at: Simmons Photography

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I used to keep my camera gear packed away when the weather was bad.

But using camera covers and eventually weather-resistant cameras and lenses (and both if it’s raining hard enough), I found that some special images can be found when the rain starts.

Simplified color/subdued light

A sky filled with rain or mist can simplify the landscape. A background that is normally too busy can be softened, letting details in the foreground stand out. Without shadows created by harsher light, and with some of the color muted or hidden by the mist, other elements in the scene can become the focus of an image.

On rainy days, I like to return to places with an interesting barn, tree, or other subject that has distracting elements behind it. Or to subjects I’ve photographed before that would look good with the softer mood provided by rain.

Is there something you pass every day that has a completely different look on a rainy day?

Details and textures

I enjoy finding hidden details in a scene, no matter what the weather is like.

The rain brings with it some new opportunities, letting textures and shapes stand out where color may dominate on a sunny day.

Reflections

Don’t forget to look down. Water on the ground, while it’s raining or soon after, can take on almost abstract qualities. Look for sources of light near standing water. Slow down, take a moment to check multiple angles, and see what the light gives you.

✅ Where to Find Me

You can find more of my work on the web at: Simmons Photography

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I had been waiting for the right conditions to experiment with reflections on wet pavement and water.

Rain has been frequent, but it's either during the day or in the evenings, when I wasn’t able to go out with my camera.

Last weekend was perfect. Not a downpour, but there was enough rain so the ground was soaked.

All the way to town, I was thinking about this image. I wasn’t exactly sure where to find it, but this was what I was looking for first.

I took the first few shots without leaving the car. Street lights, reflections, and water drops.

After I took a few of those, I got out and wandered around for a while. It was still raining, but not hard.

Pioneer Street is always a favorite of mine. The welcoming lights at Cooley’s Tavern and the reflections on the pavement added a little more to the scene.

This alley doesn’t have street lights. A couple of doorways are lit, but the obvious light sources aren’t here.

I took some time to notice the light that was there and where it was coming from.

And to notice where the reflections were.

On Main Street, most of the shops were closed.
There weren’t many people.

I didn’t need to rush anywhere.
I could just stand there and watch what the light was doing.

📷 Fujifilm X-T5 and 56mm f1.2 WR

✅ Where to Find Me

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It was all about catching the motion. Timing it right. And waiting to see what would come along.

So I stopped back at Union Station to see if I could catch one of the scheduled Amtraks or a freight passing the station.

It was one of the first warm days this spring, so I waited outside to see what would pass by.

But while I was waiting, I had time to notice more.

What I look for has changed over the years.

It’s not about the motion anymore or catching that one unique engine at the front of a passing train.

Today I’m more interested in the old things. The worn-out things. The things that are rusty.

I like to find the surfaces that make you wonder what they’ve been through.

The awning over the platform is functional. Showing its age, but still doing its job. Lots of texture that only time and weather can create.

Across the tracks, there are some old engines and railcars. I don’t know what shape this 1950’s ALCO is in. It’s been left here on a siding. What do you think, parts, or restoration?

Sections of the station are being restored and repurposed. Some things are still waiting. It’s good to stop by and notice what’s old and what’s new. Next time it may be different.

Inside the station tells a different story.

✅ Where to Find Me

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I almost did stop to take this shot.

In fact I drove right past it the first time.

It was a gray overcast day, and I was looking for old trees with open sky behind them. I was looking for shape and contrast.

I noticed these trees right away, but I didn’t think too much about them at first other than the shape. There was too much else around them, too much clutter. So I kept going.

But as I drove past, I finally noticed the old house. Really noticed it.

Made of brick, but falling down. It had character. It had history. And it looked like it had once been a beautiful house, with big old shade trees behind it.

I was past it. But the story was in my head now.

I went back. Back to the first view I had of the trees, with the back of the house, the shed and the metal tower.

The overcast sky was perfect. The trees had once provided shade for the house and its residents.

Now they just stand and watch as the house slowly returns to the earth.

✅ Where to Find Me

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When I started out in photography, I spent a lot of time trying to learn all the rules. The rule of thirds, leading lines, and other rules of composition. What did people say was the right lens, the right shutter speed, the right aperture.

And I went nuts trying to remember it all.

Eventually I learned something else.

You also have to learn when to forget it all.

I still see new photographers getting hung up on the question of what’s right.

They ask questions like:

• What lens should I buy?

• What exposure should I use?

• What film simulation is the best?

The problem with questions like these is that the “right” answer is usually very subjective.

The photographers answering them are giving their opinions. And those opinions come directly from their own taste, experience, and artistic style.

There’s nothing wrong with asking for other people’s opinions.

Just remember that they aren’t rules.

And be curious.

Some of the photographs I end up liking the most didn’t come from following a rule.

They came from doing something wrong. Something like shooting in bad light, or at the wrong time of the day. Going outside the what is “correct” and challenging myself to find a shot that actually worked.

With a digital camera, it costs literally nothing to experiment. Try different things. Break the “rules.” See what happens.

Curiosity will teach you more than any rule ever will.

What photography rule helped you when you started… and which one did you eventually ignore?

✅ Where to Find Me

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Winter reveals what is underneath.

Leaves fall away.

Color fades.

Edges sharpen.

What remains is structure.

Some trees stand alone against the slope.

Some are gathered together, but exposed to the wind and open sky.

The winter months reveal their struggle, and their will to survive.

And some trees remain only as outlines of what they once were.

The water rose.

The roots surrendered.

The trunks stayed.

Winter does not soften, or cover up what happens.

It makes it visible.

✅ Where to Find Me

You can find more of my work on the web at: Simmons Photography

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Spring training games began this week for Major League Baseball in the US.

In Florida and Arizona, the crack of the bat can be heard again.

I always love the start of baseball. It signals that summer is on the way. It promises warm evenings and long days.

Cooperstown, NY, is still sleeping.

The warm weather has not arrived yet. It is not quite ready for visitors. It is just waiting.

Anticipation

Baseball is as much a game of anticipation as it is of action.

A breath.
A shift in stance.
The pitcher set.
The batis ter still.
Waiting for the pitch.

I enjoy this time of year here. It is quiet. I can take time to notice things.

Waiting

Everything around town seems to be waiting.

The field.
The storefronts.
The Coke machine is humming in the cold.
The UPS drop box is holding packages bound for warmer places.

Snow softens the edges. It quiets the noise. It makes the air visible under the streetlights.

Main Street

This is the town that is here all year round.

This is the local crowd.
The shops that stay open through the offseason.
The Central New York weather.
The version of Cooperstown without a line at the door.

Cooperstown lives and breathes on baseball and summer. The crowds will return. The grass will turn green. The sound of the game will come north again.

Right now, it is just waiting its turn.

✅ Where to Find Me

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When we think of street photography, we usually think of New York or London; crowded sidewalks, neon lights, and the frantic energy of a thousand stories crossing paths.

But I have my own version of “the street” on the back roads of Otsego County. And yesterday was a perfect day to get out and shoot.

There were no crowds, just quiet stretches of pavement where the only traffic was the occasional hawk or a shifting snowdrift. On these roads, you have the luxury of time. You can pull over, shut off the engine, and sit with a subject without the pressure of a city moving around you.

Instead of people, my “characters” are the old farms.

These buildings have a weathered character that you can’t manufacture. It’s a personality earned through decades of standing against the sun and the winter wind. Look at the silver of that wood: it’s a record of every season it has survived.

In the city, street photographers look for a gesture or a glance. Out here, I’m looking for the way a roofline cuts into a heavy sky or how a wooden chimney stands like a sentinel over a quiet barn.

Taking the time to get lost and find these structures is how I sharpen my eye. It isn’t just about the architecture; it’s about capturing the “soul” of a place that is slowly being reclaimed by the landscape. It’s a reminder that even the quietest roads have a story to tell, if you’re willing to pull over and listen.

✅ Where to Find Me

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We are in the grips of the cold this weekend. Saturday was brutal with temps around 0F and wind that cut through everything.

I took my camera outside for a short walk. I wasn’t looking for anything specific. I just wanted to see if I could make photographs that felt that cold.

I think these do.

✅ Where to Find Me

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What do you do when you can’t get outside to make new images?

In the northeastern US (and other parts of the country), it’s been extremely cold for the past week or more. Where I live, temperatures have hovered in the single digits and dipped below 0 Fahrenheit. I enjoy photographing in bad weather, but this kind of cold puts real limits on how long I want to be outside.

Photography is my escape from the daily grind.

When I can’t get outdoors with a camera, I start looking for other ways to relax. One thing I’ve found myself doing lately is going back through my catalog to revisit images that didn’t catch my attention when I first imported them.

At the time, there may have been other images that held my interest. Or maybe I couldn’t quite find an edit that felt right. But returning months or even years later often reveals photographs that feel different now, or at least invite a second look.

I am finding that I don’t always have to make new images to enjoy this process.

There’s value in going back to images that didn’t make the cut, spending time with them, thinking about what I might approach differently, and noticing what catches my attention now. It’s a quiet way of staying connected to the work, and it shapes what I’ll look for the next time I’m out with a camera.

When it warms up. Just a little.

Comment below: what do you do when you can’t get outside to make new images?

✅ Where to Find Me

You can find more of my work on the web at: Simmons Photography

If you want to work with me, or inquire about licensing images: Contact Page

More of my work can be seen on Vero and Flickr.

Saturday was extremely cold outside. Temperatures overnight on Friday were below zero Fahrenheit before wind chill was factored in. Saturday morning saw temps topping out around 5 degrees above zero, or -15C.

The sun was out, and the blue sky looked deceptively warm and inviting. With 16-20” of snow in the forecast for Sunday night and Monday, the next couple of days are likely going to be spent mostly indoors. So I got outside to store up as much sunshine as I could.

At the marina, the open water being maintained by the bubblers around the docks is the only movement. The pumps are holding their own against the freezing water, despite the cold temps. The rest of the lake and the marina seem to be paused, waiting for the coming storm.

In the summer, the walkway next to the marina was lined with flowers and decorative grasses. There are still a few remnants left, stubbornly standing in the cold, even though they are well past their season.

Spending a little time outdoors before the snowstorm closes in on us was refreshing today, despite the cold. If it were a little warmer, I would have liked to stay out longer, but the warmth of my vehicle was calling.

✅ Where to Find Me

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It had been too long since I had been out with my camera. There are days when it’s cold, and the sky is gray, and it’s snowing hard, and I just don’t want to go out. The weather is not inviting, and it’s easy to find reasons not to go out. But at some point, it all matters a lot less. Yesterday, it was only snowing a little bit, the temperature wasn’t too far below freezing, and there was at least some light. I mean, the gray sky was actually like a nice big diffuser, right?

All images in this newsletter were taken with the Fujifilm X-H2 and the XF 50-140 f/2.8 zoom lens.

I really do enjoy photographing in bad weather. Light snow is as good as fog, and the temperatures can be dealt with if you dress warmly and keep a supply of batteries in a warm pocket.

The biggest issue right now is ice. With two knee replacements in my recent past, I need to be mindful of where I walk. But putting Yak Trax on my shoes provides a bit of security for that.

The main reason I went out yesterday, though, was that it had been a while since I had been out. I needed to get outdoors and spend some time absorbing the scenery. Shinrin-yoku, the Japanese term meaning forest bathing that I’ve written about in the past, really does help you get back in the right mindset.

Eventually, I returned to my truck, brushed the snow off my camera, put it back in the bag, and went home to warm up.

I realized I had spent over an hour watching the snow cover the landscape; not checking the time, not thinking about what came next, not feeling pulled anywhere else.

✅ Where to Find Me

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🎒 The Gear Bag - Gear and Inspiration

Some links in this section are affiliate links. If you make a purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only share gear and resources I personally use or believe in.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

A rotating list of tools, resources, or inspirations you've used recently. Keeps it practical and helpful without sounding like a shopping guide. Could include:

• These Yak Trax are what I like to use for a little added stability when a hiking trail is icy.

A January thaw is a struggle.

In rural central New York, it looks like this.

Winter loosens its grip, but never fully leaves. Snow pulls back just enough to reveal what’s been waiting underneath.

This isn’t spring. It’s a pause.

This is rural upstate New York in January, caught between visits from winter.

✅ Where to Find Me

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Lightroom keeps track of things I don’t think about while I’m shooting. I don’t usually do this, but I started looking at some statistics from my Lightroom catalog for the images I took in 2025. I think I felt I was changing lenses less than in previous years, but aside from that, I didn’t think I had made any significant changes to my approach to photography.

But I noticed some interesting patterns.

The Record

• ~8,000 images made in 2025.

• A small handful of lenses account for most of the images.

• Two lenses stayed on the camera far longer than the rest.

• Others came out only when there was a specific reason.

• Most of my images were created with Fujifilm X Series gear, with some 35mm film mixed in (vintage Nikon and Minolta).

What I Noticed

First, the totals were down this year. I’m not trying to get a certain number of images; quantity isn’t important. But I found it interesting that I took significantly fewer images than last year. Two things that contributed to this were taking some time off for my knee surgery in the spring and not shooting any school sporting events in the fall.

But what I also noticed was that I’m not taking as many shots of the same landscape scenes, playing with the composition and the exposure to see what works. Less trial-and-error, and more intentional work.

Besides that, the numbers reinforced my feeling that I was using less gear. I have a Fujifilm X-T5 and an X-H2. I’ve been leaving the 16-55 f2.8 zoom on the X-T5 much of the time, and the 50-140 f2.8 has been staying on the X-H2. These two lenses account for just under 70% of my images, with the 16-55 being used for a significant majority of all my shots this year.

I know that these two lenses mostly live on my cameras now. The image quality is great from these two pieces of glass, and they just do what I want most of the time.

The other 30% of my images were split between a couple of prime lenses and Fujifilm’s 100-400mm zoom. When I switch to one of these lenses, there is a specific reason.

Comfort vs Habit

These two main zooms are lenses that I have become extremely comfortable with. Comfort doesn’t automatically mean complacency. Although I will admit that going out with less stuff in my camera bag makes life easier.

These two lenses are at a point where they just disappear for me. I’ve stopped trying to decide if they are right for the scene. I’m not thinking about focal length. I know which one I want as soon as I get to a location.

In my mind, I know what I want, and which one of those two lenses will find it.

I am free to concentrate more on timing, framing a shot, and patience.

What the Awareness Gave Me

These stats aren’t really changing anything for me. But they are verifying some things that I already suspected. When I’m out photographing landscapes, I am spending less time trying to decide what lens to use, and what type of image I want to make, and more time observing, noticing, and composing images.

This gives me confidence. First and foremost, it gives me confidence in where I’m headed photographically. It also gives me confidence to get rid of some of my gear that is not being used.

The numbers gave me some clarity. It confirmed which tools in my bag are essential and which ones are optional.

Carrying It Forward

First off, just to be clear, I’m not using stats to drive what I shoot with going forward. I’m still picking up the camera and lens combo that feels right for the day. That’s how I have always worked.

I’m not going to go out of my way to pick up lenses that I haven’t used much just to justify keeping them.

I did notice that there are two types of shooting that I normally like to do that were missing from my 2025 library.

Macro/close-up photos out in the woods were one. Part of it was just the fact that I had a knee replaced last April, and getting down on the ground to look for and photograph small details in the forest wasn’t possible. That will likely return to my projects this year.

I also didn’t use my wide-angle lens much. And I have questions to think about. Are my tastes changing? Is it a lack of inspiration? I didn’t use my wide-angle zoom much at all, but I don’t think I’m ready to sell that one yet. But we will see this year if it makes a return.

I’m a software developer by day, and photography lends a creative balance to my life. Looking at these stats is an exercise in letting my logical brain check in with my creative brain, which is oddly satisfying. And the numbers gave me a little more insight into how I photograph.

✅ Where to Find Me

You can find more of my work on the web at: Simmons Photography

If you want to work with me, or inquire about licensing images: Contact Page

More of my work can be seen on Vero and Flickr.

The cold hard truth, however, is that 23% of people quit their New Year’s resolutions before the first week of January is even over. Nearly half are done with them by the end of January. Quitters day is a thing: It is the second Friday in January, identified by data scientists as the day when the largest surge of people officially abandon their goals. It is estimated that only 9% of people actually stick with them the whole year.

Personally, my New Year’s resolutions seldom stick.

Maybe thinking about January 1st as a fresh start and planning big changes isn’t the answer.

Change is constant

Change is a constant; it’s always happening. It’s the steady hum of tires on the pavement, occurring every second of every day, whether we acknowledge it or not.

Perhaps we fail at these resolutions because we treat January 1st like a starting gun for a race we haven’t trained for. We try to pivot at full speed. But I’ve started looking at the New Year differently. It isn’t a beginning, but a milepost—an artificial marker on a very long journey.

Benchmarks and mileposts

The calendar doesn't actually create a new version of us; it just provides a benchmark. It’s a milepost in a long progression. And I think, mentally, what we really need is just a moment of quiet reflection before we keep moving, a bit of space to breathe before the next set of changes arrives.

Back roads

Driving home today, I decided to get off the main route, the familiar route, and take the back roads. We didn't have a specific reason other than a desire to see something different. When you aren't rushing toward a destination, your eyes open up. You notice the things that are usually blurred by speed.

I found two barns along the way, weathered, silent, and standing as their own kind of mileposts in the landscape. Skipping the main road, the familiar route, let me find them. Taking roads with less traffic makes it easier to pull over, get out, and look at them. To take out the camera, play with compositions, and take a few shots to see what works.

These barns are markers of a different sort. They aren’t trying to be something new; they are simply standing there at this moment in time. Seeing them reminded me that while the “New Year” is an artificial milestone, it’s still a useful one. It’s a point on the map to check my bearings.

Setting goals

I’m no longer a fan of the “Big Change” resolution. I haven’t made New Year’s resolutions in years. But I do like having a few more mile markers to aim for, a few creative goals I’d like to reach before the next time the calendar rolls over. Think of them as course corrections rather than hard pivots.

The goal isn't always the point. If I’m so focused on hitting the next marker that I stay on the highway with the cruise control locked, I’ll never see the barns. I'll miss the very things I'm out here to find.

Taking detours

So my plan for this year is a mix of both. I’ll keep an eye on the mileposts ahead, but I’m going to leave plenty of room for the scenic detours. I’m going to allow myself the time to pull over, get out, and see what works.

After all, some of the best images aren’t found at the destination. They’re found when you’re willing to go the long way home.

✅ Where to Find Me

You can find more of my work on the web at: Simmons Photography

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More of my work can be seen on Vero and Flickr.

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🎒 What I’m Reading

Some links in this section are affiliate links. If you make a purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only share gear and resources I personally use or believe in.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Here are some books I’m reading, and have recently read, that have been impactful for me:

• Make It Anyway - Danny Gregory. Essays on creative living, for anyone that makes stuff.

• The Interior Landscape: The Landscape on Both Sides of the Camera - Guy Tal. Another inspiring collection of essays on creativity, expression, and photography from Guy Tal.

• The Heart of the Photograph: 100 Questions for Making Stronger, More Expressive Photographs - David duChemin. David’s books and courses are always meaningful and inspiring to me. This book is no exception. It’s more about thinking about what you are looking at and what you want to say than actual technique.

It’s almost time to say “That’s a Wrap.”

It is very hard to believe that 2026 is just a few days away.

Usually, this time of year, I reflect a little on the year that is ending and dream a little about the year ahead. This year, as we went through the holidays, I reflected more on the holidays themselves. What they mean today, and how they have changed over the years. And about the important people that we have gradually left behind over the years.

Memories and reflections

We used to have large family gatherings, but most of the people who were there are now just memories. Christmas is now just a small group, just my immediate family. While part of me misses the magic of Christmas past (and when you are a kid, it IS magic), and while I also miss the people who created that sense of magic back then, it is in the past. And that is OK.

Some of the old traditions stay with me. However, today’s holiday is a blend of our old family Christmas and new traditions. It’s OUR day now, with a nod to the past.

The importance of today

It’s good to reflect on people that we are no longer able to share the day with. But the holidays would not be what they are without the people around us today. Here and now. The people you share every day with are the most important. It’s essential not to take that for granted.

Whatever holiday you celebrate this time of year, and whoever you spend the day with, I hope that it has meaning. I hope that you were able to stop, take a breath, and look around you at what is most important. I wish you good health, happiness, and maybe even a little magic in 2026.

I’ll close with a few of my favorite images from 2025. Enjoy.

✅ Where to Find Me

You can find more of my work on the web at: Simmons Photography

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I had something else in mind for this week’s post.
But yesterday, an email landed in my inbox with the subject line:

Happy Stick Season.

The photographer was referring to the time between fall foliage and snow.
That familiar in-between.

But we already have snow on the ground here.
And today is the first day of winter.

So instead, it got me thinking about the landscape outside my window right now.

I’ve written about winter landscape photography before, but it felt worth returning to today.
Not to say much.
Just a few thoughts, and a few photographs.

This weekend marked the beginning of winter.
The winter solstice.
Sunday was shortest day of the year here in the northern hemisphere.

Stick season sits right in that space.
After the leaves fall.
Before the snow fully settles in.

The in-between.

My Relationship with Winter

It’s been a cycle.

When I was a kid, I absolutely loved winter.
Building snow forts. Sliding down hills.
There was nothing better.

My mom would tell me it was time to come inside, and through chattering teeth I’d insist I wasn’t even cold yet.

As an adult, that changed.

Plowing the driveway and shovelling snow.
Driving to work in snowstorms.
Watching winter turn into a chore.

The season

became something that drained energy, both physically and emotionally.
Most years, I couldn’t wait for spring.

As a Landscape Photographer

In the last few years, I’ve become much more serious about my landscape photography.

I have gear that handles cold and damp conditions a little better.
And I’ve developed an appreciation for what winter strips away.

This time of year leans naturally toward monochrome and minimalism.
Fewer distractions.
More structure.

Winter makes it easier to see shape, balance, and space.

Winter Is Here

So winter is here.

Yesterday marked the shortest day of the year.
And while I still don’t tolerate the cold the way I did when I was a kid, I find myself looking forward to snow on the ground.

While I was photographing fall leaves, a small part of me was already anticipating their absence.
Waiting for what would be revealed once they were gone.

So dress warm.
Put spare batteries in a warm pocket.
And get out there.

Notice the shapes the wind makes as it sculpts snowdrifts.
Notice the patterns forming in the ice.
Stop and study old, weathered trees now that their branches are no longer hidden.

Enjoy what remains when the ground is covered with snow.

Happy Stick Season, everybody.

✅ Where to Find Me

You can find more of my work on the web at: Simmons Photography

If you want to work with me, or inquire about licensing images: Contact Page

More of my work can be seen on Vero and Flickr.

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I don’t live near a city, and I don’t have a nearby source of streets with bright lights to photograph regularly. Nearby small towns have a handful of storefronts. But not a lot of variety. So each year around Christmas, when the seasonal lights go up everywhere, I get to take a few more night photos with lights. There are currently many more options!

So when something new shows up in these winter displays, it always catches my attention. It’s a chance to see familiar places differently.

One of the larger displays in the area is at a local museum. While walking through the outdoor displays this year, we found something new they had done: a stream with a bridge where there had been none before.

There were blue lights along the ground.

Reflected in the snow, they created the effect of a stream.

Where they crossed the walkway, a small bridge had been placed over the top of it. Happily, we have snow on the ground already for the full effect.

As usual, I began by looking for what I could simplify.

I was experimenting with black-and-white images of the displays. But I quickly found that this part of the light show relied heavily on color to get the right effect.

Black and white just didn’t work.

Many of my compositions require moving closer and isolating a subject. Noticing something and removing the extras. That approach didn’t work here.

The effect of the light on the snow and the way it flowed through the scene needed a wider view. It needed context. The bridge, the people crossing it, the carousel beyond… all of it helped complete the illusion.

This wasn’t a detail to extract. It was something to step into.

✅ Where to Find Me

You can find more of my work on the web at: Simmons Photography

If you want to work with me, or inquire about licensing images: Contact Page

More of my work can be seen on Vero and Flickr.

Subscribe now

Cold weather affects everything: your gear, your fingers, your timing, and even your decision-making. But it also gives you some of the most peaceful, minimal scenes you’ll see all year. I am not crazy about cold temperatures, but I love the images from this time of year. Here are a few tips for getting the most out of winter shooting without freezing your hands (or your camera).

1. Keep your batteries warm

Cold drains batteries fast. Carry extras in an inside pocket so they stay warm and ready. Swap them before they’re entirely dead to avoid sudden shutdowns.

2. Protect lenses from fog

When moving indoors, keep your camera in your bag until it warms up. Sudden temperature shifts = condensation on everything.

3. Use a lens hood in falling snow

It won’t stop everything, but it helps keep stray flakes off the glass and reduces flare when the sun is low and bright.

4. Bring liner gloves

Thin liner gloves under your main gloves let you operate dials and buttons without exposing your skin to the cold. I use thin gloves designed for electronics, either under my heavier gloves or by themselves for short periods, depending on the temperature.

5. Pack hand warmers

One in your coat pocket buys you several extra minutes of shooting before your fingers revolt.

6. Expect slower autofocus

Cold lenses and motors don’t respond as quickly. Give your camera an extra moment to lock on, especially in low contrast scenes like fog or snow.

7. Add +⅓ to +1 stop exposure compensation

Your camera wants to make snow gray. Gently override it to keep winter scenes bright and accurate.

8. Watch the histogram

Snow blows out quickly, especially in midday sun. A quick glance keeps highlights from clipping beyond recovery.

9. Lean on your tripod

Wind plus cold hands equals camera shake. A tripod steadies the frame, letting you work more slowly and intentionally.

10. Dress in layers (and then add one more)

Breathable base, warm mid-layer, windproof/waterproof shell. Cold discomfort = rushed compositions. Consider a heated jacket or vest, but do not rely on it in case the battery runs out.

11. Look for what winter reveals

Snow simplifies everything. Lines, shapes, shadows, and negative space become more pronounced, perfect for moody, quiet images.

12. Warm up your gear the slow way

After shooting, leave your camera in its bag at room temperature. Slow warming prevents condensation inside the body and lenses. I wipe down my gear before putting it in the bag while I am still outdoors. This removes all possible snow and moisture, while the gear is still at or near the outdoor temps. Then I bring the bag indoors, and leave it closed until my gear has had time to warm. Then I wipe it down again when I open the bag.

✅ Where to Find Me

You can find more of my work on the web at: Simmons Photography

If you want to work with me, or inquire about licensing images: Contact Page

More of my work can be seen on Vero and Flickr.

🎒 The Gear Bag - Gear and Inspiration

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• Touch Screen Gloves

• Touch Screen Liner Gloves

• Ororo men’s heated vest