Winter Photography Tips and Tricks

Cold weather winter photography can be very rewarding. From snow-blanketed landscapes, to action sports, the Sigma bloggers are braving the elements to make stunning images. With a little practice, foresight, and preparation, there’s a whole frozen world to be documented with Sigma lenses!

Adirondack Mountain Life with the Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM | Sports lens

John DiGicomo captures nature and skiing with the 150-600mm S lens.

The Sigma 18-300mm F3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM Macro | Contemporary lens takes on the Alps

The autofocus is fast enough to capure sharp images of skiers in action. Sven Brunso finds powder in Disentis days after the last storm. ISO 200 at 28mm f/10 1/1600 sec. Photo © Liam Doran

Sigma Pro Liam Doran takes on the Alps with the compact all-in-one 18-300mm F3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM Macro | Contemporary.

Japanese Snow Monkey with the 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM | Sports lens

© 2016 Robert OToole | Sigma 150-600 sports lens @ 440mm and Nikon D810, 1/320s, f/11, ISO 5000, Manual mode, Auto-ISO, handheld.

Sigma Pro Robert O’Toole captures Snow Monkeys in the north of Japan with the 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM | Sports lens.

Fat Bike Racing in the Snow with the 150-600mm Sports lens

1/1250 F8 ISO 1250 @ 389mm on a Canon 1DX © Liam Doran

The Sigma 150-600mm Sport lens is weather-tough, perfect for winter action!

The Original Sports Lens at the classic Winter Olympics Venue!

Sigma 120-300mm F2.8 Sports 1/4000 F3.5 ISO 1250 at 180mm paired with Nikon D4. Photo by John DiGiacomo.

Luge is super-fast. And so is the Sigma 120-300mm F2.8 DG OS HSM | Sport lens!

Great Tips for Dog and Children Photography in the Snow from a Sigma Pro!

Rowan, our ‘fox red’ Labrador pup, retrieves a rope toy in the snow. In comparing two similar images here, I refer to this photo as the “level-rope” image. Canon EOS 7D. Sigma 18-300mm F3.5-6.3 DC MACRO OS HSM | C. at 90mm, f/5.6, 1/2000 sec., ISO 800. Processed in Adobe Photoshop CS5. Photo © 2014 David FitzSimmons. All rights reserved.

Sigma Pro David FitzSimmons goes over winter exposure and composition with puppies as photo subjects!

A Long Look at Winter with the 150-600mm Sports lens

I'd reached a middle point of the short trail, and was thinking to myself how perfectly bleak, sparse, and boring this stretch of the walk appeared, as was looking around for anything to frame, when I realized that several deer were justa few feet off the trail from me. Here, the closest is framed at 370mm at 1/100 F6.3 ISO 400. — I’d reached a middle point of the short trail, and was thinking to myself how perfectly bleak, sparse, and boring this stretch of the walk appeared, as was looking around for anything to frame, when I realized that several deer were justa few feet off the trail from me. Here, the closest is framed at 370mm at 1/100 F6.3 ISO 400. Photo by Jack Howard

Winter scenes, especially without snow, can be bleak and gray. Using a long lens like the 150-600mm Sports lens helps to isolate details both in cities and nature you may otherwise overlook.

Setting Your Camera Correctly for Extreme Ski Photography

Andrew Sheppard at K3 Catski. This shot worked great because of all the planning coming together with the good light, low-hazard avalanche conditions and Andrew railing this turn right in the sun. ISO 160, 85mm, f/8.0, 1/800 sec. ©Copyright Corbin Crimmins / www.corbincrimmins.com

Corbin Crimmins offers great tips on camera focus settings, exposure compensation and more for on-mountain photography.

And be sure to remember these universal cold-weather photography tips!

Let your camera and lenses get acclimatized inside a plastic bag to avoid condensation–Both going from indoors to out, and outdoors to in!
Wide expanses of snow can fool camera meters! Remember to use Exposure Compensation and check your histograms to ensure the right settings!
Cold batteries loose charge quicker. Bring spare batteries, and keep them inside your jacket when possible.
Flash plus falling snow can create serious exposure and lighting challenges!