PRACTICALPHOTOGRAPHY.COM 29
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INTER.THEWORDALONECANFILL
somepeoplewithgloom.I’mnotoneof
those people. Winter holds some of my
favourite cultural celebrations, such as
Bonfire Night, Halloween and Christmas.
These are times that I get to spend with
people I love, enjoying warm beverages and good food, but
they’re also an opportunity to explore with my camera.
Winter can be one of the most fruitful times for me as
a photographer. From a logistical
perspective, there is a lot less light
around. This means later starts
and earlier finishes as well as the
potential to stay outdoors for
the entire day until darkness
descends. It also means the sunis
much lower in the sky, makingthe
li ght more appealing. The golden
hour can seemingly go on for muchlongerthanin thesummer
months, when the sun is up andharshbeforeyouknowit.
However, for me, it’s not just aboutthelight,it’saboutthe
atmosphere that those dark, early winter months can create.
I can spend many a happy hour tracking potential conditions
and planning how I might approach the forthcoming sunrise.
If there’s even a hint of frost then I’ll be out exploring.
Landscape photography is often about getting to know
a location prior to the appearance of perfect conditions.
It’s very difficult to turn up to a location for the first time and
get something worthwhile. Often the images I take are the
product of many hours of exploring, going back to a location
ti me and again and forming a relationship with it. It’s time
consuming, but it means that when the right conditions appear
I have an idea of where would be best to shoot.
IfI’mathome,I’llpopoverto SuttonParkin Birmingham,
a regularhaunt.If it’saround-2 degreeswhereI live, I know
there will be the potential of hoar frost. For instance, last
December, before the sun rose, I was captivated by the cool
tones of Bracebridge Pool, frost hanging from the bare branches
and mist gently drifting along the water.
Sometimes I’m lucky enough to be somewhere like the Peak
District. I recall one morning when I stepped out the front door
of the cottage in which I was staying; everything was crisp, cold,
frozen and still. It felt like I was the
first person to have touched the
landscape. I went to explore one
of the Peak District’s only bodies of
water, Ladybower Reservoir, and
I was not disappointed. Mist was
rising off the water, framing the
last of the colour in the trees.
Deep oranges and bright yellows
contrastedwiththeatmospheric conditions, and there were
enoughboatsto makean interesting foreground. Such mornings
areperfectforshootingwith my telephoto, picking out details
that would’ve been lost if I was shooting with a wide-angle.
Winter. It fills some people with gloom, but it fills me with
joy and excitement. Whether you’re capturing your local
parkland, or you’re lucky enough to be somewhere considered
a little more dramatic, there is ample opportunity if you’re
willing to don your thermals and get outside.WINTER CAN BE ONE
OF THE MOST FRUITFUL
TIMES FOR ME AS
A PHOTOGRAPHER
VERITY MILLIGAN
ADVENTURES OF A LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHER WINTER WANDERING
Verity Milligan is an award-winning landscape, architectural
and commercial photographer based in Birmingham. She
runs workshops and her clients include American Express,
Yorkshire Tea & Visit Britain. veritymilliganphotography.com