If you asked non-photographers what their favourite season is, few would likely say winter. Yet a considerable number of photographers name it as their favourite time of year for landscape photography. So, what is so attractive about heading out in the cold and wet, walking for miles carrying several kilos of kit and then standing around gradually losing all feeling in your extremities?
The fact is that landscape photography in winter can really be something special, and it's not just the attraction of a relatively late sunrise and an early finish to the day; there is a quality of light that you just don't get at any other time of year, with the low winter sun picking out form and texture, and casting long, raking shadows that help to add depth to scenes. The foliage has mostly disappeared from trees, which places more emphasis on the shape of the landscape itself.
Two of the defining characteristics of winter – at least in the UK – are that it is wet and windy. Whilst this can result in a certain amount of personal discomfort when you are out in the field waiting for the right moment to press the shutter, it's also the reason the light is that much better – the moisture and movement mean that pollution and dust are less likely to build up, with the result that clarity is much greater. The fact that the sun never rises particularly high in the sky also means that it is possible to ...