Self portrait photos: Bamberg in the snow at night

It snowed in Bamberg and so I had to go outside and make the most of the gorgeous scenes. For some reason, not many people were outside so I decided I didn’t need to get far into the surrounding forests of Bamberg (I know a few good hikes) for gorgeous photos in an undisturbed setting.

(For some reason I really do not like people walking in on my self portrait photo shootings. It feels really awkward. But when I do shoots with other people, friends and clients, it can be super fun and lead to cool conversations or fresh angle ideas.)

woman in coat and hat holding a jar with fairy lights that illuminate her face in a blue winter forest

a snowy scene with a woman in coat and hat holding a jar with fairy lights that illuminate her face in a black and white photo

Equipped with my new portable light for my camera (Weeylite S05 – get it through my affiliate link here), a string of fairy lights in a jar, my tripod and my camera gear (and my winter garb), I trudged through the freshly fallen, albeit rather thin layer of snow to the Hain Park, one of the best photography spots in Bamberg.

Originally, I wanted to shoot in the little botanical garden but the light was fading fast and I found a beautifully snow crusted tree that worked perfectly as a backdrop.

Shooting in dusk, the blue hour, is amazing for getting a nightly feel for photos but still have enough light to get details in. With additional lights, the camera will create great photos that can bring out the cosy feel of night enveloping the subject, which in this case was me.

a snowy scene with a close up of a woman in coat and hat holding a jar with fairy lights that illuminate her face in a black and white photo

On the way back, I stopped a couple of times for more photos as the streets by then were fully covered with the white powder and the fleeting light from the few cars passing by underneath the orange glow of the street lamps were ideal as accent lights in the photos.

I really loved how the photos I’ve captured are in line with the feeling I get when walking alone at night in the snow. No people, just the peace and calm that overcomes the city after fresh snowfall. It’s the best feeling and I love to see it reflected in the imagery to show other people.

Maybe then more will dress up all warm and brave the cold to appreciate the wonders of nature this way. I really turn into a kid with childlike wonder when I see snow and hope it can be contagious. It’s certainly a good feeling to have, don’t you think?

Also during these conditions, it’s great to book a quick photo session to capture that magic and special glow. You never know when it snows crazy like that and when you get the next chance to have photos taken of you in such a beautiful setting. It’s also a perfect Christmas gift.

I am actually thinking of introducing vouchers for my photography services. This way, clients could save a little with a discount and lock current prices in (I am always adjusting) and they know they have a professional photography session lined up in my business calendar.

I am always on the go (often internationally too) and busy busy, so it’s good to know you’re penciled in.

Over the years I’ve captured quite a lot of beautiful self portrait shoots in the snow and might share them here soon. It’s also good to always look back at old work and see the progress and where I’ve grown, adjusted my style and tweaked past things I could have done differently. I don’t necessarily see the mistakes, just things I would do differently now.

It’s a little boost of confidence and makes me happy to see how far I’ve come. I totally recommend this practice for whatever your work is. Try it!

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