There’s no better way to kick off a new photography year than by throwing yourself into proper winter conditions. For my first day of photography in 2026, I headed to the Scottish Highlands — spending the day exploring a relatively small area around Glencoe, chasing simple compositions, working with snow and ice, and embracing the reality that winter shooting is as much about problem-solving as it is about pretty scenes.
This was a day of frozen streams, numb fingers, quick decisions, and one or two lessons learned the hard way.
Van camping in the Highlands (and why I paid the £5)
I stayed overnight at the Glencoe Mountain Resort ski field car park — £5 to stop for the night. And honestly, it felt like a bargain.
Yes, Scotland gives you a lot of freedom to camp, but there’s something reassuring about paying a small fee, supporting a local business, and knowing you’re not going to be moved on or have any hassle. The only downside?
The cold.
Cold enough to freeze water… and even freeze the gas on my cooker. A strong reminder that winter photography isn’t just about camera settings — it’s about basic survival logistics too.
A “small area” day (and why that’s often the best plan)
My plan for the day was simple: stay in one area and work it properly. No rushing between locations, no trying to cram in a huge route. Just exploring, reacting to the conditions, and trying to make the most of what the landscape offered.
The first shot of the day was Black Rock Cottage . After that, I headed to a second subject: a lone tree clinging to life, set against snow-capped mountains — one of those classic Highland motifs that works for a reason.
Finding inspiration without copying
The idea for this tree shot came from watching a video by a local photographer the night before. I’ll be honest: I never love the feeling of copying a shot. But at the same time, learning from other people’s work is part of how we improve — and sometimes, it saves time when you’ve only got a narrow winter window to work with.
The key for me is this:
- Use inspiration as a starting point
- Let conditions shape the final image
- Make small decisions that turn it into your photograph
The snow, the light, and the mood on this day were completely different to what I’d seen in that video — so even with a similar subject, the result naturally became its own thing.
Composition: the tree and the mountain skyline
This shot really came down to one simple compositional detail: where the branches sit against the mountains.
Standing too high meant the lower branches overlapped the distant ridge line, creating messy shapes and tangles. But as I lowered the tripod (and myself), the tree cleared the hills behind, and everything simplified instantly.
It’s such a good reminder that in landscape photography, tiny changes in position can completely change the graphic clarity of a scene.
Switching gear and getting into the frozen stream
I started the morning with the GFX100RF and quickly realised I wanted a bit more flexibility. To open up the composition, I fitted a wide angle using the Ricoh adapter — giving me a 21mm option and allowing me to step right into the frozen stream to build a stronger foreground.
This was… uncomfortable.
But worth it.
Sometimes winter photography is basically just negotiating with yourself:
- “Do I really need to go further in?”
- “Yes.”
- “Right… here goes nothing.”
Portrait orientation ended up working better too — cleaner, simpler, and a stronger relationship between the tree, the mountains, and the leading line of the stream.
(Insert Image: Final tree shot here)
Focus stacking in the snow (and the lesson I shouldn’t have had to learn)
Because I wanted everything sharp from foreground to background, I focus stacked the scene — which I don’t do all that often.
The plan was solid:
- One shot at f/16 focused around the tree base
- Then a stack at f/8 moving through foreground → midground → mountains
But… I made a sloppy compositional error.
When I zoomed in afterwards, I realised the lower branches were overlapping the mountains — and all I needed to do to avoid it was move the tripod a couple of steps to the left.
That’s it.
It’s a painful lesson because it’s so basic: double-check everything in the viewfinder before you press the shutter.Winter conditions add pressure, cold reduces patience, and it’s easy to miss something obvious.
The walk I misjudged (and why it wasn’t a failure)
Later, I set off on a walk to a viewpoint I’d never visited before — hoping for an interesting view of the Three Sisters. But I misjudged the time and distance.
Scottish winter daylight is brutal:
- Sunrise was late
- Sunset comes early
- The usable light window is far smaller than your brain wants it to be
I didn’t reach the intended spot, and I could have beaten myself up about it. But instead, I found a composition I genuinely liked: grasses poking through pristine snow, acting as foreground interest with the Three Sisters behind.
It wasn’t my “usual” kind of shot — which is probably why it felt exciting.
And it reinforced something important: sometimes photography isn’t about reaching the destination. It’s about exploring what you find along the way.
Finishing the day at a honeypot location (and having it to myself)
For the final shot, I went somewhere I normally avoid: a proper honeypot location — one of the most photographed mountains in Scotland.
But here’s the thing: I went at the wrong time.
Not sunrise. Not mid-afternoon. I aimed for blue hour, and I had the place entirely to myself.
It’s such a useful trick if you’re photographing popular spots:
- Don’t avoid them completely
- Just avoid them at the same time as everyone else
The conditions were brilliant: a frozen river, patches of moving water, snow-covered rocks, and soft colour in the sky. I used the wide angle again, added an ND filter, and pushed the exposure a little longer to get movement in the clouds.
This ended up being my favourite photograph of the day — it had atmosphere, depth, and that feeling of winter calm that only really appears at the edges of daylight.
Final thoughts: fun matters more than the rules
This video had a few themes running through it — and one of the biggest is that it doesn’t really matter whether you’re at a honeypot location or somewhere completely unknown. It’s all photography. And the goal isn’t to “win” — it’s to enjoy it, learn something, and come home with a picture you’re proud of.
Even with the cold, even with a few mistakes, it was the perfect way to start 2026.
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