Fantastic Winter Shots to Inspire You to Get Out Into the Cold

Winter time has moved into the Northern Hemisphere and with it a new season for wonderful photo opportunities. The following 25 photos are meant to inspire those of you looking for a reason to leave the warm comfort of home and explore the cold depths of winter with your camera. It can be a great time to capture the magic of the season for the brave souls who adventure out into the chill.

Frosted trees, a snow covered fence and the ice blue at the end of the lane. Winter's grip is complete in this photo showcasing a lovely even coating to the trees. The human element is small and nature large showing us who's in charge when winter arrives.

The Aurora Borealis dominates this photo taken in Alaska. Again, the human element is minimized against such a massive, natural backdrop. Shifting and changes by the minute, the Aurora is best viewed during the winter months in the Northern latitudes.

The spectrum of a winter sunset brings vivid life to this otherwise bleak landscape in California. The Joshua trees look even more mysterious and foreign when coasted with a layer of snow.

The bleakness in this photo leaves me shivering. What I like about this photo is it's easy to image this bench and park being full of life in the summer. But now, under the cold glare of winter, only a few resilient leaves remain on the trees.

Taken in Wisconsin where the winter lasts well beyond its appointed time on the calendar, this photo shows the juxtaposition between a wonderful beach scene and the cold reality of January on the Great Lakes.

From the ski slopes in the background to the road in the foreground to the total lack of vegetation anywhere, this shot is both poetic and dire. Blanketed in snow, the scene reminds me that sometimes there is no escaping winter.

The kea adds a bright splash of color to the snowy scene in New Zealand. I love the symmetry and action in this shot, Proof that majesty can be found even in a car parking lot.

Isolation rings true in this picture from Switzerland. The two figures stand in stark contrast to the hills beyond while remaining minor figures in the over all landscape. The area around them appears well worn but for a while, they get to enjoy the wintery view by themselves.

A cold and dark night is punctuated by the apparent warmth of the tunnel in this image from New York. What I enjoy about this photos is the three different sources of light and how they play, front to back, within the picture. The vacancy within a shot taken in such a large city adds a chill to the photo.

I like this photo for what shows about the human spirit. Even in a place of such frigid cold, people still get out and exercise. Although in this case, they are doing it merely to stay warm. The monotone sun rays brings some warmth to offset the mounds of snow in the foreground

Most of us know taking a great photo is helped by having a great subject. In this case, Mother Nature weaves ice crystals into feathery patterns that are easy to find when winter closes in for the season.

An approaching storm signals the return of more snow to this pastoral scene in rural New Jersey.

These stones have stood for centuries through the worst any English season can conjure up. And their reward on this winter evening is front row seats for the sunset. I enjoy the framing in this photos and the vastness of the sky, with just a hint of pink to the clouds.

Some may say the silhouetted tree is a bit cliche when it comes to winter scenes. I believe there is no denying the special place a tree that has lost all its leafs for the season can play in the cycle of time.

Hovering over this still pond in Northern Germany gives a special feel to the sky. The removal anything close within the picture to 'hold on to' forces me into this image and makes me shudder just thinking of falling in.

Snow, deep and thick and plastered to the side of the tree, envelopes this photo and won't let go. It's a winter postcard that makes me want to crawl inside the small barn and see if the stove is working.

Ice fishing is very popular in many areas of the world, including this lake in the Adirondack Mountains of New York. The huts are for those who don't wish to spend hours waiting for a bite without some bit of protection from the wind.

Ursa Major(the Big Dipper) watches overhead as the Northern Lights put on a show for this ice fisherman in Ontario, Canada.

Again, the loneliness of a bench left vacant and snow covered, along with the forced focus of the zoom effect, leaves me waiting for winter to pass. But knowing that it will be a long wait.

The sled has seen better days and I enjoy the rust on the rails, telling of a long history of running the slopes. Having owned such a sled, I like the stories of my my past it brings to mind.

Wow! The call of the open trail behind a dogsled team. This sport is also very popular in many areas of the world and this scene from Alaska is a quintessential snapshot.

Getting ready to head straight up the frozen ice fall, these climbers are dwarfed by the winter wonderland around them.

The moon lights the snow as lights from a nearby ski lift brighten the roof line in this majestic shot from Switzerland.

A classic shot of Yosemite Falls in Yosemite National Park with the moon looking on overhead. Much photographed by Ansel Adams, the park is a favorite with winter photographers.

Few people make it to Bryce Canyon National Park, located in Southern Utah, in the winter time. And it's a shame as this scene of snow on sandstone is repeated for many months of the year.