Tis the season for the holidays and adorable Christmas and winter-themed Instagram posts! Need some winter photoshoot ideas? Well, I’ve got you covered!
Santa, snow, hot chocolate, Christmas trees, cozy blankets, stockings, ornaments- they all say winter to me!
I’ve compiled a bunch of my own and others’ photos to give you winter photoshoot ideas for the ultimate inspiration!
To keep things organized, I’ve divided these ideas into these categories:
- Photoshoot Ideas with Presents
- Snow Photoshoot Ideas
- At Home Winter Photoshoot Ideas
- City & Outdoor Winter Photoshoot Ideas
- Crafty Winter Photoshoot Ideas
- Car Photoshoot Ideas
- Winter Travel Photoshoot Ideas
You’ll find winter photoshoot ideas for couples, winter photoshoot ideas for friends, and winter photoshoot ideas for families sprinkled throughout this list!
So without further ado, here are 51 winter photoshoots that are perfect for Instagram!
Photoshoot Ideas with Presents
The holidays are the ultimate gift-giving time! So how about incorporating presents into your winter photoshoots? Here are 4 present-related ideas for you!
1. Go shopping for presents
With the way shopping centers decorate for the holidays, they’re perfect for a holiday photo shoot!
(I’m also partial to Bath & Body Works since they have the best candles out there, which make for the perfect gifts!)
2. Wrap presents
For a cute holiday action shot, wrap some presents!
With the beauty of wrapping paper, ribbons, bows, etc., a present-wrapping photoshoot can be so pretty!
3. Exchange small presents
Use presents to decorate, and then exchange some! I decided on an areal photo (from above) showing the hubs and I exchanging cute presents.
With the ornament heart and lights surrounding our feet, this photo is a great winter photo for Instagram!
4. Hold a stack of presents
Stack some presents for another fun winter photoshoot idea!
You can do this photoshoot indoors or outside, all you need is a few wrapped presents to pull this one off!
You can also use empty boxes like these if it’s just for a shoot!
Snow Photoshoot Ideas
If you live somewhere that gets snow or are planning a vacation to the snow, here are some great winter photoshoot ideas for you!
Snow is extremely Instagrammable since you can do so much with it! It also makes for a dreamy winter backdrop.
Here are seven fun snow photoshoot ideas!
5. Create a romantic snow photoshoot
Bring a flowy skirt with you on a hike or wherever to add some whimsy to your photo.
Here is the skirt I’m wearing– it’s the ultimate Instagram skirt! I bring it with me on every vacation because it instantly adds that fairytale feeling.
6. Throw snow in the air
Add some movement to your winter photoshoot by throwing snow up into the air!
Tip: You’ll want to make sure you don’t hold it too tightly in your hands, otherwise it’ll clump together.
Also, if you don’t have snow where you’re taking the photo, you can buy some artificial snow like this:
7. Go skiing
Skiing, anyone? (Or snowboarding!)
If you’re hitting the slopes, be sure to grab a fun photo with all your ski gear!
8. Find a snow-covered road
Stand in the middle of a snow-covered road lined with evergreens for some winter wanderlust vibes.
9. Make a snow heart
‘Snow joke how cute this is! Create a heart out of snow for a precious snow photo!
10. Build a snowman
This will take some work, but it’ll have you feeling like a child again!
Build a snowman and accessorize him for a fun snow photoshoot!
Bonus points if you can make him look like Olaf!
And here’s a Snowman set to make sure you have all the gear you need!
11. Hold a “giant” snowball
I love how creative this shot is!
Have your photographer hold a snowball in the foreground while you reach up in the background.
12. Kiss behind a snowflake
You can make or buy a giant snowflake to really accentuate the snow!
At Home Winter Photoshoot Ideas
I’m guessing most of this winter we’ll be spending at home, so here are a bunch of great at-home winter photoshoot ideas!
They’ll give you all the cute and cozy winter vibes, right from home!
13. Hang ornaments on a tree
Get a shot decorating your tree! With all the work you’ll put into decorating, you might as well get a cute shot of you doing it!
Throw a bow in your hair to raise the cuteness level!
14. Toast in front of the tree
How about a toast?
Fill your mugs with marshmallows or hot chocolate to keep with the winter theme, and cheers to the season!
To step it up a notch, how cute is this cup spa for gingerbread men?! Use marshmallows for the “bath”, a cup for the “tub”, and throw some candy canes in there too!
15. Surround yourself with ornaments
I don’t have this photo yet, but here’s what I have in mind:
This shot will be from above with me *potentially* wearing a Santa hat. Ornaments will surround me from all around!
16. Create an epic platter of Christmas-themed food
Who doesn’t like holiday foods?!
Not only do they taste good, but they’re eye candy too! (Pun intended).
Grab your gingerbread men, hot chocolate, a slice of pie, candy canes, chocolate Santas, cinnamon sticks, walnuts, a pot of tea, or whatever else you can think of!
17. Get cozy in PJs
For super cozy vibes, dress in your Christmas pajamas!
You can’t go wrong with some red plaid like this– it’ll match your presents and holiday decorations.
18. Bring in your family and friends
Holidays are meant to be shared with loved ones! So how about getting your friends or family in a photo with you?
19. A Christmas kiss
Share a Christmas kiss with your love! (Mistletoe optional!)
To step it up another notch, have your significant other wear a Santa hat like the one below and caption your post “I saw mommy kissing Santa Claus.” 🙂
20. Write a letter to Santa
Continuing on the Santa kick, how about writing a letter to Santa?
21. Show off your front porch
If you’ve decorated your front porch for the holidays, show it off! You’ve put all that time and money into beautifying your front door, so go ahead and photograph it!
22. Show off your shoes
Along those lines, step onto your doormat and show off your Christmas shoes!
This doesn’t have to be photographed on the front porch; you can stand by your Christmas tree, next to a bunch of ornaments, poinsettias, or anywhere else holiday-themed.
23. Watch a Christmas movie
Add a Christmas movie to your winter photoshoot! Here are some classics:
- Elf
- White Christmas
- The Grinch
- Frozen
- Home Alone
- A Christmas Story
24. Show off your Christmas socks or slippers
If you’ve got some fun Christmas socks or slippers, make sure they make it into your winter photoshoot! Stick your feet up in the air, take a shot of your socks from above, or point your toes for the camera to make your feet the focal point!
Here are my exact reindeer slippers!
25. Cozy up to the fireplace
Fireplaces are super cozy and add unique light into photoshoots. Bonus points for adding twinkle lights or hanging up some cute stockings on your fireplace!
26. Show off your nails & jewelry
The holidays are extremely popular times to get engaged! (I’m including myself in that statistic… I got engaged on December 1st!) Here’s a great photoshoot if you’ve got some new bling to show off!
And, regardless of if you’ve got an engagement ring, if you have some cute jewelry or a great manicure, this photo is for you!
(You don’t need to shell out the big bucks for a manicure, either! These stick-on-and-file-off gel nail stickers are lifesavers! They’re all I use now!)
27. Get a shot from above
Create an epic spread of all of your holiday décor, then have your photographer stand on a chair above you to snap a cute photo!
Bonus points if you’re wearing something wintery like this pom pom hat!
City & Outdoor Winter Photoshoot Ideas
If you’re hitting the town, there are a bunch of great photo opportunities come winter time! Here are some of my favorite winter photoshoot ideas if you’re out and about:
28. Follow me to the Christmas tree
Shopping centers, malls, and hotels are great places to visit for this kind of shot. More often than not, they’ll have a giant Christmas tree that you can get a photo in front of!
And if you have kids, chances are there will be a Santa for them to get a photo with, too!
29. Go to a Christmas tree farm
Christmas tree farms are the ultimate outdoor winter photoshoot location! Regardless of whether there’s snow on the ground or not, you can get some adorable photos with Christmas trees!
30. Find a cute storefront or display
Stores and shopping areas go all out for the holidays. You’ll find lights, wreaths, Christmas trees, giant ornaments, and more!
31. The traveling-for-the-holidays shot
If you’re traveling for the holidays, get a shot with your suitcase! Bonus points if it matches some decor in your city!
32. Share hot chocolate
While you’re out on the town, stop into your favorite coffee shop and get hot chocolate to cheers with!
33. Dance among the evergreens
Dance among the trees and wear red to throw in some red-and-green Christmas colors!
34. Bring a mini tree or Santa hat with you somewhere unexpected
Not all of us live in a winter wonderland! But that doesn’t mean you can’t get your cute winter photoshoots in!
If you live near the ocean, bring a mini Christmas tree to the beach with you. Or if you’re traveling somewhere warm, bring Santa hats for a fun photo.
35. Go ice skating
If your city has an outdoor ice-skating rink, they are just perfect for fun winter photos!
And get your photo wearing Christmas pajamas if you’re extra brave!
Crafty Winter Photoshoot Ideas
If you’re up for some creativity and/or some arts and crafts, these are some great winter photoshoot ideas for you! Express yourself and have fun with these!
36. Use an Instax
Try your hand at polaroid photography with the Instax, aka the cutest, most Instagrammable camera out there! Throw in this santa hat for extra Christmassy vibes!
37. Frame with candy canes
It’s way too perfect that candy canes can form hearts! Hold your candy canes like the photo above to emphasize the love you and your lover share!
(I can also see this being super cute with you and your dog/pet if you have one!)
38. Frame with a wreath
In a similar way, frame your photo with another holiday object: a wreath! Use a wreath to draw the viewers focus to the center of the frame!
39. Show off your Christmas cookies
If you’ve made (or bought) cute Christmas cookies, how about finding a fun place to feature them? I found this gnome at Target, but if you make your own or buy/make gingerbread men, they’re perfect for this winter Instagram photo!
Bonus points for having a Christmas tree as the backdrop for this photoshoot!
40. Make snowman marshmallows
How stinkin’ adorable are these marshmallow snowmen? With a cute ‘do you wanna build a snowman’ sign (hello, Olaf!), twinkle lights, cozy PJs, reindeer and bunny slippers, and his and hers mugs, this photo gives me all the feels! Don’t forget some cute gnomes for added décor!
You can get the whole setup at the links below!
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How to make a marshmallow snowman:
- Use toothpicks to string together three marshmallows
- Add pretzel sticks for arms and legs
- Chop up a tiny chunk of carrot for the noses (make sure it’s long enough to stick into the marshmallow face!), or draw an orange nose with a sharpie
- Use black gel icing (or a sharpie if you don’t plan on eating these!) to draw on buttons and a happy face
- Pour some hot chocolate or apple cider into the cup
- Voila! You’re done!
41. Make a cranberry or poinsettia flower crown
Flower crowns are super Instagrammable, I don’t think you need me to tell you that! But how do you make a winter-themed flower crown?
Well, cranberries and poinsettias make for the perfect crown materials!
Here’s my tutorial on how to make a flower crown; you’ll just want to sub in the winter florals instead!
42. Incorporate famous Christmas films
This is especially fun if you have kids! I love how Marina got her kids to do the famous Home Alone scream! How cute are her little kiddos?
The “All Mama Wants is a Silent Night” cup is a nice touch, too! You can find a cute mug with that saying here!
Car Photoshoot Ideas
Every winter when I was growing up, my family would road trip 17+ hours from Maryland to Wisconsin to visit family. So in a funny way, cars were very much a large part of winter to me!
Well, those memories are here to stay, so I just had to include a section for car photoshoots. Here are five great ideas to recreate with your own car!
Because there’s just something about wintery roads and road trips that make for great winter photoshoot ideas! 🙂
Note: please don’t try to take any of these photo while actually driving. I feel like that goes without saying, but had to say it anyway!
43. Decorate your trunk
Instead of decorating your hood like the last photo, decorate your trunk this time! And sit in it with your significant other or your best friend!
Twinkle lights make for a great addition here, as well as cozy blankets (like this white pom-pom blanket!).
44. Stick your head out the window
I get all the carefree winter vibes from this photo!
45. Toast with a view
Bring two mugs of marshmallows with you for this cute photo! I recommend marshmallows over liquid so that there’s no chance of spilling!
Don’t forget the extra touches like hanging ornaments from your mirror and putting a snowflake on your dash! And for the final touch, a tablet with a winter film playing on it!
You’ll be set for the perfect winter Instagram photo!
46. Show off your reindeer slippers
Put on your Christmas flannels and put your reindeer slippers on the dash for this adorable winter shot!
47. Incorporate a Christmas spread with your car
For this photoshoot, you use the hood of your car as the base for a little picnic. Lay out a scarf or blanket, order some pizza, and wear your Christmas sweaters!
Winter Travel Photoshoot Ideas
This last section is the best winter travel to do for the ultimate winter vibes. These four ideas will make for great winter photoshoot locations- I think you’ll understand why when you see what they are!
48. Explore a glacier
Glaciers are essentially made when layers and layers of snow are compacted together. When more snow piles up than melts, this forms solid sheets of ice over time!
Which is exactly why glaciers give you some extreme winter vibes!
If you want to add this exact glacier to your bucket list, it is the Matanuska Glacier and you can read all about it here!
49. Soak in a hot spring
Hot springs are magical come wintertime! Being out in the cold weather while soaking in hot springs is one of the most relaxing things to do in the winter!
Don’t forget to wear a hat to keep your head warm!
You can also make this winter photoshoot idea work with a hot tub, too.
50. Chase the northern lights
Winter is prime northern lights viewing season!
Did you know that the best place to view northern lights in the United States is in Fairbanks, Alaska?
That’s exactly where these glass-roofed igloos are located at Borealis Basecamp! They have the only glass-roofed igloos in Alaska.
I totally photoshopped this photo though- since the northern lights were not very strong when we saw them, I could only photograph them from outside the igloo.
51. Visit a Christmas market
Someday I’ll make it to Germany during the Christmas season! Or anywhere in Europe, really!
Colmar, Germany (pictured above) is at the top of my winter travel bucket list! Also on the list: Lapland (for northern lights), Switzerland, and Austria!
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In conclusion…
I hope this list inspires you to create some perfect winter photoshoots for Instagram! (Or for a Christmas card or just to have!)
Do you have some creative winter photoshoot ideas that I didn’t mention? Comment below!
Happy photographing!
Jasmine
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