We had our first light covering of ground snow during the night and the sight of a bright, blue sky and pink tinged fells when I opened my curtains this morning made me want to get outside into the pretty winter sun.

The river, a favourite photography hunting ground, has less birdlife in winter though there’s a chance you might see Swans, Kingfishers, Herons, Egrets and Dippers if you can sit still long enough. I didn’t want to die of hypothermia, however, so decided to venture up the Lakes instead where I could guarantee to see some kind of wildlife.

Late afternoon, with its early ‘golden hour’, is a great time for winter bird photography. Large flocks of ducks, geese and gulls were flying in to overnight on Ullswater and I spotted a Kestrel though wasn’t quick enough to grab a shot. There was also some kind of sailing regatta going on, the colourful boats illuminated by a single ray of light, a stark contrast to the snow covered fells already darkening as the sun dipped. Less pleasing was a young boy using Geese as target practice with stones, then chasing them from the shoreline until they took off en masse in fright. I simply couldn’t understand his parents standing idly by and watching him terrorise defenceless birds, but then there’s much about human behaviour which baffles me.

There are other opportunities for photography in December, not least of which are winter festivals and colourful Christmas lights if street photography excites you. Or if the weather is poor you could try your hand at photographing subjects much closer to home.

Each season has its own special magic. I admit I have a tendency to want to stay home snuggled up by the fire with a book come 3pm on a winter’s afternoon, but when I make the effort to get outside with my camera I’m always glad I did. The light in December can be amazing, particularly early morning and late afternoon when it’s sunny but frosty, and the sky changes mood from hour to hour. “To appreciate the beauty of a snowflake it is necessary to stand out in the cold” Aristotle.