Behind the Scenes: Twelve Days of Winter Photography

TRANQUIL • LUMINOUS • ROOTED

Stories from the studio, reflections on process, and the art of the handmade.

Forget pumpkin spice—I’m skipping straight to hot chocolate season. While the world is still crunching through leaves and sipping lattes, I’m in the studio knee-deep in fairy lights, faux snow, and pinecones. That’s the joy (and the chaos) of twelve days of winter photography—bringing a little frost, shimmer, and glow to life months before the first real snowfall. But that’s the joy (and the challenge) of photographing my Twelve Days of Winter Collection—bringing a little frost, shimmer, and glow to life months before the first flake and real snow drifts in.

A Winter Photo Shoot

Studio Snowstorms (aka: The Props Situation)

If you’ve ever wondered what my studio looks like mid-campaign prep, picture this: pinecones rolling across the floor like tumbleweeds, jingle bells in every shade of metallic (did I mention copper is very persuasive?), and more fake snow than should legally be allowed in one room.

At one point, I am balancing a Replica Surfaces winter backdrop with one hand, arranging fairy lights with the other, camera remote in hand, and trying not to sneeze—because one sneeze and the snow scatter turns into a full-blown blizzard. 😵

The Quest for the Perfect Glow

Photography is basically 90% lighting and 10% pretending you know what you’re doing. I have my fancy studio lights and little clip-on lights, my carefully chosen backdrops, and a metal ornament stand that used to be black until I got ambitious with a can of white spray paint. (Note to self: spray paint + impatient artist = fingerprints that may or may not qualify as “texture.”)

The real challenge? Getting the glow just right. Too bright and it looks like the North Pole exploded. Too dim and you can’t tell the difference between Frost and Ember.

When Ornaments Misbehave

Let me tell you: ornaments on hooks are DIVAS! They twist. They spin. They reflect every awkward angle of my face as I lean in with the camera. One of them even caught the exact moment I whispered, “Seriously? Stay still!”......"Thank You."

Books and Pagekeepers are much more cooperative—they just lie there, looking cute and elegant, while I fuss with pine needles and try to remember which way is “up” on a jingle bell.

Why It’s Worth It: What I Learned from Twelve Days of Winter Photography

As chaotic as it gets, these photo sessions are when the Twelve Days of Winter Collection starts to feel real. And every moment reminds me why I love twelve days of winter photography—it’s the magic of turning a messy studio into a luminous winter story. I can see each word come to life in its own little snow-globe of story and light.

And honestly? When I look back at the finished photos, I forget all about the pinecone chase, the snowstorm sneezes, and the ornament rebellion. Instead, I see a collection that feels Tranquil, Luminous, and Rooted—just as I imagined.

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