Take the best photos while snowshoeing Big Bear Lake!

There I was lying on my back in the snow with my pants off. Like a turtle, stuck on its back, I was stuck in four feet of fresh powder, snowshoes in the air and my pants around my ankles. An hour into my solo snowshoeing Big Bear Lake trek, well, yes, I needed to pee after downing a low-sugar breakfast smoothie before the pup and I trekked up into the wilderness into a ‘lil blizzard. There was no one around in the empty forest except for Big Bear’s shaggy wild burros, descendants of the late eighteen hundreds gold rush donkeys. Why not make the forest my bathroom?

Oh shit

Well, that was before I fell over backward in the very soft, snow with my pants around my ankles. I completely lost my balance and I’m assuming those wild burros were laughing their donkey asses off at this ridiculous hiking guide, bundled in so many layers and now stuck in the snow. Luckily, I managed to wrestle my way back onto my feet eventually and before any random Big Bear tourists wandered by. This is why I like to snowshoe out in the vast wilderness of Big Bear Lake. Because let’s face it, sometimes I embarrass myself. When I’m not lying in the snow half naked beside my snowshoes, I like to take a few snaps of my outdoor adventures. As soon as I managed to put my pants back on, the sun started to come out from amongst the clouds and I went from being snuggly warm to oh-my-God, why did I wear my warmest sweater and also my North Face puffer jacket? Even my legs were sweating in my snow pants and I thought, well so much for eight more inches of snow today. Plus, this sweaty mess still has to start snowshoeing Big Bear Lake over a mile back to my truck! Why did I not bring a backpack to carry all these discarded layers?

80’s snow clothes; So not rad

Remember those terrible snow clothes from the eighties and nineties? Well, according to millennials, they might be back in fashion but I’m not going to start wearing eighties oversized chunky glasses anytime soon. I still have flashbacks to high-wasted jeans, flannel shirts and body suits from my days in middle school. Yes, as a child growing up in the early nineties in the snowy mountains of southern California, I had some truly terrible padded 90s winter coats. Luckily, snow clothes are a lot more chic here in the year 2023. We all just survived a global pandemic, I think we deserve some skinny-cut bibbed snow pants! So how do you take some rad snow photos here in 2023? I have some great tips for how to look hip in the snow, whether you are snowshoeing, throwing snowballs or just posing with your favorite snowman.

• Snowshoeing Big Bear Lake this winter season? Bring a backpack to hold that selfie stick and all those extra layers. You don’t realize how warm you get playing or hiking in the snow.
• Don’t be in a hurry to get that perfect shot. Take your time to make sure the sun is shining on your face, you are not standing in the shadows and your snowshoes are fully in the photo.

  

• If hiking with your favorite trail pup, bring a squeaky ball or a pocket full of small treats to encourage your pup to sit and look at the camera.
• It’s not worth wearing makeup in a blizzard. If it’s snowing on you sideways, your eye makeup will just run down your cheeks. Save a little time and just wear sunglasses. Also, they will protect your eyes from UV rays and snow blindness.
• Throw that snow in the air or at the camera. This is a great way to get some candid shots of your friends and family in the snow.
• Taking a photo with your pup? Hold them by the collar and crouch down in the snow with them. This is a great angle to get your pup’s faces aimed in the right direction for photos.

In my outdoor nature lovers’ opinion, being out in the wilderness in the fresh snow is the best way to spend a winter’s morning. It does not matter if you are sledding, romping through the snow with your favorite pup or going for a sweaty five-mile snowshoe adventure. Snowshoeing is my absolute favorite outdoor winter activity, as Big Bear Lake’s only snowshoe adventure guide. I truly know the best trails for every fitness level.

Let’s face it if it’s a twenty-degree day and you find yourself out snowshoeing in a blizzard, you are probably bundled up like the Michelin man. It’s just not a sexy look to be wearing two sweaters, a jacket and snow pants. This look right here will definitely make you go from svelte to I just gained back my Covid-19 LBS. If you want great snow photos, taking off a layer or five for the photo ops is a much more slimming way to go.

An outdoor fashionista’s guide to a snowy backdrop

Here are some great tips to look just a bit fashionable for those snowy photos if you are snowshoeing Big Bear Lake this winter season: Wear bright colors. If everyone in your group is wearing black, your snow clothes are going to all blend together and it won’t be the most aesthetically pleasing photo.  Have a sled with you? Have a few peps in your group hold the sled or sit on the sled in front of your group. This will add that color pop to your snowy photos. When you purchase snow pants, look for bibbed snow pants with skinny legs in bright colors. These will look best against a white backdrop of snow.

If you plan to take lots of fancy photos out in the snow, be prepared to take off some layers to get the most flattering photos. You don’t want to be wearing three layers of sweaters and a jacket if you want flattering snow photos. I’ve been known to carefully shed my snow pants just so I can take photos in leggings and one layer of sweater, just to get a great photo where it doesn’t look like I have been inhaling Butter Chicken for the entire three-year pandemic. In my opinion, it’s worth it to be cold for one minute if it means the photos look better.

Snowshoeing Big Bear Lake; Hat hair is real

Let’s face it, if you are out snowshoeing in a blizzard, hat hair is a real thing. When the snow is blowing at my face sideways, I usually just give up and wear my favorite balaclava. I do have a few awesome winter hats for my outdoor experiences but when I have been snowshoeing from five a.m. until two p.m. in the rain, sleet and hail, my hair looks terrible. There is no point in even trying not to look like a drowned rat. Are you having this issue during your snowy photo shoot? Don’t be afraid to take photos from far away and just show off the glory of the forest and not your hat hair or this morning’s eyeliner running down your cheek. A fisherman’s bucket hat is also a great way to keep your head warm and still look cute in all those soon-to-be Insta-worthy photos.

Getting the perfect selfie while Snowshoeing Big Bear Lake

So maybe, like me, you are out of shape for a snowshoe trek in two feet of fresh snow. And all those layers and frumpy snow pants are not helping matters. Find a majestic two-hundred-year-old juniper tree to lean against and you will look way curvier and way less frumpy. If you are snowshoeing on a day with awesome clouds, taking a selfie with a ten-second timer is a great way to capture those awesome clouds and the scenic alpine skyline behind you.

I always encourage my guests to take unique snowshoeing photos. Like this one where you frame the shot to look down at your snowshoes. Bonus points if you can get your trail pup to look up at the same time!

Snow pants are a must for the best outdoor snowy photoshoots, even if they do add on ten pounds. Being warm enough to sit in the fresh powder makes for great snowshoeing photos. I love these photos with your snowshoes pointing in the air. Although just like my outdoor potty experience, this is a hard position to get back out of the snow from! Capturing the very best of those snowy snaps can be challenging. Hopefully, these easy hints can help you capture the very best of your snow play and snowshoeing memories here in the winter of 2023!

So, where is your favorite place to snowshoe?