I absolutely love anything Christmas and I don’t mean casually. I spend two full weeks decorating with lights, trees, ornaments, and enough sparkle to be seen from anywhere.
So when Emily said, “Hey, there’s a village that’s getting ready for a Christmas festival…” that was enough for me. I didn’t let her finish before I was mentally packing camera gear.
From the moment we reached the outskirts of downtown, I was fully mesmerized. Leavenworth is one of the most adorable Bavarian-style villages you’ll could visit (read more about our 2-day Leavenworth trip here). During the winter and holiday season ti becomes an absolute Christmas photography playground.
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On Day 1, the sun was shining and the skies were clear. Unfortunately, we only had about an hour of daylight after riding the alpine coaster and grabbing dinner.
On Day 2, the weather understood the assignment and gave us a full-on winter wonderland. Snow-covered buildings, glowing lights, and a cozy alpine vibe made for amazing photos in every direction.
The mix of bright daytime snow and magical evening lights makes Leavenworth perfect for experimenting with both natural light and low-light photography.
Winter (and especially holiday light season) brings some of the most magical photo opportunities—but it also comes with one major challenge: snow glare.
Sunlight reflecting off fresh snow can overexpose your images, washing out details and highlights. That’s where a Neutral Density (ND) filter becomes a total game-changer.
Why Use an ND Filter for Winter Photography?
On especially sunny days, I’ll leave my filter on the lens so I don’t have to constantly think about adjusting exposure unless I’m working toward a very specific composition.
Choosing the Right ND Filter for Your Camera Lens
There are a lot of ND filter options out there, but the most important thing is buying the correct size for your lens.
How to Find the Right ND Filter Size:
I’ve used multiple ND filter brands over the years and have been happy with more than one. You don’t need the most expensive option just a solid filter that fits your lens properly.
Because it gets dark early, you may be able to photograph dusk and full-on nighttime during your adventures. Both lighting situations are beautiful but they also require a little extra care to avoid blurry, shaky photos.
Low-light photography is all about stability. Whether you’re shooting at blue hour or after dark, you’ll want:
The darker it gets, the more your camera has to work to gather light, which means adjusting your settings accordingly.
Cameras rely on light to create an image, so less light in your environment means you’ll need to compensate by:
These two settings work together to help capture sharp, well-exposed images when the sun disappears.
Here’s a quick cheat sheet on ISO and aperture, and you can read our full beginner-friendly breakdown [here].
As we were walking back to the car, I was fully praying to all that is holy that I could keep my hands steady—because this moment was too good to miss. Tilly turned and looked at Emily with an expression that clearly said, “Best adventure ever, Mom.”
There were a few snowflakes drifting down, but thankfully the glow from the surrounding buildings provided just enough light to illuminate the scene. That ambient lighting helped create a soft, cozy feel and turned what could’ve been a tricky shot into one of my favorite memories from the trip.
Sometimes the magic isn’t perfect conditions—it’s learning how to work with what you have and pressing the shutter anyway.
Icicle Gorge is located about a 50-minute drive from Leavenworth, Washington, and it’s often recommended as one of the most photography-friendly hikes in the area. We had planned to explore the full trail after researching the iconic bridge shots and river views that photographers rave about.
However, Mother Nature had other plans. Despite having a 4×4, the final five miles to the trailhead were no match for winter road conditions. This is one of those moments where even the best planning can’t compete with reality — and safety always comes first. We made the call to turn around, but the silver lining was that the river views along the drive still offered incredible photo opportunities.
One of my favorite images from this area came from shooting through the trees with fog rolling in over the river. The atmosphere was absolutely perfect for creating depth and mood in the composition.
That said, Emily has officially banned me from using the “F-word” (fog) on future trips. After I proclaimed my love for fog photography, we spent half of a fjord trip in Norway unable to see the front of the boat because of how thick it became. I stand by my opinion, that fog creates beautiful, cinematic compositions, and I’ll happily shoot in it whenever I get the chance without saying the word out loud 😊
If you’re able to access the trail, Icicle Gorge Loop Trail is a fantastic option for both beginner and experienced photographers. Here’s what makes it such a great location:
Photography Tip:
Wear water-resistant shoes and bring a polarizing filter. A polarizer helps reduce glare on water and enhances reflections, making it especially useful for river and forest photography.
When photographing in real life especially with pets, you don’t always get perfect lighting conditions, and that’s okay. Travel photography often means working with whatever light you’re given and making the most of it in the moment. This is especially true when shooting indoors, during winter, or around holiday décor.
Inside our cabin, we wanted to capture cozy photos of Tilly, but the lighting situation was far from simple. We were working with multiple competing light sources: white Christmas lights, the warm glow of the fireplace, and overhead lighting. While mixed lighting can be tricky, the same photography principles still apply.
To get the best results:
Not every photo will turn out exactly as planned, but capturing genuine moments, even imperfect ones, often leads to the most meaningful images.
Here is a list of other beautiful locations around Leavenworth that may be worth a visit depending on your schedule. Though they were on the list, we were not able to make it to them due to weather and schedules.
Leavenworth, Washington offers one of those rare travel photography destinations where storybook charm meets dramatic alpine landscapes. From rushing rivers and fog-filled forests to Bavarian-style architecture and festive village lights, the variety of photo opportunities is endless.
Whether you love photographing landscapes, winter scenes, cozy cabins, or your dog exploring a new place, Leavenworth delivers. And the best part? You don’t need advanced gear or strenuous hikes to come home with beautiful images. Sometimes the best shots happen during a quiet walk along the waterfront or while turning down a side street at just the right time of day.
This was my first trip to Leavenworth, but it certainly won’t be my last. With so many seasons, lighting conditions, and compositions to explore, it’s a destination that photographers especially travel and pet photographers will want to return to again and again.
** Written by Kira **
