Crimea through a camera lens: the best places for winter photos

In winter tourists traditionally love to be photographed near Christmas decorations in cities, in snowy mountains, on the seashore and in cozy cafés. But if you want to diversify the photo footage of your winter tour − catch advice from the masters of their craft. 

The land of romantics

Sudak is a meeting place for romantics. Its sceneries, colorful views and unique landscape give thousands of opportunities for relaxation and spectacular shots. As photographer Alexander Kiryakov, also known as the blogger Sandro, told the Travel portal, tourists in winter like to be photographed on the city waterfront promenade (which offers stunning views), in the vicinities and on the territory of the Genoese fortress. 

But there are places especially favored by professional photographers, the secrets of which Alexander told us. 

"We have two points where you can enjoy dawn and sunset ideally in winter, even during storms, cloudy weather or other weather vagaries. These are Noviy Svet and Kapsel Bay. From Kapsel sunsets look great.  There you can sit right on the shore and admire how a solar ball plunges into the sea, as if you are a character from the legendary "Knocking on Heaven" film. The most interesting thing is that the sun is sinking into the sea exactly 8 minutes. If in the Noviy Svet go out on a hiking trail − the Golitsyn trail − you can go as far as the Tsar's beach near Cape Kapchik, from where you can see the sunset, and from the village − a gorgeous view of the sunrise. There is also a shallow beach, picturesque waves − very convenient to take pictures.  Photographers often bring people there for photosets", — recommends the blogger.

Capsule Bay Sunset"Places of force"

Journalist and photographer Anna Censkaya offers to have a new look at the surrounding world. She is convinced that the white color of a snowy winter in Crimea, although it does not often pleases guests and residents of the region with such a "garment", "transforms everything around and sets accents".  

Anna advises guests of Crimea not to stay in hotel rooms, not to lie in a SPA, but to travel a lot! Minimal plan: one day − one attraction. 

"As for me, regardless of the time of year I visit favorite places in Crimea, the so-called "places of force" − where I want to return and recharge. Thas is the Diva Rock in Simeyiz. In winter everything is painted in other colors − becomes more vivid: sea, sky, rocks. The stormy sea in winter is entirely a separate topic for creativity! Each photo shot will be different from the previous one. Winter in Crimea is an off-season period, which in itself creates a contrast. And do not forget that Crimea is beautiful at any time of the year!" − says the photographer.  

Rock Diva at SimeizHow to make a photo more impressive 

And what about those tourists, who had paced the Crimean sights all around? What should they do? Where to find your unique shot? Photographer Konstantin Mikhalchevsky advises to go to the mountains and "enjoy the crisp air".  

He also adds that for him the ideal place to look at trough a viewfinder is, of course, South Coast, because there, even in winter, "everything reminds of summer". 

"For those who come to the peninsula for the first time, I recommend to make selfie with the Vorontsov Palace in the background, or at the Baydarsky Gate which is up in the mountains on the Yalta-Sevastopol highway. And, of course, the photos will appear more impressive if taken in the place where chebureks (local hot pastries with meat) are served", — the photographer is convinced.  

The main characters of winter photos

It's no secret that winter in Crimea is mild and not snowy. This captivates tourists coming to Crimea in off-season. Photographer Yuriy Yuganson notes the particular charm of the South Coast winter, especially in Yalta: bright and often sunny days, lush green grass and evergreen trees in January make the pictures inimitable.  

But the peninsula is also favorable to snow-lovers. For this, a tourist just needs to go up to the Ai-Petri plateau, − the photographer notes. 

"My another favorite place in the winter Crimea is Cape Fiolent. If you are in the most picturesque part of it (the area of St. George’s Monastery and Jasper Beach) in spring or summer, then you will never take a picture of normal sunset there. The fact is that only in winter the sun sets into the sea right opposite the cape. Of course, round the cape in Sevastopol you can easily shoot the sunset from anywhere, but here, as in my photos − only in winter!" — Yuriy admits.  

The "models" of your winter photo shots in Crimea can be… snowdrops! 

"Yes, don’t be surprised, these first spring flowers bloom here in January, and in large numbers, for example, at the Shuldan monastery (Ternovka village, Sevastopol district) − at the end of February. On February 23, you can take pictures of huge clearings near the Shuldan’s tower, but be careful: don’t pick and don’t trample down snowdrops!" — Yuriy draws attention. 

Another photogenic place in Crimea, according to photographers, is Uchan-Su waterfall. In winter it is the most full of water, but from time to time it can completely freeze and turn into fabulous cascades of icicles. 

Photos from Crimea − whenever you come here − can fill out the entire photo album and, most strikingly, they all will be different, as if jewels collected from all over the planet. It this is why this peninsula is called the "world in miniature".