SALT LAKE CITY — Utah is a hot spot for photography all year round, but winter yields some particularly interesting scenes for nature photo shoots. Here are five stunning destinations for winter photography:

The Great Salt Lake via Antelope Island

Antelope Island is a great place to take pictures during all seasons. Stark landscapes, mountain views, and incredibly still and reflective waters yield magical scenes, especially at sunset. Winter brings an entirely new photogenicism, however, as thick ice coats the lake forming an opaquely reflective surface.

A visit to Antelope Island at sunset during the winter yields colorful skies above and a muted reflection from the lake, bathing the landscape in a soft golden glow. Dress warmly and bring boots in case of mud but, even more importantly, bring your camera and take advantage of the frozen sunsets.

Snowbird Mountain Resort

Snowbird isn’t just great for skiing, its snow-dusted mountains, lush evergreens, and steep cliffs make it a rich site for photography. Strap on some skis and take advantage of wintery views at this ski resort, which boasts some of the best peaks and most panoramic views in Utah.

Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon, just outside of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, boasts the world’s highest concentration of hoodoos — irregular columns of rock. In the winter, this national park tends to get a light coating of snow over the towers of red rock. A winter photo shoot in Bryce is sure to yield interesting and beautiful photos of rocky specters sprinkled with white.

Bonneville Salt Flats

The Bonneville Salt Flats are a particularly unique feature of Utah, with land so flat you can see the curvature of the earth and no life present as far as the eye can see. In the summer, the flat, dry landscape is interesting to look at, but the effect winter has on it can change by the day. Sometimes, a photo shoot will yield incredibly reflective scenes due to light layers of water over dry ground. Other times, a blanket of snow might cover it, causing an other-worldly view of flat land scattered with fluffy snow.

A Drive through Dixie National Forest

Dixie National Forest covers 170 miles of Southern Utah near Cedar City. An interesting mix of desert scenes and high mountains, a scenic drive in this national forest will certainly yield fascinating views for photo shoots. At low elevations, sandstone, red rock and desert foliage dominate, while at high elevations evergreen trees, mountainous cliffs, and enough snow to support Brian Head Ski Resort create impressive wintry landscapes.

Know of some great winter photo shoot destinations in Utah? Comment them below.

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