Snowstorm, China

Snowstorm, China

Photograph by Michael Yamashita, National Geographic

Another great picture made better by bad weather. Michael Yamashita has used a telephoto lens in this situation to compress the snowflakes into patterns of white. He has wisely focused on a plane of snow, leaving the background figures slightly soft. All these photographic choices pull the viewer into the storm. We can practically feel the snowflakes on our tongues. —Annie Griffiths

Photo Tip: A telephoto lens will compress everything in a scene, including elements as small as snowflakes. And the longer the lens, the more shallow the depth of field, so it’s fun to experiment with the patterns and shapes that happen when using this type of lens.