Snow
and the winter landscape make for very photogenic backdrops but they
can be tricky to handle especially if you are a beginner with a
camera. Here are a few tips and techniques on how to shoot in snow so
you can take awesome winter photography before the season ends.
Compose, compose, compose!
The
basic principles of composition remain the same no matter what kind
of photography you are into. You can get more creative with your
composition when taking snow photos because you can find interesting
focal points of interest and points of contrast in the snowy
landscape. The contrast of dark shapes and white snow can serve as
great inspiration on how to compose and frame your shots. The Rule of
Thirds is a tried and tested classic that you can use for landscape
shots. However, as with any form of photography, you can break the
rules from time to time for really awesome shots. Shoot portraits
from above, using the snow on the ground as natural reflectors, and
using the details of your subject's face against the pure white
background of fresh snow. Get down and low to shoot snow details or
fallen leaves or twigs or step back and capture snow-covered rooftops
with a wide lens for a new perspective.
Check your exposure!
One
of the most common problems when taking snow photos is ending up with
a backlit subject especially if you are shooting portraits. Experts
recommend always using a light meter so that you can take accurate
exposure readings and have a subject that is well-lit all around.
Exposure compensation is the best tool to avoid overexposed or
underexposed shots and most cameras have this feature built in. You
may need to take a couple of shots before you get the right exposure
for a snowy setting but this could mean the difference between great
snow photos and images that you can't use.
Aim for accurate white balance
Snow
is very reflective and may cause your camera's white balance settings
to go haywire. This is seen in the bluish or grayish tinge that you
can get with your first snow photographs, especially if you
underexposed your shots. In order to get an accurate white balance,
use your camera's custom white balance feature which allows you to
gauge the most accurate white balance by choosing the setting where
the snow is most closest to white. New camera models have a one-touch
white balance feature but if you are using older models, you may need
to set your white balance manually.
Shoot in RAW
Many
professional photographers shoot only in RAW and for a good reason.
Shooting in snow will often result to a few underexposed or
overexposed photos, especially if you are new to photography or if
this is your first time shooting in an all white landscape. To ensure
that you can still work with these photos, save your photos in RAW
format so that you can recover more detail in post processing. The
RAW file format allows you to make corrections that would otherwise
be impossible to correct if you used JPEG files. RAW files will take
up a lot of space in your memory card so make sure to pack an extra
one or two cards along when you go out to shoot.
Take advantage of contrasts
Contrasts
become easily noticeable with snow photography, where you have light
snow and dark subjects and details. You can direct the eye's
attention towards a row of trees in the background, for example, if
the trees are dark and sharply outlined, making them stand out
against the snowy whiteness of the foreground. Use the white snow to
serve as the stage for shooting important objects as well, making
sure that the color, texture and other details are in contrast with
the white surface.
Overexpose
After
all that talk about overexposure, many people would think twice about
overexposing their shots. However, you can overexpose by one or two
stops to give your photos a brighter feel, without blowing away the
details. Working with RAW also helps you keep the details visible
even if you intentionally overexpose your shots. When you overexpose
your snow photos, you can get the effect of whiter snow and better
contrast which allows you to capture that bright, wintry feel that
snow tends to evoke.
Use reflected light
While
all that light reflected by the snow can affect how your camera sees
light and dark areas, you can also take advantage of snow's ability
to reflect light in order to shoot your subjects in the right light.
Angle your subjects so that they are surrounded by white which is
mostly coming from the snow in order to get light areas where the
important details, such as the body or face should be. The best thing
about reflected light is that it is a soft, diffused kind of light
which you won't get with the camera's built-in flash.
Choose your colors
If
you are taking portrait sessions in the snow, have subjects dress up
in pastel and other light colors. White outfits will reflect more
light and give you more highlights than you care to deal with. Light
and soft colors look more attractive against a white background,
since intense, deep colors tend to pop out of the picture and
dominate the entire shot. Try to incorporate colors in your landscape
shots as well. Colors and gradations from light to dark will serve as
interesting points of contrasts in any winter photo.
Stabilize shots with a tripod
A
tripod will stabilize your camera and allow you to take images using
a slow shutter speeds. If you want to capture snow with city lights
in the background or a wintry sunset, a tripod will allow you to get
sharp images even as the light is fading.
These
are just a few proven techniques that can help you take your winter
photography to the next level. While knowing a few photography basics
can help you nail some great shots, learning about techniques
specifically suited for snow and winter photography can help you
capture the season in all its winter glory.