Winter shooting tips wanted.

mattr888mattr888 Registered Users Posts: 45 Big grins
edited November 1, 2010 in Technique
in England it is coming in to winter. So can i have some good tips with shooting with rain show ice and how i would make the photos better when i go to take them
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  • angevin1angevin1 Registered Users Posts: 3,403 Major grins
    edited October 26, 2010
    I asked the Moderators to move your thread to a place to receive some help with your request.
    tom wise
  • pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,708 moderator
    edited October 26, 2010
    The secret to shooting in snow fields, is to understand how reflected light meters ( like the one in your camera ) are designed to work.

    They ASSUME ( by definition ) that your overall image should be a near neutral grey tone, and spurt out an exposure recommendation to achieve exactly that.

    The problem is that snow is nowhere close to a neutral grey tone; but if you follow the exposure rec'd by the meter in your camera it will record the snow in your image as a GREY tone, not a white one.

    To record the snow as white you must increase the exposure about 1 - 1.5 stops MORE light than the meter recommends when metering a white snow field. You cna do this visa the Exposure Compensation dial or button on your camera. Or ignore the meter, and learn to shoot via Sunny 16. Or you can meter the scene with your camera and an 18% grey card to read off of for your exposure value. Or you can purchase an Incident light meter ( not a reflected meter ) which will give you the correct exposure, that you could have already figured out via Sunny 16thumb.gif

    Here is Andy's take on shooting in the snow

    Rutt used to worry about the color of snow in his images a lot, and came to this realization

    For a discussion of the physics of the color of snow, go here

    In short, snow is the color of whatever it is next to, just like clouds which tend to the green over cornfields in Iowa, and red over the desert in Utah.

    Bad weather is always a great time for shooting photographs. I love shooting in fog the most though. I think you see fog from time to time in the UK too, don't you?

    Some weather scenes...

    761186203_svrHq-XL.jpg


    The cold blue of an approaching blizzard
    474563568_xUGB7-XL.jpg

    The warm glow of morning sunrise on snow
    474558453_keJVx-XL.jpg


    A tree in the late afternoon sunshine
    485416566_CbvXx-XL.jpg

    Dense fog in Alaska

    1059598032_UB56R-XL.jpg
    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
  • mattr888mattr888 Registered Users Posts: 45 Big grins
    edited October 27, 2010
    pathfinder wrote: »
    I love shooting in fog the most though. I think you see fog from time to time in the UK too, don't you?

    yer we do get fog and i was also going to have a go at shooting that one morning
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  • SamSam Registered Users Posts: 7,419 Major grins
    edited October 27, 2010
    Wear warm clothes, and don't eat the yellow snow!

    Sam
  • pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,708 moderator
    edited October 27, 2010
    You will notice that Sam lives in a western state, and rarely sees snow in his hometown.

    I know Californians get snow in the Sierras, but not so much, I think, in San Jose.:D
    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
  • SamSam Registered Users Posts: 7,419 Major grins
    edited October 27, 2010
    pathfinder wrote: »
    You will notice that Sam lives in a western state, and rarely sees snow in his hometown.

    I know Californians get snow in the Sierras, but not so much, I think, in San Jose.:D

    Here in The Peoples Republic of California we take our civic duties seriously. We need to warn all citizens, non citizens, and Extraterrestrials about any and all dangers. Many Californian's think 60 degrees is cold and have no understanding of frost bite, hence they must be warned. Also the dangers of eating yellow snow can't be emphasized enough!

    California is doing it's part. They close many roads over the Sierras during the winter months to prevent Californians from experiencing these horrors.

    Sam

    PS: Nice wither shots. :-)
  • lfortierlfortier Registered Users Posts: 237 Major grins
    edited October 27, 2010
    Just a couple of tips from a New Englander.

    Dress warm, don't let your feet get wet.
    Get a pair of gloves that let the fingers slip off.
    Keep spare batteries in your pockets close to your body.

    Bring your equipment out (put in car trunk) early enough so that the glass surfaces don't fog up.

    If you have a beautiful blue sky and can't figure your exposure, take a meter reading off the sky. This works!

    Have fun.

    Have something warm waiting for you at home.
  • mattr888mattr888 Registered Users Posts: 45 Big grins
    edited October 29, 2010
    see in england were i live we dont get much snow but alot of rain and a couple of sunny days lol
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  • ThatCanonGuyThatCanonGuy Registered Users Posts: 1,778 Major grins
    edited October 30, 2010
    Don't get wet!!!!
    A great time to shoot macros is when the sun is shining, you can get some nice reflections.
    The secret to shooting in snow fields, is to understand how reflected light meters ( like the one in your camera ) are designed to work.

    They ASSUME ( by definition ) that your overall image should be a near neutral grey tone, and spurt out an exposure recommendation to achieve exactly that.

    The problem is that snow is nowhere close to a neutral grey tone; but if you follow the exposure rec'd by the meter in your camera it will record the snow in your image as a GREY tone, not a white one.

    To record the snow as white you must increase the exposure about 1 - 1.5 stops MORE light than the meter recommends when metering a white snow field. You cna do this visa the Exposure Compensation dial or button on your camera. Or ignore the meter, and learn to shoot via Sunny 16. Or you can meter the scene with your camera and an 18% grey card to read off of for your exposure value. Or you can purchase an Incident light meter ( not a reflected meter ) which will give you the correct exposure, that you could have already figured out via Sunny 16thumb.gif
    Or, you can shoot manualmwink.gif
  • pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,708 moderator
    edited October 30, 2010
    Using the Sunny 16 rule IS about shooting in Manual at the correct exposure.........
    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
  • ThatCanonGuyThatCanonGuy Registered Users Posts: 1,778 Major grins
    edited November 1, 2010
    pathfinder wrote: »
    Using the Sunny 16 rule IS about shooting in Manual at the correct exposure.........

    Oh sorry, I misunderstood...
  • pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,708 moderator
    edited November 1, 2010
    No problem, I was agreeing with you!
    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
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