Shooting in Winter

[BmDubb]

Just wondering... During the winter months, when snow is around do you guys still take photos? I think the snowy weather could make for some beautiful shots... But could be challenging due to the bright nature etc... But I think snowy trees etc are beautiful... So anyone looking forward to the season?

 

[Goontz]

Snow? What's snow? Just kidding, but you should check out the book http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...to-gallery/114495-understanding-exposure.html by Bryan Peterson. He touches on getting the white of snow to expose properly.

 

[tirediron]

On the rare occasions when there is 'real' snow here on the Wet Coast, I never miss an opportunity. Getting the exposure right can be a big challenge, but that's the beauty of digital photography; the film's cheap! Do some research about exposure techniques in winter conditions and go for it!

 

[IgsEMT]

I shoot every chance I get - rain, shine, snow.
My approach to snow is similar as to clouds/sky on a sunny day. Meaning: If I'm taking a portrait of a person, I shoot at above camera's sync speed with a flash. It is a technique I learned from David Ziser's seminars. Before that I used shoot it RAW and in PS recover the details in it.

 

[inTempus]

I hate winter and I particularly hate snow. Snow shots suck...

I'll be spending a lot of time in the studio this winter.

 

[KmH]

In the winter, the Sun is lower in the sky throughout the day. The "Golden Hour" at sun up and sun set becomes much longer, giving more outdoor shooting hours per day that weather permits.

Plus, you don't have to get out of bed as early to be rready for sunrise.:thumbup:

The further north you are, as long as you stay south of the Arctic circle, the better the light is.

 

[burstintoflame81]

I am not an expert on snow, but I remember reading about using ND filters or split ND filters to tame the harsh reflection of light. Like I said though, I have never done this, but in principle it sounds like it would make sense.

 

[tom123]

Absolutely! Winter is a perfect time for photography. When you want to show dark detail you typically overexpose a little bit (+0.3...+0.5). If you want contrast, you don't need to overexpose. I have lots of winter shooting experience (please check out my gallery, link below) and I like winter. The main problem is that digital cameras don't like subzero temps. If you drive around in a car you can warm up your camera every once in a while. Still you have to deal with the issue of camera sweating. I still use film when I spend lots of time outdoors in the winter but this is not a viable solution. Good luck!

 

[SnakeKeeper]

On the rare occasions when there is 'real' snow here on the Wet Coast, I never miss an opportunity. Getting the exposure right can be a big challenge, but that's the beauty of digital photography; the film's cheap! Do some research about exposure techniques in winter conditions and go for it!

Same here. I hate the dry weather.

 

[Sibouc]

Absolutely! Winter is a perfect time for photography. When you want to show dark detail you typically overexpose a little bit (+0.3...+0.5). If you want contrast, you don't need to overexpose. I have lots of winter shooting experience (please check out my gallery, link below) and I like winter. The main problem is that digital cameras don't like subzero temps. If you drive around in a car you can warm up your camera every once in a while. Still you have to deal with the issue of camera sweating. I still use film when I spend lots of time outdoors in the winter but this is not a viable solution. Good luck!

Happy New Year 2010!

I want to start shooting my friends while skiing and boarding in the Western Canadian ski resorts. As you said Tom, I've heard it is not recommended to bring D-SLR in cold temperature, especially subzero. It seems there is a risk of condensation in the lense after the transition cold-warm when you get back inside.

Is there a way to prevent this or to do some manipulation with the camera to be able to shoot outside during winter? I don't want to wreck my cam... but I so want to be able to use it while skiing.

Any suggestions???