With winter well underway we thought it was time to put a few
tips together for anyone looking to go out and shoot in the colder months.
If you get a chance to take photos in the snow (for the lucky few that actually
get snow in this big old country of ours), there are a few things to keep in
mind. Below are a handful of things I discovered while walking the
streets of Europe during the coldest months and dealing with snow, sleet and
rain.
The first thing anyone will tell you is that keeping your camera’s
batteries warm is a necessity. This is spot-on as the cold temperatures can dramatically
reduce the performance of your batteries. When possible, keep your
batteries housed within an internal pocket so that they are warm and retain
their charge better. Make sure they are fully charged at the start of each
shoot and have a spare one handy as batteries lose charge quicker in cold
weather. Always be ready to shoot!
Pay careful attention to your exposure. Some scenes that are predominantly white may cause
confusion to your exposure metering system and attempt to underexpose the
photo, giving a greyish look to the snow instead of a crisp white. If
this is happening you can either set your exposure manually to get the
result you want or overexpose the photo by 1 to 1.5 stops on the exposure
recommended by your camera.
Be mindful of where you step to ensure you don't leave footprints
throughout the scene. An ideal solution is to wake up and trek out early
before the snow begins to melt and before people walk around, leaving footprints
everywhere. I was lucky to be in Hyde Park, London where it had snowed
the night before and made it to the park first thing in the morning. I
captured some great shots of the park while it was almost deserted with a thick
layer of snow on everything. By around 10:30am it had reduced to a snowy mush
and looked decidedly less photogenic.
If you choose to shoot in JPEG then make sure your white balance
is set to daylight so the snow will appear white. If you know how to set
a manual white balance in your camera then this could also be done using a
photo of the snow although in theory this should give you the same white
balance setting as the 'daylight' option. If you shoot in RAW then
disregard this advice as you will have a colour balance option during your RAW
conversion. I always shoot in RAW as it provides maximum control during post-processing.
If your camera has no weather seals then take precautions to keep
it dry. My Canon 5D
MKII DSLR is weather sealed and has survived through
rain, snow, sleet, and hail with zero adverse effects. I hate passing on
photo opportunities and some of my best shots were taken during difficult
weather scenarios. Make sure you check for snow or water drops on your
lens that will show up in the photo. If moisture is present, ensure you
dry it as soon as possible! If your camera is not weather sealed then be extra
cautious when water is present as cameras and water generally don't go well
together and water damage is not covered under manufacturer’s warranty.
If you wish to shoot portraits in the snow then consider
encouraging the subject to wear a bright, bold colour in order to draw
attention to them so that they don't get 'lost' in the frame. Red generally
works quite well.
Dress appropriately for the weather. Think warm. If it’s
going to be windy then keep this in mind as the temperature can drop rapidly
due to the wind chill factor. One of the coldest days for me was in
Edinburgh when the temperature was approximately 2oC but then the
wind picked up and it felt like I was in a deep freeze with the wind punching
through every tiny gap in my clothing. I don't normally wear gloves while
shooting but on occasion it has been necessary. This is when being experienced
with your camera and knowing where all the buttons are is handy so that when
you can only feel them with limited tactile feedback, the task is no challenge
for you.
Acclimatise your camera when you go back inside. I keep mine
safely housed in my camera bag and under no circumstance will I ever remove the
lens from the
body until I am certain that the camera has reached the room’s
ambient temperature which typically takes at least half an hour. If you
don't take this precaution then condensation may form inside your camera which can
only lead to undesirable outcomes.
Finally, as with any form of photography, be on the lookout for
any kind of photo that may present itself from macro to the grand-vista.
If you do get a chance to shoot some winter photos then share your
pics on this blog or with our Facebook community for live feedback and prize
giveaways! We LOVE seeing photos taken by our talented customers and community
fans!
Good luck and stay warm this winter!
- Marc @ DCW
