Heading outdoors early this morning I noticed immediately the change in temperature. It was quite cold and I realized that winter will soon be on our doorstep and this gave me the idea for this month’s column. Following a few simple rules and prudent practices, there is absolutely no reason why we all can’t enjoy some great winter photography. The first thing that should be mentioned and I know this may seem obligatory to many is to wear warm comfortable clothing. Waterproof boots are a must, as are gloves and hats. You can’t enjoy taking pictures if you are shivering or you are wet and miserable. Hand warmers are indispensable as your fingers get cold very quickly exposed to the elements and the constant removal of gloves to operate the camera’s controls can hasten this process.
Your camera will function in most of the conditions we experience with our climate, but some basic practices are needed to insure the continued operation of the equipment. The main concern is battery power and those who use digitals will see their shooting times dramatically decrease, as those cameras are power hungry to begin with. Try to keep your camera inside your coat when not being used, and always have spare batteries in your shirt pocket where they will keep warm. Care must also be employed when shooting in wetter conditions such as sleet or driving snow. Lens protection is advised.
All right, now we can move on to some practical tips and tricks for your winter photos. First of all, shooting in bright light. Snow being bright to begin with, can often trick your camera’s meter into thinking the scene is much brighter then it actually is and will under expose your shot. This happens because a meter sees things in average light and tries to put everything it sees into this category. Try to increase exposure by one stop and bracket a few more. Soon you will know what exposures to use in any given situation regarding bright light. Snow, when in the shade will not appear white, but rather blue. Snow on cloudy days will appear gray and by paying attention as you view scenes, will help you recognize these occasions. By keeping this in mind, you can use these situations to your advantage.
A simple trick that works well with mainly white scenes is to include a splash of colour in the photo, perhaps a person with a bright red coat or a brightly coloured fishing shanty. Remember, less is more, and you don’t need tons of colour to accentuate a winter scene.
Night photography can prove to be tricky as well. The snow will give off a fair amount of light, especially when the moon is full. This light will appear blue and can be dramatic if you understand that to get the proper exposure, you must increase by a stop or two as once again your meter will be fooled into thinking there is more light then there actually is. Remember also that when shooting any night or late evening scenes, you need a tripod. Exposure times will be quite long and any movement will translate as blur in your developed photograph.
The thing that you have to do the most however is to get out there and shoot. There is nothing that can help improve your photography, like practice. Keep an eye out for interesting shots that may include a bit of colour or an interesting ice formation. Perhaps leaves that are glossed over with ice, or even patterns of frost on your window. Remember also to change your angle or viewpoint. It is these ideas that make for interesting pictures. So experiment and use up that film and for you digital shooters, why it’s simple, shoot until your flash card is full and then edit on the spot and shoot again.
Next month, my column will be of interest to anyone considering buying a digital camera. There are a few things that you should know before buying and they may make the difference between getting your money’s worth or wasting a good hunk of hard-earned cash.
