Tips for Taking Pictures in the Snow!

Here are some tips to help you get better pictures in the snow:

1) Composition:

You can take good – or bad – pictures with any camera! The key to a good photograph is its composition, the placement of elements in a scene that results in a visually appealing photograph that is interesting, one that captures and HOLDS the attention of the viewer. An all-white snow scene, as pretty as it is to your eye, CAN be boring in a photograph. Break up the whiteness with fenceposts, trees, statues, colorful objects or clothing, to give contrast against the snow. A person walking away from your camera carrying a red or yellow umbrella is a great shot, for example. Also, try to get out there while the snow is still on the tree branches, it looks much prettier.

2) Adjust the Exposure and White Balance

Because camera meters think everything they see is medium grey in reflectance, snow scenes often come out too dark. The camera thought the snow was medium grey and it gave you what it thought you wanted! The way to fix that is a) open up your exposure compensation dial to +1.5 or + 2 stops; or b) shoot in Manual “M” mode and move your shutter dial to the left to let in more light. Set white balance on “cloudy” or ‘shade” to remove the bluish cast snow can make in your pictures.

3) Frame Your Photos With Tree Branches, Archways, and Bushes:

Use left-arching branches on the right side of your picture, right-arching branches on the left side of your image to make an interesting frame, or use arches and doorways to get the same effect. For a deep-blue and brilliant white-cloud sky effect, use a circular polarizing filter. On white-sky snow days, use a graduated neutral density filter to darken the sky.

Happy Shooting!