Snow Photography Preparation Tips
Photographing objects in the snow has a lot of challenges, some of which you cannot prepare for ahead of time. After all, winter weather rarely proves predictable.
Prepare for changes in lighting with the right accessories. The warm golden light at dawn, combined with the cold blue tones of snow, glows with an opalescent luster. (Alternatively, you could shoot at sunset for similarly dramatic images.) Plus, the snow will be relatively untouched by footprints if you get up early. Dress warmly and wear waterproof clothes. Buy “shooting gloves” (which double up as mittens and fingerless gloves), and don’t forget a hat. Keep your camera prepared, too. Keep your camera’s batteries fully charged and place your camera in a camera bag while moving around so that it doesn’t get too cold. When you get home, try to put your camera in the coolest part of the house and let it warm back up gradually to avoid condensation. You could invest in some silica bags if the temperature difference is a real problem. And check your camera’s operating manual for its operating range. Shooting too cold might damage the camera’s moving interior parts because the lubricants within motors have frozen.
Use the Correct Exposures
Brilliant white snow confuses your camera, leading to underexposed shots and snow that looks gray in the final image. Help your camera in one of these three ways.
Dealing With Reflections
Using a lens hood when shooting photographs in the snow is vital. The flare caused by snow can make photos look very hazy. For much the same reason, you should avoid using flash, as it can bounce off the snow and cause overexposure. If it’s actually snowing while you’re shooting, the flash may turn snowflakes into distracting balls of overexposed light.
Think Creatively
White skies and snow-covered objects look eerie, particularly if you shoot them in black and white, so be creative with your snow photography. For example, look for interesting contrasts in colors. Red objects photographed against white snow always look strong but frame your photos carefully in this situation. Less is often more, so don’t try to cram everything into one shot. Look for eye-catching trees, buildings, and other objects—then zoom in. Clean objects framed against a white background make for striking images. Use RAW format, so that you can easily make any tweaks needed in post-production. The low light of the winter months casts long shadows on the ground, which are particularly stark in the snow. Use the shadows to lead the viewer into the image (Make sure that your own shadow isn’t visible in the final shot unless your shadow is the focal point of your photo.).
Experiment With Shutter Speeds
Use a tripod and a slow shutter speed when it’s snowing to cause a “streaking” effect in the image. If the snow is blowing around in strong winds, though, you’ll need to use a faster shutter speed. If there’s no wind at all, you’ll probably need a slow shutter speed of around 1/15th of a second. Use a slower shutter speed to capture variants in the light, particularly at sunrise or sunset.
