With its stark colours and desolate landscapes, winter can be an incredibly beautiful time for camera enthusiasts to shoot photography.
Brave the cold and get out there with your camera. Before long, you’ll see those threatening storm clouds as an opportunity for a wonderfully foreboding image, that latest snowfall the perfect portrait backdrop because of its soft-white balance.
Common challenges of winter photography
Winter photography presents unique challenges and considerations compared to other seasons. One challenge is the potential for underexposed images due to the brightness of the snow fooling the camera’s metering system. It’s important to adjust exposure settings or use exposure compensation to ensure the snow appears bright and not dull.
Additionally, protecting your gear is crucial in harsh winter conditions. Use weather-sealed cameras and lenses or employ rain covers or protective sleeves to safeguard your equipment from cold temperatures and moisture.
Winter landscapes offer visually striking compositions with the contrast between snow, ice, and other elements. Take advantage of the unique lighting conditions, such as soft light on overcast days or long shadows on clear days, to create depth and dimension in your images.
Be mindful of potential hazards and unstable terrain, ensuring your well-being is always the top priority when venturing into winter landscapes.
What camera settings are ideal for shooting in winter conditions?
When capturing images in winter conditions, adjusting your camera settings appropriately can enhance your results. Choose Manual (M) or Aperture Priority (A) mode to have control over exposure settings. In Manual mode, you can adjust aperture, shutter speed, and ISO, while Aperture Priority mode allows you to set the aperture while the camera selects the corresponding shutter speed.
To maintain image quality and minimise noise, start with a low ISO setting such as ISO 100 or 200. Increase the ISO as needed in low-light situations or when faster shutter speeds are required while striving to keep the ISO as low as possible to retain image quality.
Adjust the white balance settings to ensure accurate colour reproduction in winter scenes. Utilise presets like “Cloudy” or “Daylight” to warm up the overall tone and counteract the bluish tint that snow may introduce.
Consider using a medium to narrow aperture, typically around f/8 to f/11, to ensure good depth of field and sharpness across the image. This is particularly relevant when capturing landscapes with various elements and details.
Maintain a fast enough shutter speed to freeze the action and minimize camera shake. In well-lit conditions, aim for a minimum shutter speed of 1/250th of a second or faster. Increase the shutter speed as necessary for fast-moving subjects or to mitigate the risk of camera shake.
Tips and techniques to master winter photography
1. Make the most of soft light, especially for portraits
Winter light is usually softer than summer light, affording photographers better opportunities for outdoor portraits on more pleasant days. In the late afternoon, the light is not only diffused, but often beautiful and warm in colour, making it ideal for flattering portraits or wildlife photography.
Because winter backgrounds can be quite stark and monotone, sometimes a pop of colour – jewellery, a beanie or a dazzling winter coat perhaps – can work wonders. Don’t be too liberal with colour though. Too much will cause the viewer’s eyes to jump sporadically around the image.
If you’re shooting in the snow, it pays to inspect your camera’s exposure as the brightness can affect it and cause the snow to appear a dull grey. Many cameras have an ‘Exposure Warning’ or ‘Exposure Compensation’ setting, which will alert you if your frame is too over or under exposed.
2. Embrace stormy weather and lightning
As mentioned, you can use dark, cloudy skies to your advantage! Overcast skies add a dramatic element to your landscapes and provide a striking background. The light also allows you to record greater detail in both the highlight and shadow areas of your subject.
The opportunity to photograph lightning can present itself in winter months too. Set yourself up in a safe location and put the camera firmly on a tripod. Photograph at night and set your camera on “B” with a wide-angle lens set at full aperture and pointed at the most active part of the sky. Include some foreground context like a tree or building to generate interest.
3. Experiment with dramatic composition
Don’t be scared to experiment with your camera and subject placement. Sometimes, the wrong choices can still achieve better results than the standard, boring options.
Experimenting will help you learn to see more detail in your landscapes and give you the time and practice it takes to observe the hard, geometric lines provided by bare trees, jagged rocks, frosted leaves, wet flowers and water droplets. So take a walk and get your eye in.
Getting out there and trying creative new angles and shots will also train your eye to appreciate the soft winter light, which enhances detail and is thus ideal for images that reveal texture. Search for photo opportunities that are made possible by these elements and keep them simple.
Try a wide-angle lens and move in close to your subject to create sweeping, dynamic compositions and strong foreground interest, using leading lines that draw the eye through the entire frame.
4. Use a filter to add winter dynamism
There’s always the option to use the occasional filter to improve your winter pictures. For example, an 81A, B or C filter will add warmth to an otherwise cold blue picture.
To add interest to grey winter skies, consider a graduated filter, which will enhance winter landscapes without affecting the foreground. Grey graduated filters will appear more natural in winter landscape photographs but coloured graduated filters like Tobacco can also be effective.
Depending on the prevailing light, a polarising filter can be used to good effect to saturate colours and clarify detail. Polarising filters will also deepen the blue in your skies on the right kind of day.
Black and white photography requires an entirely different range of filters. A yellow filter will boost contrast and increase detail in both the landscape and the sky, while an orange or red filter will create an even more dramatic contrast.
If you’re seeking that mist or fog effect, try breathing lightly on the filter screwed to the front of your lens and wait as it dissipates to give you the effect you want.
5. Keep your hardware in-tact
Camera batteries are sensitive souls and don’t like extreme temperatures. If they’re subjected to mighty cold conditions – something not normally associated with Australian winters but not unheard of either – they can lose power, especially at higher elevations.
If you’re taking a winter photography trip, try to keep your camera, flash and batteries as warm as possible, carrying them under your coat or close to your body. Take spare batteries with you when you venture out and remember to keep them warm too! A heavy-duty bag or backpack is a great investment to keep your camera gear safe, secure and winter-proof.
Are there specific gear recommendations for winter photography?
Before you embark on your next winter adventure, stock up on all the essential winter photography items :
Cameras: Opt for a weather-sealed camera body that offers protection against moisture, dust, and freezing temperatures.
Lenses: Consider using lenses with wider focal lengths for landscape shots or lenses with telephoto capabilities for capturing distant subjects
Tripods: A sturdy tripod is essential for keeping your camera stable during long exposures or when shooting in challenging conditions.
Extra batteries: Cold weather can drain batteries more quickly. Carry spare batteries and keep them warm by storing them close to your body or using a battery grip.
Lens filters: A circular polarising filter helps reduce glare from snow and ice while neutral density (ND) filters can be useful for achieving longer exposures.
Waterproof camera bag: Winter often brings moisture, so having a waterproof bag or rain cover to protect from snow, rain, or slushy conditions, allowing you to continue shooting without worry.
Camera House offers a comprehensive selection of gear for winter photography. If you’re unsure about which equipment suits your needs, visit one of our camera specialists at your nearest store. They will provide you with expert advice and insights on essential gear for winter photography.
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