Whew New Jersey! Depending where you are, you’re able to see anywhere from 14″- 33″ of snow outside your window right now. What to do? Well, how about getting out and making some pictures! Before you plunge headlong into the nearest snowdrift, check out a few of our tips for making the most of your time with your camera in the snow:
- Bundle up and stay safe. This is first and foremost. If you are not dressed appropriately at best the whole experience will be uncomfortable, at worst, dangerous. Frostbite sets in quickly, especially on wet fingers and toes. Be mindful of where you walk – overhanging snow and ice can come down at any time. Tell somewhere where you’ll be and when you expect to be home.
- Protect your camera. You’ll likely be carrying a camera worth a few hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars – do what you can to protect it from the elements. Keep your lens cap on until ready to shoot. Try to avoid blowing on the lens….the warm breath you generate can form a thin layer of ice or condensation (you did bring your microfiber cloth to wipe it, right?).
- Manage image exposure. Without getting into a deep technical discussion regarding camera exposure – trust us when we tell you your camera’s sensor always looks to find a neutral 18% grey in your image. So when you’re out shooting those brilliant white landscapes….your camera will likely dull the actual capture to approximate a grey. Who wants grey snow? NOT US! If you are comfortable shooting in Aperture Mode on your camera, and/or dialing up +1 stop of exposure compensation on your camera to help the whites stay white, you’ll likely be much happier with the result
- Preserve your work. When you’re done and headed back to the car or to home. Pull your memory card out of the camera and pop the camera into a ziploc bag and seal it. This way any condensation that will be formed when the camera begins to warm up will form on the ziploc bag, and not ON, or most importantly, IN, your camera with it’s sensitive electronics.
Have fun trekking in the snow and feel free to share any images you make in the comments below!
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