Help! It Snowed - Now What???

[canonloader]

Now I have to start learning all over again. It snowed here and I can't get a decent shot for all the white. Here's some heavily PP'd (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=238513) shots that are barely worth the effort.

I have a new Canon CP and it fits on a couple of my lenses. And I thought I knew my 30D, but I need some serious help cause this white stuff will be here for the next 6 months or so.

Any help will be greatly appreciated. :confused:

[ssim]

In shooting in snow I generally overexpose by about a stop. This is dependant on the sun at the time. I take a test shot and check the histogram to see how that looks.

It can be challenging trying to keep detail in the snow and your subject looking good. It can be done. Practice can never hurt.

[goforphoto]

SNOWBLIND! Only advise I can give is
1.take shot
2. check capture in lcd
3. change exposure
4 repeat 1 thru 3

[canonloader]

Thanks Sheldon. What about using the CP filter? And if I shoot in RAW, can I get away with being stupid about the EV settings? :D

[ScottE]

Shooting a black subject against white snow on a bright day is always going to be a compromise. If you expose enough to see detail in the black you are going to wash out the background. If you expose to retain detail in the snow, the texture in the black subject will be lost.

Sometimes fill flash will help if you expose for the background, but DO NOT ANNOY A SKUNK.

Sometimes you can reduce contrast in-camera or post-processing.

Sometimes you can shoot two exposures, one of the subject and one of the snow and combine them in post processing to give a reasonable result.

Some pictures are not possible because of the limitations of current equipment. The human eye can adjust exposure when it concentrates on the subject or the snow, but the camera has to settle on one setting.

[gjl711]

Snow = Head south. 10 billion birds can't be wrong.
Snow = Hibernate. 20 billion bears, squirrels, possums, snakes turtles can't be wrong.

And if you cant take a hint, this page (http://photography.about.com/cs/techniques/a/aa020204.htm)has some tips. The 4th tab has some setting specific advice but the other three pages arn't too bad. Lots of common sense like dress warmly and such.

But hay, I say 30 billion animals cant be wrong.:D

[WxGuesser]

i bet you didn't look at the histogram.....

[canonloader]

i bet you didn't look at the histogram.....
I'll bet your right. I was walking along side this guy snapping off shots and trying not to get sprayed. I was only about 15 feet from him and a little too distracted to be checking histograms. ;)

[WxGuesser]

well atleast you had your priorities right.. i wouldn't want to get sprayed either! :D