Snow shots

[jerseycowboy]

I'm heading to Vermont this weekend and bringing the camera. Last weekend there were some incredible shots, but I had left the camera home :(. I'm hoping that with the new snow, the shots are still there or better.

But I have a question on how to get the best shot. I've never done any custom white balancing, usually use the auto feature. Is this a good idea in bright snowy conditions?

Any other suggestions or warnings?

Thanks

[cecilc]

It's not usuallly the white balance that'll mess with you when shooting a snow scene - it's the exposure ....

Using the "auto" exposure will probably cause the camera to underexpose the scene (because of all that white out there).

See what reading you get on "auto" then overexpose the scene by about 2 stops and see if that gets you a more "correct" exposure.

The good news - this is digital and you can see it right after you take it! You can make adjustments right there and retake the shot .....

But, "normally", taking shots of snow requires a couple of stops overexposure ....

Hope that helps ... I also hope that someone else that knows more about this than me will also respond to your post .....

[robertwgross]

Exposure compensation is generally necessary for snow.

Roughly +1.5 for fresh, new snow, and at least +0.5 for old, cruddy snow.

---Bob Gross---

[jerseycowboy]

silly question - but setting the exposure on the camera is the line that's like -2***-1***0***1***2?

and how would i actually change that between shots on my rebel?

[Solo175]

jersycowboy,

Your last post indicated that you have a rebel. What does your manual say about exposure compensation and how to set?

Yes, the manuals are pretty tough sledding, but you need to understand how your camera works before applying it to the picture.

I have some heavy duty snow here myself, so am going to try the suggestion and see if this works.
Of course I have a different camera G5.

Good Luck

[robertwgross]

Assuming that this is the Digital Rebel, and not the Rebel, it will depend on what exposure mode you are in. Some of the modes will not allow any exposure compensation, and some will. Read your manual beginning on page 75.

---Bob Gross---

[musthavemuzk]

now that seems confusing to me....

why overexpose white snow?

please explain this.

Monty

[ajbalazic]

musthavemuzk,

Snow (and other bright subjects) cause the metering system to "stop-down" producing an underexposed picture. That's why you have increase the exposure compensation when photographing snow. The opposite hold true for dark subjects.

Let me know how you like the 50/1.8 in the snow. I just ordered one and am looking forward to playing with it.

[robertwgross]

why overexpose white snow?

There are parts of a camera that are dumb. The exposure metering doesn't know that this is red, or that is white, or something else is dark gray. It assumes that everything averages out to 18% gray. So, when it meters the snow surface light, it gets an exposure set that will reproduce it as about light gray. That's probably not what you intended. So, if you goose up the brightness a little (exposure compensation of +0.5 to +1.5) then that will get it so that average white snow looks average white. If you push that too far, then the white snow is completely blown out, and you'll know that you've overdone it.

---Bob Gross---

[HJMinard]

I was surprised recently by the evaluative metering on my 20D. I was taking some photos of my son and a friend ice fishing ... snow and ice everywhere to be seen by the sensor. I assumed underexposure and bumped things up about 1.5 stops. The images were way overexposed ... things looked much better when I turned off the exposure compensation - exposed a little to the right with no clipping.

It was quite overcast that day ... I assume that may have been a factor?

[musthavemuzk]

why thank you Alan and Bob.

i was wondering why snow things were so gloomy with my fuji finepix 3800. i assumed that i needed to underexpose due to the snow so when i did things did not improve. i felt if i overexposed i would get a blown out pic so i never tried that.

but this does make some kind of sense though.

guess i do need to go outside today with the fresh snow and see what is up.

Monty

[PhotosGuy]

why overexpose white snow? With film, it matters 'cause it's white & the meter thinks it's pointed at gray & you'll get underexposure & a gray overall pic.
With digital, the meter sees the reflected highlights & if you expose to the right, the blown highlights will be at the right & you'll get underexposure of the pic info that matters. To better understand what I mean, see the tests at:
Gray card: Why your meter may be lying to you!
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=54281

[musthavemuzk]

i have so much to learn before i get consistant good shots.

thanx for the info

Monty