Trouble with snow

[shane_c]

I'm not having much luck this winter with the snow. It seems my photos are either blue or totally blown out.

No matter what White Balance I select if I leave the exposure at 0 it's totally blown out which kind of goes against how you're supposed to overexpose for the snow so it appears white. If I underexpose at all the image is blue.

I've tried doing a custom WB off the snow, since I don't have a gray card, and sometimes it works but not reliably.

I'm also having a heck of a time trying to get any decent photos of my huskies out in the snow. One is white/black (mostly black) and the other is white/gray.

It's frustrating because my fiance goes out with her Canon SD1200IS and gets properly exposed pictures everytime on just the basic setting.

[Omaru]

My experience is different, I'm always underexposed and I need to overexpose by at least +1 stop to get a decent exposure.

I guess it's always good to experiment.

[rral22]

Need some examples, Shane, with exposure data.

[timnosenzo]

Need some examples, Shane, with exposure data.

Yup, that would help. Or at least let us know what mode you're shooting in, etc.

[chauncey]

It's and easy thing to fix...take your shot and evaluate your histogram on that LCD and make sure it looks close to this if your shooting RAW

http://i329.photobucket.com/albums/l383/chauncey43/test-b2.jpg

This will put you within 1/3 stop which is easily adjustable in PP
Note that it does not touch the right side of the histogram, but it will come very close when you download into your software.

It's then a simple matter to adjust your exposure/histogram one way or the other.

[PhotosGuy]

One is white/black (mostly black) and the other is white/gray. The light on them is the same, isn't it? So the exposure should be the same, too. If you're getting variations like this, (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showpost.php?p=5191658&postcount=47) then you need to use your brain to override the meters "brain". ;)
Click the post #47 at the top-right of that post if you'd like more info on the subject.

[shane_c]

Thanks for the replies. I usually shoot JPG - aperture priority. I don't have any examples right now because after I take the image, check the screen and everything is blinking, I just delete it. I'll try to keep the next one that's like that and in the meantime pay more attention to the histogram and less attention to what the camera is telling me it should be.

[chauncey]

If you shoot jpeg, move the whole thing farther to the left, 'bout 1/3-1/2 stop.
If you base everything on the needle, make it +1 - +1 1/3

[egordon99]

Blue snow->wrong white balance. Shoot raw and adjust white balance on the computer

blown out->use negative exposure compensation.

Since your girlfriend gets perfect shots with the SD1200IS, why don't you look at one of her shots and set your camera to the same settings (ISO, f-stop, shutter speed)

I don't have any trouble with the snow.

I'm not having much luck this winter with the snow. It seems my photos are either blue or totally blown out.

No matter what White Balance I select if I leave the exposure at 0 it's totally blown out which kind of goes against how you're supposed to overexpose for the snow so it appears white. If I underexpose at all the image is blue.

I've tried doing a custom WB off the snow, since I don't have a gray card, and sometimes it works but not reliably.

I'm also having a heck of a time trying to get any decent photos of my huskies out in the snow. One is white/black (mostly black) and the other is white/gray.

It's frustrating because my fiance goes out with her Canon SD1200IS and gets properly exposed pictures everytime on just the basic setting.

[egordon99]

Thanks for the replies. I usually shoot JPG - aperture priority. I don't have any examples right now because after I take the image, check the screen and everything is blinking, I just delete it. I'll try to keep the next one that's like that and in the meantime pay more attention to the histogram and less attention to what the camera is telling me it should be.

So WHAT do you do after you delete a "blinky" shot? Do you just take another shot and hope it automagically is exposed better?

Snow is really no different than any other shooting situation. If it's too bright, get less light on that sensor. If it's too dark, get more light on that sensor.

[shane_c]

So WHAT do you do after you delete a "blinky" shot? Do you just take another shot and hope it automagically is exposed better?

Snow is really no different than any other shooting situation. If it's too bright, get less light on that sensor. If it's too dark, get more light on that sensor.

I usually take more shots with less exposure until I get it right. I don't seem to recall having this issue last year. Last year if I recall correctly I put the exposure up a bit to make the snow white and clicked the shutter. This year that's causing drastic overexposures.

[timnosenzo]

Thanks for the replies. I usually shoot JPG - aperture priority. I don't have any examples right now because after I take the image, check the screen and everything is blinking, I just delete it. I'll try to keep the next one that's like that and in the meantime pay more attention to the histogram and less attention to what the camera is telling me it should be.

Hard to say if this is the issue, but in AV mode, if you have the aperture open too much and/or the ISO too high (basically letting too much light in), the shutter may not be able to close fast enough to get a proper exposure. I think it will blink at you, but it will still let you take the shot. This would lead to overexposure.

[shane_c]

I've decided to shoot snow scenes in RAW from now on and haven't had any issues since.
Thanks for the replies!

[400dabuser]

My experience is different, I'm always underexposed and I need to overexpose by at least +1 stop to get a decent exposure.

I guess it's always good to experiment.


I agree with this one +1

[Invertalon]

In snow, especially when there is LOTS of it, I always shoot manual and get the histogram as far right as I can before it blows out.

Great results from that.

[Biffbradford]

Some times snow is blue. It reflects what light hits it and if it's late in the day, it could very well be blue. Just look at it some time.

[DAMphyne]

Some times snow is blue. It reflects what light hits it and if it's late in the day, it could very well be blue. Just look at it some time.

Exactly! Blue sky reflected off of white snow. That's like putting a blue gel on your studio lights.

Also, there is a point to be made for the camera set-up NOT to be able to 'handle' the exposure range.

My 40D can only go to ISO 100, in a bright sunlit scene, you may not be able to get correct exposure. There is a reason for ISO 16 & 25 slide film.

I would never delete because the LCD has 'Blinkies", the histogram gives the best advice, and only looking at the junk with the good can give you a comparison for doing better the next time.

Our modern digital cameras have all kinds of automation, all the variables for exposure are covered by some kind of automatic function. We pay for these abilities and the development cost.
Then we reject them as worthless, use manual and shoot RAW.

I shoot jpeg and use the automatics mostly all the time. If you recognize your shooting situation, adjust your camera to deal with them, you'll get good photos.
Example, clear blue sky, snow or sand or water, even fields of grain, the light meter needs to be set to the "big sun", the meter needs to be set to the correct light source.