Help! It Snowed - Now What???

canonloader · 12th of November 2006 (Sun)

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 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.

ssim · 12th of November 2006 (Sun)

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 · 12th of November 2006 (Sun)

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

canonloader · 12th of November 2006 (Sun)

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?

ScottE · 12th of November 2006 (Sun)

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 · 13th of November 2006 (Mon)

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 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.

WxGuesser · 13th of November 2006 (Mon)

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

canonloader · 13th of November 2006 (Mon)

Quote:

Originally Posted by WxGuesser

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 · 13th of November 2006 (Mon)

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

12th of November 2006 (Sun)	#1
canonloader Cream of the Crop Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Behind A Camera Posts: 52,850 IMAGE EDITING OK	Help! It Snowed - Now What??? 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 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. __________________ Mitch- ____...^.^...____ My Microscope Stuff Gear List, My Flash Gallery, My You Tube, Ride My Bi-Sickle War is not about who's right, it's about who's left.

12th of November 2006 (Sun)	#2
ssim POTN Landscape & Cityscape Photographer 2005 Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: southern Alberta, Canada Posts: 10,792	Re: Help! It Snowed - Now What??? 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. __________________ My life is like one big RAW file....way too much post processing needed. Sheldon Simpson \| My Gallery \| My Gear updated: 20JUL12

12th of November 2006 (Sun)	#3
goforphoto Goldmember Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Virginia Posts: 2,067 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: Help! It Snowed - Now What??? SNOWBLIND! Only advise I can give is 1.take shot 2. check capture in lcd 3. change exposure 4 repeat 1 thru 3 __________________ Just another shutterbug. I am not a photographer, I'm an image capture technician. Canon 40D - 70-200L f4, 28-135 IS, Nifty Fifty, 70-300 macro, 18-55 420EX Sunpak 266d

12th of November 2006 (Sun)	#4
canonloader Cream of the Crop Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Behind A Camera Posts: 52,850 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: Help! It Snowed - Now What??? 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? __________________ Mitch- ____...^.^...____ My Microscope Stuff Gear List, My Flash Gallery, My You Tube, Ride My Bi-Sickle War is not about who's right, it's about who's left.

12th of November 2006 (Sun)	#5
ScottE Goldmember Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Kelowna, Canada Posts: 3,179	Re: Help! It Snowed - Now What??? 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.

13th of November 2006 (Mon)	#6
gjl711 human (barely) and bribable Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Deep in the heart of Texas Posts: 44,296 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: Help! It Snowed - Now What??? 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 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.

13th of November 2006 (Mon)	#7
WxGuesser Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Vacaville, Ca Posts: 630 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: Help! It Snowed - Now What??? i bet you didn't look at the histogram..... __________________ Canon 350D \| EF 17-40 f4 L \| EF 50 f1.8 \| "Kit Lens" \| EF 70-200 f2.8 L on order \| Sigma 70-300 APO DG Macro \| EF 1.4x II L Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things.

13th of November 2006 (Mon)	#9
WxGuesser Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Vacaville, Ca Posts: 630 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: Help! It Snowed - Now What??? well atleast you had your priorities right.. i wouldn't want to get sprayed either! __________________ Canon 350D \| EF 17-40 f4 L \| EF 50 f1.8 \| "Kit Lens" \| EF 70-200 f2.8 L on order \| Sigma 70-300 APO DG Macro \| EF 1.4x II L Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things.

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