Jan. 2002
President's
Message
Article - "Cool Things to Try in the Cold Season"
Cool Things to Try in the Cold Season - Part 1
- Ray Firmani
Winter is one of the most beautiful times of year, providing everything from sunny-clear to blizzards for the photographer to capture on film or memory card. Here are some ideas for you to try this winter.
1. A Touch of Color - Winter snow can be a beautiful photo subject, but a photo of just snow can be pretty dull. You can add spice to a snow shot by including a colorful subject, such as this red car. It was just the touch needed to turn this gray day image shot during precipitation into a winner.
2. Holiday Lights - Colorful holidays lights can make for colorful photos. You'd think the dark of night would be the ideal time to shoot them, but all you'll get is colorful spots against black. By shooting at the magic hour around twilight you can also record some detail in the building for more interesting photos. A tripod is a must, and bracketing exposures is a good idea.
3. Winter Sunrises - Winter's later sunrises mean you don't have to get up so early to capture these beautiful events. You can meter the sky just to the side of the sun with the sun out of the frame, or just let a multi-segment meter do its thing.
4. Clearing Storms - Winter is a stormy season, but eventually those storms clear. And as they do, some incredibly beautiful lighting occurs. All you need to do to capture it is watch for it. Check the local weather forecast to see when a break is likely and scout out potential picturesque locations.
5. Shooting in "Bad" Weather- Many photographers stay inside and grumble when the weather is bad. But they're missing great opportunities, for such weather can yield terrific photos. Don't be one of the grumblies. Bundle up, dress in layers, keep your gear out of the elements by using a large plastic baggie with a rubber band to fasten the opening around the lens to protect the camera, and look for ethereal, moody images.
6. Bare Trees - Colorful leaves are a mainstay of fall photographers, but you shouldn't ignore those leafless trees in winter. They make great subjects for studies in lines and textures. Shoot from right under the tree with a wide angle lens or shoot from afar with a telephoto lens. Either way, the key idea is to isolate an interesting portion of the branch work pattern. If you're shooting from right under the tree, stop the lens down to increase depth of field, so that everything is sharp throughout the image.
7. Icicles - Icicles make fun photo subjects. You can move in tight and isolate a portion of a single icicle, or move back and shoot them front lit and backlit. For close-ups, stop the lens down to increase depth of field.
8. Window Filters - Windows collect interesting water variations in winter, like frost and raindrops. These examples of visible moisture make great photo subjects in their own right, and they also provide you with interesting photo filters. Focus on the water drops or frost, and whatever's outside the window will take on textured effect. If your camera has a depth of field preview, use it to check the effects of different apertures if not, shoot a frame wide open, another stopped halfway down, and a third with the lens stopped all the way down.
Go to Part 2