OK - so was not happy with today's photo shoot. After yesterdays successes I wanted to cry when I got home and downloaded.
Anyone have good tips for shooting in the snow? I took over 130 pics in the snow today and they are all horrible. This is by far the best. They are colorless and appear over-exposed.
Critique and suggestions welcomed.
Good part - after driving 90 mins so I could get pics, we stopped for dessert at the National Park Inn at Longmire - never mind that it was dinner time. Blackberry cobbler with ice-cream. Yum.
Jan, I'm going to stay tuned to this post, because I had the same problem today. No sun, and I was trying to take pics of sledders and snowmen, but they were all just BLAH. I think is was beautiful, but I get it that it's not what you were going for.
Thank God for blackberry cobbler!
Also, since you have the same camera I want, I'm even more interested. There's a class at the local technical college that I plan to take after buying it.
I think you will find that people will say the snow is so bright that the camera thinks it is sun or suchlike! My camera has an option for exposure compensation and its called EV. You can just turn the light down or up as you wish. Still I think this is magical the way it is - the blackness and straightness of the trunks is super!
@carolb - Thanks Carol - and I am happy with the camera - I got the package with two kit lenses and of course there are other lenses I want - but for now, this does fine.
@maggiemae - thanks Maggiemae - this is helpful - I was trying to use manual settings but botched it. I didn't take my manual with me - and have been trying not to use auto. As much as I go to Mt Rainier though, this is the first time I have botched an entire session.
@byrdlip - Thanks J A - I had not seen this - I was looking through the archives, too. Thanks for the link. @jankoos - Thanks K - RAW is my next goal - have not used it yet. I don't have lightroom - tried to download the trial but I have Windows XP and according to PS, I need at the minimum, Windows Vista. I had to downgrade from Vista to XP to run a program I needed - but have the software - it just means having to back everything up and go to my computer dude. Blech.....
This shot is by no means a disaster Jan. Still a lovely snow shot. But shooting in the snow is the same as the beach. On overcast days at the beach I put the ISO up a little buy never over 2000
@sansjuan@kcman5 - Thanks Nita and Cathy. Bear in mind this was the best one in over a 100 - LOL. Today I missed having my Canon Powershot - I have an easier time with it in snow, but as my son @VitaminK - keeps telling me, I need to push myself to learn. He is telling me to start shooting in RAW mode - so that will be the next hurdle. LOL. Thanks for the encouragement.
@jankoos Yep ... the powershot would probably have captured it better. I always have my little olympus tough in the car just in case I need it and I cant get the settings right. My friend has the powershot and it is frustrating when we shoot the same subject and her colour and shots are better than my Canon.... just because I am still learning how to use the camera. Keep perservering Jan
Sorry Jan, can't give you any insightful tips, but I like this. Lovely winding stream with contrasting tree and logs. Very frustrating though when it doesn't come out as you would want it!
@kcman5 - Cathy - love the Powershot - except for the lens error issue. I did actually have it in the truck but I was determined not to go the easy route - LOL. :) I will definitely keep at it - after all I got to have blackberry cobbler, and it was a lovely drive with my sweet hubby. I get a bit nervous driving on snow and ice, and was going to go by myself, but he offered to drive me, so all worked out well.
@andrina - Thanks Andrina - hopefully next one I post of the stream will have more detail. Yes - frustrating - but we learn by our mistakes. :-) Thanks everyone for the encouragement!
This is a good capture, you are being too hard on yourself. Love that line of the stream and you have caught the coldness well. Snow's a tricky one. I'm still trying to get a good one too!
Try compensating by +1 of a stop (maybe a bit more or a bit less, depending on what effect you want) to get the snow a bit more white and getting a bit more detail in the shadows. Above all *DO* shoot in raw mode, you will be amazed how much detail you can retrieve from the highlights and shadows shooting in that mode.
I still think this is a beautiful image though even without all that. :)
@jo13@steviepix - Thanks for the support, Jo and Stevie! OK Stevie - I am going to read up on RAW and give it a shot. @hollandcrew - Thanks AL - it was not bad - 27 degrees but sunny. @chard - Thanks Chard - I found and bookmarked. @gerry - aww = Gerry thanks for faving this - you are very kind. :-) @zambianlass - thank you!
I think it's still a nice shot. With your Canon you should have received a copy of DPP? It's Canon's proprietary software and it's excellent! It's what we used for working in RAW until we switched to Pentax. RAW gives you so much control over exposure, and shots are so savable--as long as they're not blown out.
Hi Anwan - I do have DPP - I am ashamed to say I haven't used it - my son has the T3i and uses his all the time. OK - RAW and DPP - that is my self assignment for this week.......
I really like the composition. I also wondered if software came with your camera. My Nikon software is quite helpful for fine tuning the exposure, contrast, levels, etc. I bet Canon has something similar.
@judis - Thanks Judi - yes - the DPP - have to learn to use it. My camera didn't come with a manual - I had to download it - but ended up buying a book written about the camera. Problem is, the book was not written for a beginner, in my opinion. Need to get T3 for dummies - LOL.
February 27th, 2013
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Thank God for blackberry cobbler!
@jankoos - Thanks K - RAW is my next goal - have not used it yet. I don't have lightroom - tried to download the trial but I have Windows XP and according to PS, I need at the minimum, Windows Vista. I had to downgrade from Vista to XP to run a program I needed - but have the software - it just means having to back everything up and go to my computer dude. Blech.....
Try compensating by +1 of a stop (maybe a bit more or a bit less, depending on what effect you want) to get the snow a bit more white and getting a bit more detail in the shadows. Above all *DO* shoot in raw mode, you will be amazed how much detail you can retrieve from the highlights and shadows shooting in that mode.
I still think this is a beautiful image though even without all that. :)