Snow

quilmore · 02-02-2009 8:21am #1

starting a snowy post here
these are just some snaps, it was too cold to get my thinking cap on
[IMG]http://quilmore.com.ar/DSB_0780 800.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://quilmore.com.ar/DSB_0761 800.jpg[/IMG]

Thirdfox · 02-02-2009 9:12am

Ha, was just about to comment on how noisy the second image seemed when I read the exif...but it really does seem like P&S noise

Nice pictures though certainly conveys the cold feeling of Dublin to me here (we may get snow in Atlanta tonight).

Fajitas! · 02-02-2009 10:03am

Holy sh*t... Just looked out my window. Real snow!!!!

I'm on the road to London tonight... I'll try get some interesting photos

Creamy Goodness · 02-02-2009 10:06am

Fajitas! wrote: »

Holy sh*t... Just looked out my window. Real snow!!!!

I'm on the road to London tonight... I'll try get some interesting photos

I for one really look forward to those sir!

Fajitas! · 02-02-2009 10:13am

Ha!! I don't, I'm travelling 12 hours over and 12 hours back... :-/

I just hope the snow sticks til then

Creamy Goodness · 02-02-2009 10:17am

Fajitas! wrote: »

Ha!! I don't, I'm travelling 12 hours over and 12 hours back... :-/

I just hope the snow sticks til then

Aye I hear ya I've been stuck on public transprt for the last hour and travelled a grand distance of 3 miles.

Wish I brought my camera into Dublin today I bet there's some interesting shots to get.

AnimalRights · 02-02-2009 10:54am

What white balance do you use for snow, I assume you don't use auto?

Living in town its almost all melted or just snow sleet on top of car, I got up too late but I played my new purchase of Monopoly on my i-phone late into the night, I lost!

CabanSail · 02-02-2009 10:57am

AnimalRights wrote: »

What white balance do you use for snow, I assume you don't use auto?

WB is only a concern if you shoot Jpeg. Shoot RAW & set it at your leisure.

fugazied · 02-02-2009 10:59am

Man I wished it would snow here so I could get some shots like that!

Heinrich · 02-02-2009 11:04am

Yesterday's snow

superflyninja · 02-02-2009 11:06am

brought my camera into work with me.hopefully i shoudl get some shots at lunch. that first pic in the thread is great. I love the pattern of the falling snow

AnimalRights · 02-02-2009 11:11am

CabanSail wrote: »

WB is only a concern if you shoot Jpeg. Shoot RAW & set it at your leisure.

Yeah 'cos I can change it in raw lol..
I remember taking pics of Swans last year and the detail wasn't there in auto WB but since you've refreshed my brain I started off shooting jpegs b4 I moved full time to raw after that.
I used jpeg last weekend in Galway because I was worried about running out of space on the mem card and I hated doing the PP, you def get used to the advantages of Raw.

Fajitas! · 02-02-2009 11:22am

Auto should do the trick on snow, just make sure to overexpose.

Stephen · 02-02-2009 11:44am

I'm in work now looking out the window at snow falling quite heavily. Wish I brought my camera with me

AnCatDubh · 02-02-2009 12:10pm

Fajitas! wrote: »

just make sure to overexpose.

Is this one of the great debates within photography - the basis being whether it is correct to overexpose and run the risk of blowing out the scene or underexpose and go yeuchy grey.

If shooting film then I can see the complete theoretical rationale of overexpose - get your snow pure white. And probably given film's properties for a better dynamic range you won't have the issues of blown out areas within the image (at least to the same degree).

But in digital where you have a more limited dynamic range when you overexpose snow you can blow it out quite easily, so in theory should you not revert to underexpose, shoot raw if you can, and work it out thereafter in post processing. Ok, perhaps that's a cop out in terms of getting it right in the camera first time all of the time.

The above assumes a predominantly snow scene with little other contrast.

If you have much contrast of objects including your snow then auto has a good chance of exposing correctly - it does its 'turn everything a bit grey' thing pretty well.

Its reasonable to pay more attention to the white balance but then again if you are shooting digital and RAW in particular then the beauty of digital will enable you to do fine tuning after.

So i'd suggest that it is a trade off of how your camera's dynamic range performs with the situational aspect of what scene you are looking at. I think just be careful if there is detail in the snow scene (ripples or folds for example) that you are trying to capture. If you blow it then quite literally you blow it.

Bracketing may work well too if you have that option available to you.

There may be more to it - just my coupla thoughts.

Valentia · 02-02-2009 12:31pm

Going by my friend Sam (again) you should overexpose by 1 (even 2) stops. I wouldn't argue with him. He has had a lot of experience taking snow shots. Have a look back the years on his blog. All digital too.

Covey · 02-02-2009 12:38pm

I shoot in snow at least once a year and always at least +1 overexposed if at all sunny. Learnt the hard way the first year.

Paulw · 02-02-2009 12:41pm

Fajitas! wrote: »

Auto should do the trick on snow, just make sure to overexpose.

I have to totally agree. When I was in Utah last year and photographing snow, it was easy enough to do, if you overexpose by about a stop.

I left the WB on auto, and the images came out white and clean.

You may get some blown out areas, but white snow is supposed to be almost blown out. It's a very bright white, which your camera expects to be nearer grey.

I think the vast majority of people who've shot in snow will advise to over expose by a stop.

rameire · 02-02-2009 12:53pm

just 5 pics,
im a novice but thought id share the snow.
camera is a canon eos 300d.
location athy.
reason, couldnt make it too work due to dangerous roads.

Valentia · 02-02-2009 12:58pm

Jazus I'm going to have to find some way of snakeing off. Got a few this morning when it was bucketing down but nothing great. It's started lashing again. Must be ready when the sun comes out.

Borderfox · 02-02-2009 1:01pm

Bucketing down in Dunshaughlin, on my way out now to see what I can see..

AnimalRights · 02-02-2009 1:03pm

too late too over expose now I've finished my few pics and am in the pub!
Only seen this thread now!!
Sod all snow anyway, I headed out too late.
I would never have thought of over exposing though.

af_thefragile · 02-02-2009 1:09pm

Aah, all the show is melting away. I doubt i'll be able to take any decent pics other than my backyard!!

And nice pics rameire, the first two pics are very serene. I quite like them!

CabanSail · 02-02-2009 1:10pm

The advice Guy Gowan gives in his workshops is to Shoot RAW & expose for details in the shadows. I don't know if this would hold true for snow too.

Covey · 02-02-2009 1:11pm

Borderfox wrote: »

Bucketing down in Dunshaughlin, on my way out now to see what I can see..

Do you live in a cable car Keith?

Paulw · 02-02-2009 1:12pm

AnimalRights wrote: »

I would never have thought of over exposing though.

Your camera will always want to make white in to 20% gray. Hence the use of a gray card.

To your camera, snow should always be 20% gray, and not a bright white.

Therefore, you need to force your camera in to making it bright and white, by over-exposing.

Try and see.

Arciphel · 02-02-2009 1:15pm

got some nice ones in the phoenix park this morning - even though i was gently told a few times to stop snapping at the papal cross by some guy from the OPW???? Apparantley you need permission beforehand to shoot at every OPW site now!!! :rolleyes: Some tasty language was exchanged!

Fajitas! · 02-02-2009 1:59pm

I always thought Phoenix Park was public property? Non?

AnimalRights · 02-02-2009 2:02pm

Arciphel wrote: »

got some nice ones in the phoenix park this morning - even though i was gently told a few times to stop snapping at the papal cross by some guy from the OPW???? Apparantley you need permission beforehand to shoot at every OPW site now!!! :rolleyes: Some tasty language was exchanged!

I was there for around 30 mins, I would have exchanged tasty language too tbh.

Pigwidgeon · 02-02-2009 2:04pm

stupid mocks... driving to school earlier and it was unbelievable really wanted to stop the car a few times for some shots but my friends probably would have killed me and we would have been late... might head out in a while after i do some study to see if there's any left up at windgates... was some about half an hour ago.

heard theres meant to be heavy snow on thursday too.

Paulw · 02-02-2009 2:04pm

Arciphel wrote: »

Apparantley you need permission beforehand to shoot at every OPW site now!!!

You only require permission from the OPW for commercial work, not for hobby stuff.

Sounds like you had a fun morning.

Snow

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