DIGITAL CORNER
By Bob Dean
Winter Photography
I know that I said we’d look at additional exposure topics this month but since we are deep into winter, I thought that it might be timelier to look at some of the aspects of winter shooting. There are two areas that come to mind when one thinks of winter photography. The first is equipment and the second is selection of subjects.
With regard to equipment a whole series of things jump out. These things include care of your equipment in harsher than normal conditions, and care of the primary piece of equipment, the photographer. The subjects available in winter are more limited than other seasons but we’ll look into that as well. The use of the creative controls to achieve great images is also an important part of the process.
Let’s look at care of equipment. The two things that impact equipment in cold weather are moisture and of course temperature. Moisture comes mostly in the form of snow and condensation from your breath. The condensation can freeze and be a bit more insidious than snow because it can build up gradually. Keep a soft cloth available to remove condensation from your camera (especially the LCD screen and the view finder). Snow can become a problem if you shoot during a snow storm, so the use of a commercial lens and camera body cover or just a plastic bag can be very helpful. Also consider that when carrying your camera, whether on or off a tripod, while you move around, exposes it to a sudden “dunking” in a snow bank if you trip and fall. If you’ll be in areas with potential tripping hazards, consider putting your camera and lens in your pack or at least putting a plastic bag around them while moving from one location to another.
Batteries are very much “allergic” to cold weather. The typical digital (and most film) cameras uses a rechargeable Lithium ion battery. These batteries provide power for everything in the camera. You’ll find if you are out shooting in weather significantly below around 20 degrees that the battery will appear to lose charge after a while. Keep a spare battery or two in a warm place, like a pocket inside of your cold weather jacket. You can take the battery that has lost charge and warm it up to regain usable charge. If you are on a multi day shoot, be sure to bring adequate chargers so you can recharge your batteries each evening. Unlike the older NiCad batteries, newer Lithium ones don’t exhibit the half charge “memory”, so charging a partially discharged battery is acceptable.
There is an ongoing debate about winterizing cameras by changing lubricant on the shutter mechanism. I doubt that many of us will ever be shooting in such extreme temperatures where this will be an issue. I suggest that if you do plan to go to the deep Arctic to shoot, that you contact the camera manufacturer for guidance.
Now that we’ve protected our equipment, what about us? Modern fabrics and materials have given us a myriad of boots, gloves, coats, pants and other garments so that comfort is no longer a pipe dream when shooting in winter. That being said, we still need to make the best usage of these items. I could write volumes on the different clothing items available but suffice to say that dressing in layers plus wearing boots with insulation and moisture resistance are two basic requirements. Your layered clothing should be appropriate for the conditions (moisture resistance, insulation value, etc.). Gloves are another key piece of equipment for the photographer. I like to wear a pretty heavy pair when I’m out wandering and then have a pair of glove liners to wear while shooting to allow the dexterity I need. I’ve tried the “fingerless” gloves with liners but they are a bit awkward for me. This is a personal choice; just make sure to have adequate hand protection.
Let’s now look at subjects and creative controls. As I said before, subject matter is somewhat more limited in winter. That doesn’t mean a lack of subjects. Landscapes (both large and small) abound. Look around and see if you can find “snowscapes”, shadows, ice formations and other winter images. Make use of the shadows, shapes and patterns to get really interesting images. When shooting snow or ice, remember that your camera meter is designed to expose for midtones and snow in bright sun will become a grey/blue color. Use added exposure, your color temperature or white balance controls to get a proper color. That saves time in front of the computer correcting the balance.
Wildlife in winter is a very valid topic but more than any other season, we need to be very cautious not to stress these creatures. Getting through winter is tough enough without people adding extra stress. Watch for the classic signs of stress in an animal and back off if an inkling of stress is presence. Winter wildlife shots can be very good if you are careful. Stressed animals don’t make great shoots.
Take advantage of the season and get out shooting!