The four seasons are a splendid endowment by our planet to photographers. From the marvellous fall colours, peeping around late October, the lush green shades of mid-April, and capture stunning snow-coated landscapes to trailing the northern lights. Even a well-known milieu can evolve into an entirely distinct vantage point when swathed in a blanket of white, conferring on the photographer a melange of opportunities to capture exquisite photographs.
At the same time, it is equally important to understand specific impediments presented to photographers. This is where your experience comes handy; once you garner from those lessons, you can outshine your winter photographic portfolio.
Explore the Colour Contrast
After a heavy snowfall, everything around you turns white. From white trees, white mountains, to a white sky, unfurling a focal element is quite laborious. On such days embark on a scavenger hunt for elements of colour striking in an otherwise mundane white background.
Red can be your nostrum one that captivates the eye. Therefore, be on a pursuit to unravel a myriad of dominant colours employing your photography skills. It can merely be an autumn leaf on lying on a thin layer of snow, or a handful of skiers wearing red jackets. Let these dominant colours be your focal point to bestow on you the perfect winter capture.
Go Bright and Never Dark
If you are not triumphant on your escapade in discovering a colourful focal element, then your elixir is to overexpose your image. If it is snowfall and there is no contrast in the sky, make it brighter to make it aesthetically appealing.
The overexposed image succours in enhancing the whiteout and divulges how you combated the fierce cold to capture this moment. The most crucial element is the sense of tranquillity that such an image conveys to the audience.
Focus on Focus
In situations of low contrast like foggy days, your lens may find it challenging to obtain autofocus. In such a circumstance, the lens may flutter while striving for focus. The issue here is the absence of objects with enough contrast. You might end up clicking photos with a focus on the falling snow leaving out the subject entirely out of focus. Therefore, the best way is to deploy manual focus and avoid using autofocus.
It is also critical to understand the right shutter speed to be employed to attain the desired Ideal photograph. Fast shutter speeds will pause any movement, while slow shutter speed will cause blurred motion.
Carry Extra Batteries and Keep Them Warm
The most crucial tip is never to forget to bring extra batteries if you want to photograph winter triumphantly. This is because batteries drain faster in winter, primarily if you utilize Live View for almost all shots. The other danger is the battery you bought might just not work owing to the cold temperature.
So, to avoid these tantrums carry a few extra batteries. Ultimately it is equally essential for you to stay warm just like your batteries. Be always on the lookout and being in additional layers to keep yourself warm.