Too often, I meet people who prefer living in a cabin in the woods over the fast pace city life. I’ll tell you first hand there are pros and cons of each. I say this from experience as I have lived in many big cities and countries. As some of you already know from other blog posts and pictures in my gallery, I lived in the beautiful city of San Diego, California.
My wife and I recently moved to the Midwest with the desire to be closer to family, enjoy small town life and eliminate traffic and crowds from our path. If you enjoy changes in seasons, such as snow covered trees on Christmas, change of colors in the fall, a beautiful bloom in the spring and great family activities in the summer Wisconsin may be the place for you.
In Wisconsin, we recently had our first snowfall for the season. The first snowfall is a magical time of year. It means that the holiday season has arrived, my wife is going to make her amazing sugar cookies and cream cheese filled banana bread and it’s time to transform the house with holiday cheer. This year, my family decided to kick off the holiday season by making snow angles in the backyard followed by an attempt to make Olaf (the snowman from the Disney film, Frozen). What did your family do to kick off the holiday season?
Photography Tips on Capturing Snow filled Landscapes
Before you rush out the door to capture your favorite snow scenes let’s take a minute to go over some things to keep in mind while your out in the frosty environment. First, let’s discuss your camera battery. While not a concern when you’re shooting around your home, it is best to keep your camera close to your body if you choose to photograph at a location far from shelter. Shooting over time in cold temperatures will cause your camera battery to hold less of a charge. Holding it close to your body will keep your camera warm. Also, it is always a good idea to pack spare batteries.
You may notice that whenever you are changing climate conditions your camera lens will immediately fogs up. I recently visited the Panama Canal and as soon as I stepped outside from an air-conditioned room, my lens immediately fogged up. I know your probably thinking that moisture + expensive camera = very bad, but this is normal. You just have to allow your camera lens to adjust to the adverse temperature conditions. Other things to look out for are any cracks in the LCD. While your letting your camera adjust gradually on a tripod look at your surroundings and find your first shot.
Now, let’s say that you’re out and about on your shoot and you see a beautiful red barn against a wooded line. The snow is untouched and powdery. You take your first shot and it turns out either dark silhouetted or a bright white. This is because the scene is so bright or dark that your camera is compensating for what it thinks you want to balance the picture. If your shot is too dark, you can either open your aperture or slow your shutter. If you’re going to slow your shutter beyond handheld, usually around 1/30 for most lenses, I always recommend a tripod. If you’re serious about photography use manual mode. It takes some getting use to but after that you will have the opportunity to take your pictures to the next level.
First Snowfall
I hoped this inspired you to get out there in the cold and take advantage of the change of scenery. Remember to always plan ahead, take care of those batteries and allow your camera and lens to adapt to the climate. Don’t forget to bring the tripod. You will never know when you need it. Please have fun and be creative. Push past your comfort zone to find what amazing things you can create and accomplish.
Let me know if you have any questions regarding this topic or any other topics you would like me to discuss. I encourage you to view more photographic art prints from the Adam Dax Gallery and contact me to order prints.
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