Photographing a snowy scene in my opinion is actually relatively easy compared to other times. One thing that cannot be stated enough though is that you must keep in mind that with any type of snowfall, whether it be light like flurries, or heavy like a blizzard, there will be a certain amount of limited visibility. With flurries, the distance between you and your subject could actually be a decent distance away, whereas with a heavy snowfall, that distance is going to be severely limited by what little visual contact you have with your subject. I honestly go by what I actually see with my eyes, if you can’t see your subject well, then there is no way that your lens is going to see your subject well. I never worry too much about settings, only because when you are shooting a snow scene, the snow is going to automatically make for a bright scene for your camera’s sensor, albeit minus any help from a shining sun. Snow being pure white reflects all and any available light, even when you get to the blue hour. Which by the way, can also render beautiful photo’s, even with diminished available light. My published photo of Saint John’s Episcopal Church attached with this post is an example of a blue hour photo in the snow. The blue hour will change color and tone of your subject, as in this photo I’m pretty sure that this church is white clapboard in reality, and the blue hour makes the clapboard appear almost a shade of blue. Today being yet another day of snowfall in New England should give everyone an opportunity to get out there and try their hand at snow photography. Don’t be afraid to experiment and let’s see those photo’s! Namaste.
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