As the autumn colors diminish and the daylight hours subside, the winter is well and truly upon us. The coldest season of the year can be a troublesome period for a photographer or videographer due to the wet and windy conditions and the lack of daylight hours.
However, the worse the weather, the better the photos. The winter months are among my favorite to go out and shoot. I have put together a guide on how to make the most of this time of year.
1. Dress for the occasion
First thing first, dress for the elements. This one may sound a bit strange as it isn’t directly about camera gear or shooting, but a good day out shooting does hinge on whether you are prepared for the elements. Be sure to head out in a waterproof coat and always pack a portable umbrella as they provide much needed cover for the camera, as much as yourself.
Thin gloves which still allow you to operate the camera are also a must for when the temperatures take a nosedive in the winter months.
Finally, make sure to have a water-resistant bag at hand to pack all your gear into (along with these other must-have cold weather accessories). The last thing you want is your expensive camera gear getting wet after being covered in rain or snow.
2. Choose the correct gear
Once you’re suited and booted and ready to face the rain and snow, it’s time to turn your attention towards your gear. I highly recommend water-resistant cameras and lenses when shooting in harsh winter conditions whether you are in the city or out in the country capturing landscapes. One way or another, your camera and gear will get wet and the last thing you want is your expensive camera and gear failing on the road.
I personally use the water-resistant Fujifilm X-Pro2 along with the Fujifilm XF 23mm (35mm) F/2R WR lens while my go-to lens for trips during the winter months is the water-resistant Fujifilm XF 16-55mm F2.8 WR.
Being confident in your camera equipment under wet and cold conditions makes shooting in winter more enjoyable and in my case results in more interesting and vibrant photos.
3. Keep your camera cold and your batteries warm
While it can be tempting to check into a cafe for a quick coffee during a wet windy winters day, moving your gear from the cold into the warmth will cause your camera lenses to fog up due to condensation. This will take a couple of minutes to clear up so try refrain from any sudden changes in temperature. This can also occur when you put your camera in your bag or under your coat.
Conversely, you should try your best to keep your back-up batteries as warm as possible. Your camera’s battery will drain far quicker in cold conditions and even batteries not inside the camera will drain in the cold. Fortunately, this is becoming less of an issue as battery technology develops but is still a factor to keep in mind.
4. Opt for shooting in RAW
This will sound counter-productive, but I highly recommend using your exposure compensation dial to slightly overexpose while shooting snowy scenes. Despite advances in processor technologies and advanced metering modes, snow still tends to confuse even high-end cameras. The main reason behind this is because your camera wants to bring as much detail out of the snow, which can lose detail in the subject.
I also highly recommend shooting in RAW as your camera will struggle to set the correct white balance under snowy or rainy conditions. Fortunately, the white balance can be changed without losing any detail in the image using almost any photo editing software.
Shooting in RAW also has the benefit of including a much greater dynamic range which is extremely useful when editing shots of snow.
5. Find the contrast with the snow
Whether you’re shooting in the city or capturing landscapes, always look for contrast when shooting in the snow. Without stark contrast within the scene, shots in the snow can appear to be bland as there will be too much white space.
If you are looking to capture an atmospheric photo which includes the falling snow (or rain) crank up the shutter speed to around 1/500.
6. Embrace the rain
Shooting in the rain is by far my favorite style of photography and with winter comes plenty of rain. People walking around cities with umbrellas are interesting subjects while the puddles that appear around the city offer unique photo opportunities. Furthermore, try a fast shutter speed (1/500 and above) to capture rain drops falling or shoot through a glass covered in rain for an interesting scene.
7. Follow proper aftercare
Once you return home or to your hotel room, leave the camera and lenses on a table and let them fully dry. If you leave the camera in a bag or dark cupboard, your gear could remain moist, which in turn could damage both the body and lens.
Another tip: allow your gear to slowly warm up to room temperature without removing your lenses from the body until the condensation clears up.
