Tamara Lackey shows you ways to mix up your winter shooting.
February 19, 2015
Heading outdoors in the winter months offers a variety of options in terms of what to shoot. Of course wintry landscapes can be unbelievable beautiful, no doubt – but often looking for different views, angles, and subjects can provide you with more variety in your winter captures.
Here are some ideas of things to look for when shooting in the winter:
1. Snow Play
Of course this is a big one, showcasing how we play in the winter. Not just the major sports, like skiing, snowboarding, and all the rest – but the simple ways we enjoy the change in our world. Several things stand out about these photographs. First and foremost is her expression of pure joy and wonder. A close second is the dramatic pop of color – how strickingly the subject stands out from the background has a lot to do with her clothing in this environment. This image would not work quite as well if the subject had been wearing a dull, drab color, like a beige or sand-colored coat.
Nikon D5300, Nikkor 70-200 2.8
1/800 sec, f/3.2, ISO 800
Nikon D5300, Nikkor 70-200 2.8
1/800 sec, f3.2, ISO 800
2. Still Life in Frozen World
A macro shot of a still life object, in this case a frozen leaf, can often minimize tons of detail but offer a broader sense of frozeness. In this case, there are only edges of this leaf in focus, even shot at an f8, because of extreme proximity to subject. That creative choice adds to the overall sense of snow blindness one can feel in a frozen world. This image works because of its sheer simplicity. If this had been one leaf surrounded by multiple leaves, there would be no macro focus, and it would have been an entirely different shot.
Nikon D5300, Nikkor 105 2.8
1/500 sec, f8, ISO 200
3. Looking Inside Out
Often there are two stories to snow play. There’s what’s happening when you’re in the thick of it, and what it looks like to an observer. In this case, the point of view for the photograph is that of the dog’s, the dog who thinks it looks a bit too cold out there and is more than content to watch the action from a much warmer angle. Part of what makes this image work so well is the angle chosen for the shot, literally low to the ground, from the dog’s point of view. The other consideration is managing the highlights in the background, which has a lot to do with managing exposure through proper metering.
Nikon D5300, Nikkor 24-70 2.8
1/60 sec, f/4.0, ISO 400
Enjoy your winter shooting!
