One of the best photography tips I can give anyone for shooting in the snow is to become familiar with your histogram.
I have an image I shot for an iPad commercial that is running on tv at the moment. If you’ve seen the ad you’ll recognize this image. It was shot in the snow and consequently I had to make sure my exposure was dead on to avoid either blocking up my shadows or blowing out my highlights in the snow.
When you have your camera set on automatic and you shoot in the snow, there is an extremely good chance that the camera will underexpose your image. An oversimplified explanation is that your camera sees all that white from the snow, assumes it’s supposed to be a light gray and adjusts the camera’s exposure accordingly, which makes the rest of your image darker than what your eye is seeing.
This, in and of itself is not the end of the world as long as that exposure doesn’t “clip” your shadows…..meaning underexpose your shadows to the point where there is no detail or information in that range of your photograph.
You can always bring the image into correct balance in post production as long as your shadows aren’t completely blocked up. Simply put, you can’t add information to an area of your image where there is no information to begin with. This works or doesn’t work both ways, whites and blacks. You can’t add detail back into your whites once they are overexposed with no detail at all. You can’t add detail back into your blacks once they are underexposed or clipped with no detail to begin with.
The best way to avoid this kind of problem is to become familiar with thehistogramon the back of your camera. Ideally the left and right side of the graph on your histogram will come short of the frame edges. If the histogram actually touches the left or right side of your frame, then you are “clipping” that part of the image.
If it hits the left side, you’ve clipped your shadows. If it hits the right side. you’ve clipped your highlights.
So…..whenever you shoot in the snow, be sure to check your histogram carefully and be sure that you have detail and or information in both your highlights and shadow areas of your image.
If you see that you’re clipping either of these areas, you can adjust your exposure by just tweaking your exposure compensation setting up or down. There will be a dial with a +/_ on it and adjust itaccordingly. If you’re clipping your shadows, adjust the exposure to the plus side (overexposure). If you’re clipping your highlights, then adjust the exposure compensation dial to the negative side until you are no longer clipping those highlights.
The trick is to find a balance for your image. If you can’t avoid blowing out your highlights without clipping your shadows you will need to find a way to add more fill light to the shadows in your image. You’ll have to use lights or fill cards or reflector boards or disks.
If you don’t have any of those things then you’ll be in a position where you have to decide which part of your image you’re willing to clip. In this case, you have to choose which part of your shot is the most important….the highlights or the shadows. The answer to that question will vary from image to image. It’s subjective…..your choice and your choice alone.
The cool thing about shooting in the snow is that you probably won’t have that problem. The snow naturally provides a lot of fill light for you, so the chances of having your shadows to dark with no detail are slim as long as you’ve adjusted your exposure properly.
Have you ever been in a photographic rut? I sure have. A lot of times I’ll find myself not shooting because I want to create some gorgeous, incredible image and I don’t really have anything in mind that rises to that level. So instead of going out and shooting anyway, I wait….and wait…..and wait. The funny thing is that with all the waiting….nothing really comes from it and I wind up with exactly that….nothing.
I’ve never succeeded at thinking my way out of a photographic rut….don’t misunderstand….I’ve tried thinking my way out of it 1,000 times….it just has never worked yet. Here’s the dumb thing about me though……the next time I’m in “the rut” I’ll still try to think my way out of it at first, even though I know better. Now that’s just stupid…isn’t it?
We all want to shoot beautiful, interesting, creative, one of a kind images of our kids, but sometimes if we insist on only shooting when everything is perfect and amazing we actually limit ourselves and, I think, miss out on some great photo opportunities. I find if I just do an image or series of images where I go back to basics it can help me.
There’s nothing wrong with doing a “simple simon” portrait outside in open shade or backlit. Just you, your kid, a cute outfit and decent light. Yeah, I know it’ easy and you’ve done it a billion times, but you know what? It still works.
The important thing is to always keep shooting…even when….or maybe, ESPECIALLY when nothing seems to be flowing or coming together. I struggle with this all the time. When I get to the point that I don’t have any new ideas and I sit and think….and think…and think….hoping that an original thought will pop into my head, I know I’m in trouble.
The best thing I’ve found for getting inspiration is to actually just grab the camera and a reflector and a kid and shoot….play around. When I’m actually doing and not intentionally thinking, then the thoughts and ideas come into my mind and I can move past my photographic rut.
It’s frustrating to feel like you’re just repeating yourself over and over again, but you won’t get over your frustration by refusing to shoot until you have a completely original idea in your head.
Just keep moving forward. Try new things from time to time. Try cropping completely different than normal. Shoot in different light than you’re used to. Jack your ISO rating way up there and just see what happens when you shoot indoors with a lot of noise. Break some rules. Don’t be afraid to “fail”. First of all, it’s not failure to try new things. It’s also not failure to shoot your bread and butter. The trick is to just keep shooting.
I’ve included a real basic image here……not much to it at all. It’s cute and that, in and of itself is enough. My previous post had a few really complicated images…..crazy lighting, post production toning and effects, compositing. It was a complicated image to produce, but the image itself was really simple and strong.
This image is simple in execution as well as simple overall. Don’t make the mistake of thinking a photo has to be complicated to be good…it’s usually just the opposite. Complicated for complicated’s sake is a bad road to travel. Simplicity usually leads to stronger images. Don’t be afraid to shoot simple, strong images and the next time you’re in a photographic rut don’t think your way out of it…..shoot your way out of it.
christy - Thanks, Tim. I read your post earlier about the shots you took of your niece on the Salt Flats at the crack of dawn, and I thought to myself, If I have to get up at 3 a.m. to get good portraits then it's never going to happen. :) Now I'm thinking I just need to get out of the house and play around with my camera and forget the high expectations I tend to set for myself! Now if it would just cool off enough that we aren't visably sweating all day long, I'd be set!
Here’s one of the best photography tips I can give you…..Invest in lighting. I know it’s expensive, I know it can be confusing when you start out with it, but trust me…..there is an entirely new world out there for you when you have lights and learn how to use them effectively.
There is only so much you can do with available light before everything you shoot starts to look the same. Sometimes, it’s nice to just mix it up.
It seems like the latest posts on this blog have been about shooting our kids once they’re older….it wasn’t intentional, but it seems to be what I’m mostly doing this last month. If your kids are still little…..enjoy them…..it won’t be long before they are heading off to college and you’ll be wondering where on Earth the time went.
I’ve spent the last couple of days shooting my oldest son for a potential job he’s up for in the sports media department at the University he attends. He’s in the Graphic Design major and this would be a dream job for him.
He played soccer this past summer with a bunch of buddies and one of them runs the department and mentioned that if he had a bunch of good work, he’d be able to get him in. That was all Blaine needed to hear and he was busy creating “mock” ads and needing great photographs for them.
I used to shoot him like there was no tomorrow when he was a little guy and it was almost like going back in time working with him again. We did a whole bunch of soccer images with his layouts in mind. It was so much fun to be shooting him again.
I was really happy with the lighting setup I used so I shot my 17 year old in his lacrosse gear as well. He doesn’t really like having his picture taken, but was a great sport and actually had a good time, even if he won’t admit it. He loves the finished images he’s seen so far.
I also grabbed the 6 year old next door and dressed him up in his lacrosse garb as well. What a blast!
These shots were done in the middle of the day, at f-16 and 1/250th of a second. I overpowered the sunlight with my strobes. I set up a paper background and shot my subjects against that knowing that I was going to “strip” them out of the image and put them into a different scene that I had previously shot.
I also went down to Cougar Stadium the other night after their season opener and shot the stadium lights to strip into the images as well.
I know this isn’t the typical stuff you’d shoot with your kids and for many if not most of you it’s overkill, but it was fun and it was a great opportunity for me to do something cool with my kids.
Not all of these images are finished yet, some are still works in progress. The main thing is for you to be able to spend quality time with your kids and then as a bonus have something to remember it by with the pictures.
These images are a lot more advanced than the vast majority of the images I’ve taken of these 2 over the last 2 decades. I just wanted to give Blaine the best chance I could to impress these guys and get this job. My fingers are crossed.
Owning a couple of strobes can greatly enlarge what you have going on in your photographic “wheelhouse”. They are nothing more than tools you can use however you choose. Maybe you’ll use them so subtly most people won’t even notice they’re there. Maybe you’ll push them to the extreme and create images that are way out there.
Perhaps strobes are too much for you, but you want to do a little something more than just point and shoot….look at getting some good reflectors to help you manipulate the light and better your images.
The point is that lighting is just one more part of the process of learning your craft.
My niece is now 24 years old. I remember like it was just yesterday, her performing on the fireplace hearth and bowing to our thunderous applause and shouting “Thank you – Gentlemen!” as she jumped into what she believed to be a mosh pit on the carpet. She was 2 1/2 years old at the time and living in Long Beach…….cuter than crap!
These little kids that we love, nurture, protect, bandage and teach eventually do grow up and leave the nest to start their own life’s journey and adventure…….really cool ride, but it always puts a lump in my throat
She just got married a couple of weeks ago and I took the opportunity to take her and her, then, fiancee out to the Salt Flats to shoot them in their tux and gown.
What a blast we had! I left the house at about 2:30 in the morning to be able to pick them up in Salt Lake and whisk them off to the Salt Flats before sunrise.
We lucked out and had a beautiful day…….temperatures were in the 60′s and no wind. I would have preferred having a few more clouds than we did have, but after living in Utah for almost 7 months now, I’m grateful for any day that isn’t raining or snowing.
They’re a great looking couple and we got a bunch of great shots….they were troopers to get up so early in the morning, but I think they were more than happy with the results we got.
As parents, sometimes we’re guilty of not shooting as many pics of our kids as they get older. Their not quite as cute as they were when they were 2 and 3 so we don’t look for as many opportunities to shoot pictures with them.
The lesson today is to recognize that they’re ALWAYS cute and to shoot them even past their teen years. At least until they start cranking out their own kids and then they’ll have to take a back seat to their own kids as we shoot image after image of the next generation of “little ones”.
Have fun and enjoy the ride…..it’s the best one there is!
Just a side note – If any of you have older kids that are getting married up here in Utah…..one of the gazillion weddings up here every year…..and want great shots of them in their tux and gown just contact me and I’d be happy to set something up. I don’t shoot weddings at all, but I will spend time with couples that want one of a kind gorgeous images….just not on their wedding day. Trust me…it’s worth it. I hope to hear from you soon.
One of the biggest problems people have shooting kids is expecting them to act, behave and or pose a certain way. Once the shoot starts, many times that sweet little darling kid won’t want anything to do with your preconceived ideas to photograph.
I know what it’s like to have a picture in my head of what I want to get and not being able to get it. At this point, you have two choices….continue beating your head against a rock trying to get your unco-operative subject to pose exactly the way you want…..or to go with the flow and see what the kid will give you.
After being in the business for over 20 years, I can pretty well figure out what’s going to happen within about 5 minutes of working with any child. This is not the time or place to become the ultimate disciplinarian. You can coerce the child into submission, but it comes with a really heavy price. They’ll never want to shoot with you again. They’ll remember you as a bully.
In my opinion, it’s just not worth it to get a picture. I’ve learned that by letting go of the reins and relinquishing “control” I’m more likely to walk away with a great image. It will most likely not look like anything that I envisioned at the beginning of the session, but I can promise you that it’ll be a better shot than the one I’d get by forcing and imposing my will on a kid.
Many times I’ve been pleasantly surprised at the outcome and on several occasions I’ve been rewarded with shots that I am completely in love with. This shot was done of my nephew. He hated having his picture taken, but was so cute I insisted on him letting me photograph him. We got set up and were ready to shoot and he wasn’t going to have any of it. I shot him anyway ….I kidded around with him a little bit and just hung out for a while and I wound up getting this image. To this day it’s my favorite shot I’ve ever taken of Kai.
He’s 10 years older now and has become a great model on top of that. He’s let me do countless shots of him over the years and I’m sure there will be countless more to come.
Just remember to take what the subject gives you. If they can’t smile with teeth showing don’t insist that they smile with their teeth showing. It’s all a give and take….kind of an elaborate dance between subject and photographer. Once you get into a flow you’ll feel it and that’s when the magic happens. Enjoy the ride!
Shoot through stuff guys…..now that’s real technical sounding isn’t it? If any of you have watched the show “24″…..they do it all the time. There is almost always something very out of focus in the foreground of most of their shots.
If gives the image a little bit of mystery, a little bit of depth and a little more interest than just a straight photograph.
I love depth in imagery. I usually want my images to look as 3 dimensional as possible.
For this shot of my neighbor’s daughter I thought it would be much more interesting if I shot the image through the French door rather than on the inside of the room with Jillian.
She’s by far the cutest little girl on the planet….she comes over and visits 4 or 5 times a week to eat “white” cheese and “good” pickles…”not the icky kind.”
When we lived in Arizona we had neighbors with 2 little kids that would come over and visit us as well…..we miss them dearly…..Jillian’s visits have helped us through our “withdrawal” period from Trenten and Cadyn.
As always, when shooting 2 or 3 year olds you can’t get too technical in terms of directions……gently nudging is about all you can do. Let them have fun….see what they naturally come up with……you’ll be surprised what great images you can make just observing what a 2 year old invents on the spot.
The next time you shoot, find some different objects with varying degrees of opacity to set really close to your lens in the foreground. See what happens to your image when you shoot through it. Play around with different things until you find something you like. Shoot through windows……play around with reflections.
If you go too far with something, just dial it back a little. Experiment with different depths or distances from your lens. Try different f-stops……typically wide open, or close to wide open works best, but try stopping for a few if only just to see what it does.
Most of all…..just have fun playing around with your photos. The beauty of digital is that it costs you nothing but your time to experiment.
I’ve been looking around at some of the “photo blogs” that are out on the internet lately and there is one thing that has really surprised me. Why do so many of the blogs use the exact same template with almost identical images to other “photo blogs?” Heck…..even some of the verbage is word for word the same as other blogs. The images almost always look like they were shot by the same person as well.
I’m disappointed that so many just go out and copy the work of someone that is basically already copying the work of Anne Geddes. Not only is that plagiarism, but it is as far as one can get from true creativity.
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with getting inspiration from someone’s work or vision and using that as a starting point or jumping off point…….but to do the same shot and then call it your own…..that’s not what photography should be about.
My advice……try harder. If you want to recreate someone else’s work as an assignment to learn a technique…..that’s great…..just don’t promote it as your own work. Any self respecting professional photographer knows there are laws in place to protect against that and would never do this.
There is a big difference between owning a professional digital camera and being a professional photographer. I’m a little taken aback by all of the misrepresentation going on of late. My niece is getting married in August and gave me a list of several “wedding” photographers’ websites to look at.
To my surprise….they were all just bloggers. All of them did something else for a living and did photography because it was their “passion.” Each of these blogs featured ” fully retouched or “edited” images” awash in posteriziation, clipped highlights and clipped shadows. Many of the images were very beautiful. Interesting crops, interesting use of available light (only available light) very limited scenarios because of their inability to do anything other than just point their camera and shoot.
This is a recipe for a wedding disaster. If you’re looking for a wedding photographer….don’t hire a blogger……get a professional that knows what they’re doing….it’s worth the extra money.
They initially wanted me to shoot their wedding, but I declined because even though I’m a professional in the biz for over 25 years….I don’t shoot weddings. It’s not what I’m good at and it wouldn’t be fair to them to misrepresent myself.
If you’re learning photography……admit it. If you’re still struggling with Photoshop……admit it. Don’t promote yourself as a professional baby, teenager, wedding photographer when you are consistently posterizing every one of your images that happens to have red in it. It’s not honest.
That being said……we all start somewhere….just be yourself…..not Anne Geddes, not your next door neighbor, not me.
Learn your craft so that you can try new things and experiment. It’s when you experiment that you come up with images that can look unique. Unique is a lofty goal to aim at since seemingly almost anything worth doing has already been done, but I think you get the point.
I spent a couple of days last week shooting with an art director friend of mine from New York. It was a blast to be working together again. It’s kind of like this intricately intertwined photography dance we have going. She knows me well and I know her well and consequently its a joy to shoot together….she brings out my best.
We spent several hours on a neighbors porch. She had so many wonderful knick knacks all over the place that made for wonderful props for my kids and families to use.
It felt a lot like play time for me as well as the models. We wanted the images to have kind of dreamy whimsical quality to them. We chose specific colors in the wardrobe and props to achieve that.
My personal opinion is…..it worked.
In any case…..don’t copy other people’s work or websites or text……it’s not ethical.
Sorry I got off on a rant there…..ooops…..I’ve just plagiarized Dennis Miller……ahhhh crap!
Just go out and play, have fun……..try something new and different………and most importantly…….be yourself!
Marcela - Thanks so much for this post! I just came across your site today and I love it! But then I loved it even more after this site! I'm not a pro by any means and just looking at people's blogs, all their pictures are all the same and that really bothers me. Great site, great info and AWESOME pictures!
on the back of your camera. Ideally the left and right side of the graph on your histogram will come short of the frame edges. If the histogram actually touches the left or right side of your frame, then you are “clipping” that part of the image.
