The Outsider – Photography in Algoma

The first step to getting great winter shots is to actually get outside with our camera. This means dressing for the conditions so we are comfortable and can appreciate the dramatic changes that the descent of winter brings to the landscape.

One of the most important technical things to consider when photographing snowy landscapes is the predominance of white. The brightness of the snow tends to trick our camera into underexposing winter scenes – and the bright picture we see through our viewfinder turns out dull and gray. We can address this by overexposing anywhere from  .3 to 1.7 f-stops. How much we overexpose depends on the conditions but experimenting with exposure is key to capturing cool winter images.

Photo credit: James Smedley Outdoors

Sometimes it’s simply a cold, clear, still morning that produces great conditions for photography. I popped out of my ice fishing shack to shoot this image of fellow anglers. The sharp angle of the early morning light helps to define the snow-drifted surface of the lake.

Of course, a bit of action on the landscape can add to an image.

Photo credit: James Smedley Outdoors

Sometimes it’s simply the conditions caused by winter weather that can transform a scene from mundane to spectacular. March is the time of cold nights and warm days that can cause frost to cling to the trees.

Photo credit: James Smedley Outdoors

And blue sky and fluffy white clouds never hurt.

Read More Photography Blogs From James:

• The Allure of Fall Photography
• The Allure of Moving Water

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