Winter Photo Tips

​Winter can be a great time to get out and do some shooting, but it comes with challenges (and opportunities) that you won’t find in any other season.  Here are some thoughts that might help improve your winter-shooting experience.

Photo Tip 1 - Winter's Cold. Dress for it!
This may seem obvious, but it's worth mentioning. You can't enjoy an outdoor photo adventure if you're cold and miserable. Here's a quick run-down of some things to consider;

• Dress in layers - this includes your legs. Make sure your outer layer will cut through the wind;
• Avoid cotton - instead wear polyester fleece, including fleece long underwear. It will wick away sweat and keep you dry and warm;
• Keep your extremities warm - Good, dry boots, gloves and hat are critical - I wear photographer's gloves when the temperatures hover around the freezing point, but once they really start to plummet I switch to my thick, heavy winter gloves. It makes handling the camera more challenging, but I would rather take the gloves off for a few seconds in order to change settings and ensure that I have warm hands the rest of the time

With good winter clothing, even the worst weather can still leave you comfortable enough to get out and capture what winter has to throw at you.

Photo Tip 2 - I Need More Power!
All batteries suffer in the cold, and therefore you can expect to get less life out of them. Bring along extra batteries and keep at least one of them close to your body, in an interior pocket for example. If the battery in your camera does fade out, warm it up for a few minutes and you should get a bit more life out of it. 

Speaking of energy, bring along a nutritious snack and warm drink to provide a bit of fuel for you. With the layered clothing you may end up sweating a bit more than you think. 

Photo Tip 3 - Use the Histogram
​If you have ever been disappointed with the white snow turning grey in your photos, you are not alone. It is your camera’s natural tendency to tone down bright areas. Bring back those whites by using the built-in histogram. By dialling up the exposure you can eliminate the greys. Just don’t overdo it or you will blow out those highlights completely. The ergonomics of the OMD line of cameras makes exposure compensation a snap and the electronic viewfinder allows for quick adjustments without ever taking your eye off the histogram and scene you are photographing. 

By utilizing both the built-in histogram and exposure compensation, you can control for your camera's natural tendency to dull the white snow.

Photo Tip 4 - Fight Fogging Up
Lenses will fog up when going from a cold area to a warmer one with higher humidity. In the winter your lens isn't likely to fog up while shooting outdoors. The problem occurs when you return to your warm car or other interior with higher humidity. Place the lens cap back on the lens and return the camera to your camera bag before you enter a warmer space.

Speaking of lens caps, here’s a simple tip that can definitely save some frustration. If you pocket your lens cap while shooting like I do, turn it so that the inside surface of the cap is facing away from your body. This will prevent the moisture from your sweat accumulating on it and condensing on your lens when you replace the lens cap.

Photo Tip 5 - Bring Extra Lens Cloths
As mentioned I'm often out shooting in less than ideal weather conditions - rain, snow or spray from waves often ends up on my front lens element.  I keep several lens cloths handy. Once a lens cloth is damp it is practically useless for cleaning off your lens. Just remember to dry them fully once you return home. 

The spray from these waves required a couple of good wipes of the front lens element. Keep a couple on hand when you're out shooting in nasty weather.

Photo Tip 6 - Embrace the Foul Weather
​Freezing rain and snowstorms do not make for good driving conditions, but they can provide the setting for some great photographs. Heavy snow can isolate your subject by eliminating distractions in the distance while ice-coated branches can refract sunlight in interesting ways. With the weather sealing on the E-M1 and E-M5 II, I shoot in conditions that I would never consider doing with other cameras.

Near white-out conditions helped isolate my subject from the distractions that would have been visible.

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Now that the planning is done, let's get out and shoot!

Photo Tip 7 - Footprints in the Snow
I love getting out after a fresh blanket of snow has fallen. But, think carefully about your composition as you approach your subject. Nothing can ruin that blanket more than your own footprints. Start by shooting wide and then moving closer to your subject to avoid disturbing the snow. If you want to open up even more opportunities invest in a good pair of snowshoes to make easier work of trudging through deep snow.

Photo Tip 8 - Capture the Colour
Winter may not be considered a colourful season, but some of the best sunrises and sunsets occur at this time of the year. Get out early and stay out late to capture some of that amazing colour. Scout around for a great point of interest ahead of time, and when that sunset presents itself you will be ready.

Photo Tip 9 - Try Shooting Macro
We typically think of shooting macro in our gardens, but the ice and frost can make for some very interesting subjects. Move around these natural ice sculptures to see how the light refracts from different angles. I use both the Olympus 60mm macro lens and a good telephoto lens like 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO or new M.Zuiko 300mm f/4.0  (because of the incredibly close focusing distance). The Tough TG-4 and optional ring light can also allow you to capture the incredible details in snowflakes. 

"Frosted Hair" (Camera: Olympus OMD E-M1, Lens: M.Zuiko 300mm f/4.0 IS PRO, ISO 400, 1/30s @ f/8.0)

Photo Tip 10 - Winter Abstracts
The harsh shadows, bare branches and intense contrasts can make for some interesting natural abstractions. Explore the natural patterns that present themselves. 

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Gallery
​Here is a small collection of some of my favourite winter shots.

"Ice Beacon" (Camera: Olympus E-30, Lens: Olympus 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 II, ISO 100, 0.8s @ f/20) This is a panorama of four images stitched together.

"At the River Mouth" (Camera: Olympus OMD E-M1, Lens: M.Zuiko 12-40mm f/2.8 PRO, ISO 200, 5s @ f/18)

"Sharp Teeth" (Camera: Olympus OMD E-M1, Lens: M.Zuiko 12-40mm f/2.8 PRO, ISO 200, 1/60s @ f/13)

"Reflected" (Camera: Olympus E-M5 Mark II, Lens: M.Zuiko 12-40mm f/2.8 PRO, ISO 250, 1/15s @ f/16)

"Lean on Me" (Camera: Olympus E-30, Lens: Olympus 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 II, ISO 400, 1/250s @ f/11)

"Frosted" (Camera: Olympus E-30, Lens: OLYMPUS 70mm-300mm, ISO 100, 1/200s @ f/5)

"Ice Drops" (Camera: Olympus E-30, Lens: Olympus 14-54 f/2.8-3.5 II, ISO 200, 15s @ f/16)

"Red Chair against a Pastel Sky" (Camera: Olympus E-30, Lens: Olympus 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 II, ISO 200, 1/8s @ f/16) This is a panorama of three photos.

Final Word
As a child I had a real love affair with winter. I enjoyed skiing, sliding, and snowball fights. Through most of my adults years however, winter just had to be tolerated. Now, as an enthusiastic photographer, winter has regained an important place in my life. Embrace it and get shooting!