Photography in winter: focus and exposure

In this practical tip you will learn which tricks you can use to properly photograph winter. With these tips you have your camera under control even in winter.

Correct photography in winter

As the cold season begins, some photographers tend to hibernate their cameras. Winter also offers many opportunities to take unique outdoor shots. With our tips, we will show you how you can enrich your portfolio with some impressive winter photos.

Exposure tricks in winter

Especially in winter, the sensor of your camera is overwhelmed with subjects with a high contrast range because it cannot reproduce all details sharply with an exposure. How to get good exposure even in winter:

• Just take pictures at sunrise or sunset. The less glaring light of the low position of the sun achieves a good balance between the dark and light areas of your subject. It is therefore best to use the late morning or early evening hours to take photos in optimal lighting conditions. Take advantage of the interesting light and shadow effects of the sun to give your winter picture dynamism and individuality.
• With the help of a grayscale filter, you can compensate for differences in contrast. In landscapes, for example, it helps you to darken the bright and intense tones of the sky and thereby reduce the contrast. In addition, with the use of a grayscale filter in the foreground, your pictures become more detailed and the sky is also staged in a dramatic way.
• The histogram of your camera can also help you to ensure that you have selected the correct exposure. You can simply select this graphic in the display options of the menu to display the light distribution of your motif. The horizontal X-axis shows you the current light distribution and the vertical Y-axis shows the corresponding light value of your motif. With an even distribution of both values ​​you get a good exposure. Left-handed values ​​are an indication for underexposure and right-handed values ​​for overexposure. With the correct setting of the EV values ​​and the ISO number, you can avoid and compensate for rashes.

Focus the winter properly

Contrasts are the basis of your camera's autofocus system. It will be a challenge to take sharp pictures, especially in low-contrast winter landscapes. So that a winter motif does not end up on the memory card as a flat picture, you should be creative in your choice of motif. Help your camera by focusing on subjects with good contrast. This could be, for example, a tree on the edge, a wooden hut or a river that causes differences in brightness. This ensures that your camera's autofocus works quickly, effectively and cleanly even in poor lighting conditions.

Reliable photography in winter

Especially in the cold season, it is important that you protect your camera and the associated equipment from the influences of winter. Only then can you implement these tips correctly and take good winter photos.

• To prevent unwanted condensation on the objective lens, you should avoid exposing your camera to temperature fluctuations. This can not only lead to cloudy photos, but in the worst case can penetrate into the camera housing and damage your device. You should therefore always plan a certain acclimatization time for your shootings.
• Always pack a sun visor against light reflections and useful spare batteries for your winter excursion.

You can find more tips and techniques in this practical tip.