Have an Ice Time with Snow Photography

by William J. Kemble

Posted: January 4, 2012

The puffy white piles of snow won't last long. If the wind doesn't blow them off, the sun, even during cold days, will evaporate them. The same is true for branches encased in snow and ice.

'Whiteout' doesn't always refer to a liquid used to correct typing mistakes. When applied to the weather, the term can mean a chance to shoot fluffy flakes that have created decorative and photogenic opportunities for winter wonderland pictures.

Tips for taking some really ice, er, nice pictures:

• Get on top of things: Keep in mind the ephemeral nature of snow. Those puffy mini-drifts on tree branches won’t last long once the wind starts blowing or the warming sun breaks through the clouds, so get out there and shoot. Melting ice glimmering in the sunlight can also make a nice picture - especially with a macro lens. Play up the contrast between white snow and a brightly colored object, such as red berries or a blue sky. If the picture features a landscape, use an aperture of f11 or greater, in smaller areas use lower f-stop settings.

• Inside the snow globe: Shooting fluffy snow coming gently from the sky means a shutter speed fast enough to catch the flakes suspended in air but an aperture setting wide enough to show objects that are in shadow. This is where snow on the ground can provide definition in areas that are in shade and be darker than the illuminated crystals of frozen water that are capturing the sunlight.

• Into the action: A sudden snow squall is an iconic part of winter but can be hard to capture because of its size and because it tends to blur what it is engulfing. Try taking the attention off the snow and demonstrating the power of the squall by showing action within it - but keep that action simple. Showing an entire squall is very difficult so focus on a piece of it or an edge. By including something impacted by the squall, such a person trying to walk or a tree bending in the wind, its strength can be visually demonstrated.

• Child’s play: When shooting people having fun in the elements, it's all about their smiles and bright eyes. With children, if it was summertime there would be dirty clothes involved, but during the winter, having hats and pants with a coating of snow will tell the story. The action of a child sledding can be accented by showing the trail behind them or the snow being kicked up as they glide downhill.

• Rainbow connection: Elements needed to make a rainbow are sunshine and enough water in the air to reflect the light spectrum. On a windy day, particularly if it comes in gusts, the snow can be blown up into the air (providing the moisture aspect of the equation), and swirl enough to allow sunlight to strike it and create a rainbow. Areas that are likely to support these colorful displays are reservoirs and large lakes where the water has been frozen and the snow is not stuck to the surface, so it is snatched up easily by the wind. Polarizing filters are helpful; but if not available and the rainbow doesn’t show up when shooting a horizontal picture, try taking a vertical shot.

• Life and depth: Snow in the woods conjures the sense of stillness and a quiet world of peace. That serenity can be accented by shooting running streams that cut through the ice and offer ripples of movement. The same stream can also be used to define the distance or depth of the scene. Light reflecting off the water can bring the sense of sound to a picture, while branches that are encased in ice can appear to be magically illuminated during a sunny day.

• Catching a snow globe feeling can be accomplished by standing in the shadow of a tree during a snow squall.

  Power broker: A single snowflake can bring joy if playfully caught. That sheer delight entirely shifts when billions of flakes form drifts, blow whiteouts, create ice or blot out visibility on a highway. Illustrate that power in a river by showing the ice flow and perhaps the trail of broken ice left by a tug boat pushing a barge, an ice climber nearing the top of a ridge or by a person behind a snow blower sending a high arc of snow onto a high pile.

Distance and depth can be created by including vertical objects in your shots.

Winter Hazards and Personal Safety

Cold weather preparation begins with proper clothing. Layers, in the forms of thermal pants and undershirts, will go a long way toward increasing your willingness to stay outdoors, while doubling up on socks can help retain heat for the feet. For walking on snow-covered trails or frozen lakes, foot grips, consisting of metal cleats that fit tightly over shoes or boots, are an important safety accessory that will cut down on the amount of effort it takes to walk instead of slip.  Deep snow may require snowshoes.

The power of the weather can be demonstrated by showing ice and snow while picturing the equipment used to move it.

Retaining feeling for the camera while keeping fingers warm without expensive or exotic handwear can be as simple as wearing baseball batting gloves. They can be  covered by simple wool work gloves, which are pulled off when focusing and taking a picture, then slipped back on while sizing up a picture. The wool gloves can be bought for just a few dollars and doubled up when the temperature drops.

Caution is needed when walking in areas where snow has not been disturbed. A stream may be hidden, a hole may be filled in or a drift may obscure a ledge. Even in a familiar setting there is value in remembering that discretion is the better part of valor, so work from an area where footing has traction and stability.

Scenes that are in both shadow and bright sunlight can be addressed by focusing on objects that are in the sun. Getting that clarity can mean losing definition of the snow, but will show more details of the darker features of the picture.

Don’t get wired - heavy snow brings down utility lines every fall, winter and spring. It is helpful to remember that lines can even run through woods and forest. Just as the summer has snakes and insects, the winter has live electricity that can travel through puddles, ice, or snow. If there are poles down, it is safest to remain in your vehicle. Better to admire the picture that wasn’t taken, than to become the next call for emergency services.