The Roving Photographer's Snow Photos

A Backyard Fence at Sunrise

Pure white snow is the perfect canvas for
painting with light

As you look at these snow photos, the first thing you will notice is that there is no pure white.

In the highlights, the snow picks up the orange-ish warmth of the early morning sunlight.
The shadows, in turn, are steeped in the complimentary blue reflection of the sky.

It is the low angle of the sun that makes the quality of these snow photos possible. Not only for the effect of the stretched shadows of fence stiles, but for the warm coloring that only comes near sunrise and sunset.

Nikon D300, 18-200mm VR @ 35mm, ISO 200, 1/80s, f/16
White as snow can be, it reflects the colors that strike it, so that it is seldom really white.

A bit of critique:

The low angle helps to accentuate the strong directional pattern of the fence shadows, giving the photo some motion and pulling your eye toward the sun.

Ted's Digital Photography Tip

Go Low!

We all have a tendency to shoot from our standing position. Even with a tripod, we tend to put the camera at level that doesn't require too much stooping.

Try to see the world the way your dog sees the world. Look for opportunities to shoot from lower angles to add visual interest.

Image balance works well. A good example of balanced composition that doesn't rely on the rule of thirds, just the general guidance that pushes the picture elements off-center.
A bit too much "junk" in the background above the fence - on the left and right edges.
The strength of the sun and directional patterns offsets the distracting background elements. Re shooting from further away, with a longer focal length could narrow the field of view, while bringing in even more of the pattern.
While this was shot from my knees, I could have gotten at least a foot lower with a shorter tripod, putting even more focus on the patterns.

Timing is Everything for These Snow Photos

Unfortunately, I don't get many morning shots like this, snow photos or otherwise, as they require emerging from my snug cocoon much earlier than I deem healthy, even with the relatively late sunrises of winter.

In fact, had Dinah not barked to go out, I would have missed this wonderful opportunity.

Nikon D300, 18-200mm VR @ 18mm, ISO 200, 1/400s, f/5.6
Seen from another angle, the blue depth of shadows dominates.

I've included this second shot mainly to give a perspective on where the first shot was taken from, which is near the right edge, about 1/6 of the way down - you'll see a tiny white disturbance where I was kneeling. In this shot, I have moved 90 degrees clockwise beyond the left edge of the first photograph.

This image picks up more shadow area, and is taken from a higher angle than the first photograph in order to look down on the closer pattern as much as possible while still including the back fence.

Return from Snow Photos to The Roving Photographer Stays Home
Home - Snow Photos: Away from the Sun - Snow at Midnight

footer for Improve Your Digital Photography page