The ultimate guide to snow photography

This autumn's mild weather may have resulted in many of our trees still holding onto their leaves right to the end of November, but winter is closing in. Time to start thinking about some snow photography ideas to try out. 

Even a small dose of snow can transform any urban, rural or coastal landscape, removing colour and generating some almost monochromatic scenes under cloudy skies. 

Ground-level detail is erased, removing a large proportion of distracting clutter, simplifying the world and opening up a new set of compositional opportunities that don't exist throughout the rest of the year.

Under sunny conditions, instead of the usual greens, browns and greys of our world, we are transported into a magical, glistening, sparkling world of brilliant white set against a rich blue sky. How could anyone not get their camera out in such weather and start shooting away? 

However, while snow may create a beautifully photogenic world, it also throws up some logistical issues that make snow photography a challenge. Getting around, staying warm and avoiding injury are all vital to good and enjoyable snow photography.

This article explores the techniques and challenges of snow photography, hopefully preparing you for shooting in the coming winter season.

 

Capturing snow photography: working with the light 

Of course, snow photography can range from vistas of mountain ranges, of which only the summits are capped with snow, all the way through to rural and urban landscapes buried deep in the white stuff. 

There is also a vast range of possible compositions, starting with wide views and coming into close details, the latter highlighting such things as crystals glistening in sunlight or snowflakes clinging to plants. It all counts as snow photography.

The equipment you'll need is just the same as standard photography, with your camera body, a choice of lenses, spare batteries and a tripod.

You're also likely to need neutral density graduated filters (ND-grads for short) to selectively darken or lighten one part of the scene compared to the rest. 

These filters consist of a rectangular sheet, one half completely clear and the other half darkened by a set amount. They mount in front of the lens on a holder held in place by a ring with the right size screw thread for the front of your lens. 

Photography of snow-capped hills or mountains that are otherwise green (or perhaps brown or grey) is more or less like any other landscape photography. 

The one challenge, however, is that the comparatively dark snow-free slopes filling most of the image frame will tell your camera's light meter to give an exposure right for those slopes but which will be too light for those snowy summits. 

The result will be that the snowy areas will be too white and so will probably burn out, something that becomes worse if the snowy areas also meet clouds, which may also burn out. 

One solution is to under-expose the image relative to what the light meter is saying, which should bring the whites of the snow and clouds into usable exposure. Remember, however, that it will also under-expose the snow-free slopes; if you overdo it, these might become too dark.

Another solution is to use an ND-grad filter to selectively darken the clouds and the snow-covered summits. This works well, particularly if the snow line starts at the same height across your image scene.

For the most part, however, when we think about snow photography, it's the shooting of scenes completely covered in snow, whether just for a day or two or for months. 

It involves the photography of a largely monochromatic world, in which snow has obliterated much of the distracting, complex clutter and detail that can ruin so many otherwise potentially great photography scenes. 

Instead, we see a blanket that purifies and simplifies our normally complex world, rendering everything literally in a new light. 

It can make it much easier to create great compositions with single strong subjects that dominate the scene and hence the final images, freed from surrounding and background clutter by the simplicity of snow. 

This is one of the main attractions of snow photography, quite apart from the opportunity, the snow creates to see familiar scenes in a wholly different way.

Related: How to become a professional photographer

 

Snow photography ideas

There are, of course, technical challenges to photography in the snow, which can be summarised as follows:

1. Snow is white! 

No surprise there, but it can cause big problems for exposure. Have the exposure too light, and what little detail there is in the snow disappears, and the white is in danger of burning out. Have the exposure too dark, and although the snow may look great, anything else in the scene that is not covered in snow may be too dark. 

2. It is usually best to get there before anyone else does!

One of the great attractions of snow is the idea of purity and simplicity that it engenders. This sense rarely survives the arrival of an array of boot prints and snowmen, so it is generally best to arrive on a scene while its snow is still in pristine condition. 

Unwanted boot prints also include your own, so take great care where you walk and ensure you don't inadvertently ruin what might have been a terrific composition. On the other hand, if your photographic intention is to shoot all the fun that snow brings to people, then the loss of snow's pristine condition will not be an issue.

If shooting somewhere with trees, another good reason to arrive as soon as possible after the snow has fallen is to catch the scene with snow still caught in the trees. 

A snowscape in which all the snow has fallen out of the trees can still look fantastic, but it can be transported to a whole new level if they are coated in a layer of white. 

So get there early, and pray for still, windless conditions. The snow will last longer in the trees if temperatures are really low, freezing the snow onto the branches, but in general, you'll still need windless conditions to prevent the snow from being shaken out.

The issue of exposure control with so much white stuff depends very much on the lighting. If shooting under cloudy skies (with or without the snow still falling), the light is likely to be quite even and flat, greatly reducing high contrast problems. 

You may well find that sky and snow virtually merge into one continuous sheet, particularly while it continues to snow, something that can make for some very muted compositions not unlike photography in fog. 

You may well find in such circumstances that the images come out rather gloomy, resulting from the camera's light meter wanting to render everything a neutral grey rather than the white you're seeing. 

You can overcome this simply by over-exposing the image a little. Stay within a reasonable distance. Otherwise, detail in the snow will be lost.

Possible high contrast problems come when photographing snowy scenes in sunlight, especially when the sky is a stunning blue. Exposing an image to get the sky and any features not covered in snow correctly exposed will most likely result in the snow being rendered too light, with any details or patterns in the snow lost. 

It is often best to ensure that the exposure is right to capture the snow effectively. This will result in a very dark blue sky (the sky has been under-exposed), but this can enhance the effectiveness of any stormy clouds that might be scudding by at the time. 

If the contrast between snow and sky becomes too great to tolerate, then using an ND-grad can help, but used in a rather unusual way. Align the filter's dark area over the snow, not the sky, a move that will help to lighten the sky a little in the resulting images. 

A discussion of light on snow wouldn't be complete without mentioning sunset (or sunrise). Clear weather will often result in some stunning sunsets, the light of which will generally turn the blanket of snow the most beautiful shade of pink, spreading a glorious glow across any snowbound landscape. An absolute must for landscape photographers at this time of year.

Related: The essential features of every digital camera 

 

Snow photography logistics: getting out and staying safe

While it might be tempting to think that the logistics of getting out and about in snow don't belong in an article on snow photography, it is a hugely vital part of any photo shoot's success, or otherwise, in these conditions. 

Preparation is key to your safety and well-being, which controls the chances of photographic success. 

Of course, if you're photographing in a city and can use public transport, getting out and about presents little problem. But as soon as you venture out into the countryside, usually in your own vehicle, you must be prepared. 

Many roads will become impassable during heavy snowfall, and you may be forced to stay local to home. However, once the roads have been cleared, you'll be able to head out at least on the main roads.

Unfortunately, those main roads may not lead to the most photogenic rural locations, so you may feel the need to get onto some of the more minor routes. 

In recent years in the UK, more and more of these smaller rural roads have been left uncleared, so driving on them requires great care. Even if you have a 4x4, be very careful about driving on fresh snow, though once it has been compacted or cleared away by other vehicles, it may become easier (except for the risk of ice). 

Those living in regions that see snow for most of the winter may use snow tyres that give a lot of extra traction. Still, for those of us living in the south of the UK and so exposed to less snow, this is something we usually don't bother about, thus exposing ourselves to more risk when we come to drive on compacted snow.

You will quickly find that parking a car on snowy roads is problematic. The road itself might be cleared, but any likely parking spots will probably be lost under piles of snow. 

You cannot just stop the car in the middle of a country lane while you head off to photograph something, so often, the only alternative is to drive the car into a modest snowdrift, park up, head off on foot, and worry about the car later. 

The upshot of this is that you must carry snow clearing gear: at least a spade, plus material to put under wheels that they can grip; hessian sacks (if you can still find any) or heavy-duty cardboard work well. You should also include a tow rope if you need to be pulled out.

Staying warm is crucial, so always carry plenty of warm, waterproof clothing (including spare layers). The extremities are key, so make sure you have good warm socks, gloves and a hat. 

You'll need wellingtons for walking in any snow more than a few inches deep, and although these are great at keeping water out, they are terrible at keeping the heat in, so be sure to wear extra protection on your feet. Hot drinks and some food are also essential, and take more than you think you'll need, in case you get stuck for a while. 

Remember that hiking in snow is vastly more tiring than walking across the grass, so only aim to cover great distances unless any footpaths you use have been cleared. Finally, ensure you have a phone and that its battery is fully charged. 

So, watch the weather forecast, get prepared, head for the snowy areas, and get stuck into some breathtaking snow photography!

 

This blog was written by Nigel Hicks, a hugely experienced Devon-based professional photographer. Nigel works with the USA's prestigious National Geographic Image Collection, among many other bodies, and is a Fellow of the British Institute of Professional Photography.

Nigel Hicks runs regular photography workshops in southwest England. To find out more about these go to www.nigelhicks.com/photography-workshops-courses/.

To find out more about Nigel's work, feel free to take a tour of the website at www.nigelhicks.com.

 

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