Any tips for shooting in the snow?

[Tracer]

I am rookie at taking pictures, so i've got alot to learn.

I'm hoping to take a few pictures for the first time while it is snowing, any advice(settings, etc.)?

Thanks!!!!!

[wmmanager]

The best tip I can give is to use manual focusing when it's snowing. Auto Focus will dance around, and usually mis-focus on you.

Good luck!

Loyd L.

[Finch]

I don't have any particular tips for settings (except that fallen snow on a sunny day will be really bright, and falling snow will probably darken things up, so compensate accordingly). But one thing to keep in mind is that if it's snowing while you're shooting, you'll have to be careful about getting snow on your lens. I've never damaged my camera from water but you can get blotches in the photos from water on the lens.

[Conrail4evr]

Underexpose a stop or two from what the camera says is "correct" focus. Otherwise, the snow will just like like a pure white blob - no shadows or shades or anything.

[SEPTAR3kid]

A tip I was given that works well is keep your batteries in your pocket while not shooting as in cold weather, cameras can not function properly right when your about to get a good shot which happened to me.

[CarterB]

On fallen snow, sunny day, always shoot either across the sun or away from it. If you must shoot into the sun, then increase your f stops quite a bit and 'bracket' your pics. (various f stops, same subject)

[Montrealrail]

The way I use to do shooting while it's snowing and I never stop for a bad weather to doing some nices shots..

I get a Kodak DX7590,not the best one,but better than nothing
I get s sport option on it,so I use it,bus the pitcure can be dark most of the time,but the almost only way to get clear shot
and after it cleared a bit more on photoshop,that giving this result


and I get also an option on it,with snow environment
and whitout modification,It give this result


and under a snow fall,never use automatic focusing,because,your picture will look like this,because the camera try to focus everywere


if you using automatic mode,the white of the snow could be to much



but by trting all mode on you camera,you should find wath's look better

here's one on a freezy day,one of my favorite



and another thing,don't let you camera get frozen,by keeping it inside your coat while waiting for the trains,leave the camera out in a cold temperature can harm it or make it unusable...


even by shootin videos'
here a preview of wath you can have like result,but not very good for the camera,for this video,I use a old super8 camra..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoxbKVlxscE

[Chessie GM50]

I just stick it in full manual, darken the exposure, and stop down the aperture. Usually with an effect similar to this, this or this.

Never use AUTO ISO. Try to avoid Incandescent WB's. Good luck!

[Gilbert B Norman]

Never forget around railroad property that snow "muffles" the sound of an approaching train - especially lighter in weight passenger trains.

We had a death within our Railroad.net community during 2003 arising from from circumstances involving a passenger train approaching on double track opposite the direction in which the photographer was readying to shoot.

http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine/sho ... hp?t=70434

http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?4,554335

[3rdrail]

I've had good luck with getting the correct exposure by putting a medium colored object in the area of my viewer/light meter that is under the same light. Avoid any snow when you do so. This way, you're getting an exposure reading off an object other than snow, which gives the meter too high a false reading, but at the same time you are correctly metering the light reflected from the snow. Overcast days are the best.
Sad story about that rail fan.

[Conrail4evr]

Never forget around railroad property that snow "muffles" the sound of an approaching train - especially lighter in weight passenger trains.

The same can be said for a double track mainline where one train is already going by you. The crew of the other train approaching you can can sound their horn all they want, you'll never hear it until the train is right on top of you. Also be weary when crossing the road - there was an incident up here a while back in which a railfan was at an overpass and ran across the road to get a going-away shot, only to be hit and killed by a car coming over the bridge.

As for shooting in the snow, some of the newer DSLR's have a feature that, at least in the Canon realm, is called Auto Light Optimizer. It helps big time in bringing out detail in shadows as well as highlights where it wouldn't be as prominent (or might not even exist) in a camera not using said technology.

[TREnecNYP]

On my cameras falling snow does not confuse the auto-focus, but the exposure can get funky so i usually tinker with that setting only on my more advanced model. Typically "cloudy" on white balance, with 400 ISO does the trick, spot metering can help too, if i got a dark patch or paint on the loco i can usually use that & it turns out quite well.

As far as protecting the camera, depends on what you use & what batteries you use. Lithium & NiMH batts are A-OK in cold, but other types such as NiCAD, & alkaline can get crappy on you. As far as the snow getting on the lens, point the lens down slightly till you're ready to shoot, then get your shot quick. I carry several pieces of napkin or cloth to keep the lens clean at all times. Try not to let it get cold then warm it up fast, you could get condensation. My one camera is good to 14 degrees & 33 feet of water, however it's a lil bitty thing with 5x zoom. My main camera has 20x zoom & is rated to 32 degrees, but i routinely have it out in temps lower than that. If it's in the case unused it can do -14, if it's out and warmed by my hands & usage it can be ok down to about 20 degrees, any colder & it starts acting weird.

I have an olympus stylus 770sw and an olympus sp565uz.

- A

[Montrealrail]

I get a Nikon D3000 and i get one great shot in snow that i find great for an example..

ISO 400 and white balance on cloudy and 1/640 sec of exposure,and that what I get,manual focusing



but when it's sunny,I use ISO 200 and 1/1600 sec to 1/2500 sec,to get right,because snowblindness with the sun




And when your camera is setted very great,keep an eye,because sometime,we can get some visit..


and he get striked by the train..