Photographing Snow Scenes

Snow scenes can be awkward to photograph. If you've ever taken a shot of a lovely bright snow scene only to be disappointed with a dull, lifeless, result you'll know what I mean.
    What happens is under-exposure. The camera's metering system assesses the scene, decides it's far too bright and, assuming you don't want all that light in your image it sets about keeping some of it out. It can do this by setting a smaller aperture, a faster shutter speed, a lower ISO or a combination of all of these parameters. For the majority of pictures in good weather this is exactly what you need, but for snow scenes (and some bright beach scenes) it definitely is not what you need.
   How to overcome this problem? It depends on your camera, but it's relatively easy:

• If you have a compact, point-and-shoot camera set to Auto mode, you can use something mid-toned (i.e. darker than the snow) to set your exposure. Before composing your picture in the viewfinder or on the LCD screen, simply point the camera at, say, a road (if it's not covered in snow) or your own hand or any other mid-toned object as long as you fill the frame with it. Then press the shutter half way down and hold it there. Recompose the image with your chosen subject while still holding the shutter half way down, then press it the rest of the way down to take the picture. For most compact cameras, holding the shutter half way down locks the exposure settings.

• For cameras with more control, such as (D)SLRs, I'd advise selecting aperture priority mode first and setting the exposure compensation to at least +1 stop and possibly +2. Then compose and take your picture as normal. You may have to experiment with the amount of exposure compensation that you set for the results you prefer.

   In both these cases you will find that the image is much brighter than if you allow the camera to choose the settings.

Some of my travel shots on Canon's Image Gateway

This is simply a test of Canon Image Gateway's suggestion to display an album as a slideshow in a blog. If the repetition becomes tiresome, click the pause button beneath the image window.
   Alternatively, go directly to Canon Image Gateway to see this and my other albums there.

Lake Marion Sunrise

Early morning when you see the dawn is a beautiful time of day, no more so than when you are greeted with a scene such as this at Lake Marion, South Carolina.

Boatyard Blues

Here in an inlet (or 'slew') on Lake Marion, South Carolina, a motor boat is left to its own devices.

   When cars expire and are left to rot in the yard, they are called 'yard cars'. I wonder what they call these that are left to rot in the boat house. 'House boats' perhaps?

One of half a dozen images from Lake Marion, South Carolina, that I prepared for an exhibition. It was hard to take a duff shot at his beautiful location.

On Reflection

This is the refelection of a curious 'sculpture' that consists of a load of orangey-red poles stuck in a shallow ornamental pond.
In themselves they look pretty awful, having no recognisable shape or design; but when the wind disturbs the surface of the pond and the weather is bright enough, their reflections look quite appealing in isolation.

An unusual view of Salisbury Cathedral, UK, taken in the autumn of 2006.
This is arguably the most beautiful cathedral in the country and until recently had the tallest spire in Europe at 404 ft. It is also home of one of four remaining copies of the Magna Carta, the others being one at Lincoln Cathedral and two at the British Library.