WINTER PHOTOGRAPHY

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Don't be mad at me for mentioning winter in the middle of August! Today's blog entry should probably be a beach scene instead, but I have a great fondness for winter photography, so hear it is: the best time to get great winter shots is very early morning after a snowstorm of the previous evening. The conditions are usually excellent; the wind has died down overnight, and the fresh snow stays on the trees. There will also be a cool blue color cast to the sky and ground, which visually benefits the image.

The best tip I can give you for doing early morning winter photography is this: if the atmosphere does not have enough 'blue' color cast, use a light blue filter, or place your digital camera's white balance dial on the "indoor light bulb" setting. Both of these options will punch up the blue color cast, and give you a far more dramatic image. Why? Because color in landscapes is usually more visually dynamic than overcast gray (assuming your intentions are for a color image, not black and white).

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