[LargeFormat] Snowy Landscapes

Tue Jan 2 12:56:34 2001

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Gareth,

This is what I do when I shoot Yellowstone in the winter while shooting 
color transparency film.  I meter the snow and depending on the weather I 
open up the f-stop.  So:

Sunny day: open up 1.5 stops after metering the snow (ie from f:16 to 
between f: 8 and f:11)
Overcast day: open up 2 stops after metering the snow (ie from f:16 to f:8)
Really Overcast day: open up 2.5 stops after metering the snow (ie from 16 
to between f:5.6 and f:8)

Why meter the snow? Because it is everywhere around you.  You meter will 
interpret the snow as 18% neutral gray and give that exposure.  When you 
open up the f-stop what you are doing is moving the white tones from grey 
to white.

The sunny 16 rule does work in this situation but it follows the snow, sea, 
and sand modification that states the exposure should be at 1/ISO @ f:22 
with the sun behind your left or right shoulder.  Side lighting requires 
opening up one f-stop, back lit scenes requires opening up 2 f-stops.

Don't use alkaline batteries in cold weather, get lithium batteries and 
when they die don't toss them because they will still have a decent charge 
left in them when they warm up.

Good luck with the images and dress warm.

Drew

At 05:18 AM 1/1/01, you wrote:
>In the UK it has been snowy the last few days and I have been out with
>my Pacemaker Speed graphic 4x5 shooting 100ASA Provia using a Weston
>Master IV for metering - the question is how much should I bias the
>exposure for a snowy scene?  I'd been guessing about +2 stops but unlike
>35mm braketing is not practical - any general rules of thumb?
>
>Regards and Thanks
>
>Gareth Rees
>
>_______________________________________________
>LargeFormat mailing list
>LargeFormat@f32.net
>http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/largeformat

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Gareth, 
 
This is what I do when I shoot Yellowstone in the winter while shooting
color transparency film.&nbsp; I meter the snow and depending on the
weather I open up the f-stop.&nbsp; So: 
 
Sunny day: open up 1.5 stops after metering the snow (ie from f:16 to
between f: 8 and f:11) 
Overcast day: open up 2 stops after metering the snow (ie from f:16 to
f:8) 
Really Overcast day: open up 2.5 stops after metering the snow (ie from
16 to between f:5.6 and f:8) 
 
Why meter the snow? Because it is everywhere around you.&nbsp; You meter
will interpret the snow as 18% neutral gray and give that exposure.&nbsp;
When you open up the f-stop what you are doing is moving the white tones
from grey to white. 
 
The sunny 16 rule does work in this situation but it follows the snow,
sea, and sand modification that states the exposure should be at 1/ISO @
f:22 with the sun behind your left or right shoulder.&nbsp; Side lighting
requires opening up one f-stop, back lit scenes requires opening up 2
f-stops. 
 
Don't use alkaline batteries in cold weather, get lithium batteries and
when they die don't toss them because they will still have a decent
charge left in them when they warm up. 
 
Good luck with the images and dress warm. 
 
Drew 
 
&nbsp; 
 
At 05:18 AM 1/1/01, you wrote: 
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>In the UK it has been snowy the
last few days and I have been out with 
my Pacemaker Speed graphic 4x5 shooting 100ASA Provia using a 
Weston 
Master IV for metering - the question is how much should I bias the 
exposure for a snowy scene?&nbsp; I'd been guessing about +2 stops but
unlike 
35mm braketing is not practical - any general rules of thumb? 
 
Regards and Thanks 
 
Gareth Rees 
 
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LargeFormat mailing list 
LargeFormat@f32.net 
<a href="http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/largeformat" eudora="autourl">http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/largeformat</a>
</blockquote></html>

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