Many photographers dream of adding beautiful haze shots to their portfolio. But what is the right way to photograph nebulae? This is a complex and multifaceted issue, which we will try to understand.
Fog photos always grab the attention of viewers, and for good reason. They look spectacular, captivate with depth and mystery, attracting curious glances for a long time. However, taking a good picture of a nebula is not easy. It is not uncommon for a photographer to find, after shooting, with annoyance that the shots are blurry and flat. A big problem is also the loss of saturation and contrast, when the fog "eats" bright colors and objects in the photo.
All this happens because shooting a nebula is very specific in itself, and requires thorough preparation. In order for the smoky landscape in the picture to enchant with its depth and texture, the photographer must be very careful about building the composition and other important working moments.
How does fog appear?
This is a beautiful phenomenon we can observe late spring, summer and autumn. Usually the haze appears near the water with the onset of the evening, and when good conditions can last until morning. Fog forms near water bodies, the water in which has more than high temperature than the air around it. This is most often seen in autumn. Then, with the approach of night, there is a sharp drop in temperature, which leads to the appearance of microscopic droplets of water in the air.
How does fog affect footage?
It must be borne in mind that when shooting in fog, you are working with a completely different aerial perspective and the state of the surrounding world, different from the conditions on a bright and clear day. Microscopic water droplets in the air scatter light. Thus, fog prevents the passage of light rays and makes the appearance of objects that surround us less distinct. And the perspective, depending on the density of the fog, may disappear altogether. In such a situation, objects that are far away seem dimmer to us, and the farther the object is from us, the more colors it loses.
However, this is not all the difficulties of photography in the fog. A smoky veil causes a lot of trouble, destroying the natural contrast of photos. In this regard, photographers often have to use exposure compensation in order to further simplify their task when processing a picture in a photo editor. Here, in most cases, it is necessary to apply positive composition compensation. Keep in mind that in foggy conditions, the exposure meter, which is built into a digital camera, often makes mistakes.
Not all colors are muted in the same way. For example, cyan and blue scatter much more than orange and yellow. Moreover, the degree to which colored particles are muted depends on the size of the microdroplets contained in the air. Fog affects not only the color, but also the depth of the image, increasing it, which changes the atmosphere of the photo. Unnecessary details disappear, and you have to create a composition more carefully and carefully than on a clear day.
So, the main feature of photographing in fog is to take into account all the nuances of weather conditions and benefit from them, because with the right work on the picture, fog can give it additional volume, make it more interesting and become the “highlight” of the image.
Where to look for fog
Before photographing fog, you need to choose the right place and time for the process. The best period for shooting foggy haze is considered to be the end of September - the beginning of October. Fog appears not only along the coast of water bodies, but also in mountains and forests. A fresh and interesting solution for shooting will be an unusual view from a hill to a foggy veil that spreads along the ground.
The best time to go shooting is early(!) in the morning. The weather is unpredictable, and the morning mist can easily dissipate in a couple of hours, but it can also remain above the surface for a long time, gradually losing its density.
Monitor the weather forecast.
Notice the moments when a warm day turns into a cold night, and vice versa. The contrast of temperatures will give you the coveted hazy veil.
Use a tripod.
To bring home good shots one camera alone will not be enough. Be sure to bring a tripod and a set of optics with you. In fog, the lighting will not be very good, and you will have to take long exposure shots. In order to keep the photos sharp in such conditions, you will have to use a tripod. Shoot your subject with an aperture closed down to f/8 for the sharpest shot possible.
Keep the correct exposure.
In the question of how to photograph fog with high quality, equipment settings play an important role. Prepare your camera for the process. Use the Av or M modes. The Tungsten mode will help to give the pictures a cooler tone. Set exposure compensation to +1. In order for the frame to turn out to be exactly lit, you can use exposure bracketing in the values 0, +1, +2.
achieve maximum sharpness a picture will help. Adjust the shutter speed depending on the density of the fog and the result you want to see at the end. It is recommended to take pictures in RAW format, which will give more options for further processing of photos.
Change lenses.
The choice of lens will depend on the shooting conditions and the result you want to achieve. Wide angle lenses are good for shooting general plans, they will open up a lot of opportunities for you when photographing landscapes, and a telephoto lens will make it possible to capture individual details in the frame. Change lenses and shooting plans to get as many original photos as possible.
Follow the fog.
He can move, so be prepared to quickly follow him. If the haze is already very thick - try to find the place where the fog ends and walk along this line in search of a beautiful place for photography.
Use sunrise.
By choosing a view from the rising sun, you can add an orange backlight to the fog and make the composition a little dramatic.
aerial perspective
How to photograph the fog without losing other fragments of the composition in it? As mentioned earlier, moving away from the subject in conditions of strong nebula, you make it less distinct and bright in the picture, and reduce in size. In this regard, it is important to define at least one object that you place close to the camera. It will stand out with its saturation and contrast against the general background, making up a single picture with other objects and harmoniously fitting into the landscape. Thanks to this solution, the foreground and background will harmoniously contrast with each other.
This is really important, because the fog smooths out the contrast to almost complete monotony.
In order to change the aerial perspective, you can not only make the foreground brighter and more contrasting than the background, but also simply greatly weaken the background. As a result of this technique, the picture will receive the desired volume and depth. Weakening background in the editor it is used in cases where the foreground in the photo is key, and it is on it that you need to create an additional emphasis. At the same time, you should not get too carried away with “weakening”, otherwise you risk completely losing the background in the picture, which will make it too boring.
Lighting
Fog significantly softens the light, scattering it. It makes more visible rays from direct light sources, such as the light of a lantern. In order to fix these rays in the picture, you need to correctly select the shooting point. It is better to stop at a place where the light source is visible, but do not get too close to it. This will help you capture brighter, more distinct light in the frame.
Emphasis on silhouettes
The composition of the picture may be more focused on highlighting and emphasizing the shape of the subject. Since fog significantly reduces the texture of an object, it can turn into an intricate silhouette in a photograph, which sometimes turns out to be quite an interesting and original solution.
In order to turn a black object into a silhouette, you just need to adjust the exponent not by color, but by fog. You can also apply negative exposure compensation to reduce the brightness of the subject. In this case, you need to carefully monitor the location of individual objects in the photo. Their contours should not overlap or intersect, otherwise the picture will not be entirely clear.
Watch out for condensation
Under conditions of temperature difference in the air, water droplets condense. This causes condensation to periodically form on the glass and inside the lens of your camera. All this will significantly complicate the filming process, and, in the worst case, may completely bring the equipment out of working order. The danger of condensation appears when, for example, you abruptly leave a warm room and enter a cold street while the camera is still warm.
To prevent such troubles, put the equipment in a sealed plastic bag before going out. So, when exposed to different temperatures, condensation will not appear on your camera, because the bag does not let moisture through. Wait until the temperature in the bag equals the street temperature and open it. But always have a lens case and soft paper towels with you, they will save you if water drops appear already in the process of shooting.
Fog is an amazing natural phenomenon that brings its charm and originality to completely ordinary landscapes. The hunt for the desired shots can be long, and not even limited to one attempt. But don't give up! If you want to replenish your portfolio with spectacular shots with natural haze - look for new, interesting and unexplored places, discover new angles, try different lenses and filters, in a word, experiment in everything. But do not forget about the main rules of shooting in bad weather. And then, very soon you will achieve the desired result, and spectacular pictures will decorate your collection.
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Article Description
Despite the fact that the topic covered is rather specific, I hope that it will be interesting. To begin with, do not be too lazy to grab a tripod and protect your equipment from condensation. A tripod is useful if you want to take long exposure shots (we'll talk about this later) or if your technique is very sensitive to low light. The latter will be especially true for smartphones two or three years ago, where light sensitivity is lower than that of modern flagships, and devices in the middle price segment. As for condensation, it will inevitably occur, and if a smartphone lacks at least minimal moisture protection, this can become a problem. But in addition to a smartphone, you will most likely have a compact flash or remote shutter release, and they do not have protection from dust and moisture at all. To avoid problems, it is enough to follow a simple rule: when moving any equipment from cold to warm, just do not turn on the device immediately, allocate at least a couple of minutes for adaptation. You can also pre-wrap the equipment in plastic bag and take it out only when the temperature is equal. Also stock up on napkins - they will help get rid of unwanted moisture droplets already in the process of shooting. Camera settings First of all, you will have to constantly monitor the exposure and even artificially raise this value. IN automatic mode your camera may “get it wrong” due to the high reflective properties of the fog. There may be problems with focusing: the low contrast of the scene being shot can mislead the automation, so adjust the focus manually. Experiment with shutter speed: short values will help convey the “ragged” structure of the haze , while the long one will create the feeling of a continuous veil. If you choose short values, don't forget to increase the ISO value - this will help compensate for the lack of lighting. Composition What to shoot in the fog, if there is nothing but a solid white veil around? Look for bright objects that you can place in the foreground. These can be silhouettes of people, flowers in a flower bed, you can even grab your favorite toy from home. In addition, the morning haze can give the photographer a lot of mysterious silhouettes, whether they are trees or buildings. Even the most hackneyed objects that your eyes do not cling to at all can sparkle with new colors in the fog. The haze will minimize the features of background objects, as if moving them away, while focusing the viewer's attention on the main subject of the picture. An interesting compositional solution can be to get out of the fog and try to look at it from the side. This will require a hill, because, as we know, fog always spreads above the ground. Another fail-safe plot is sheaves of light breaking through the fog. This effect is manifested due to the smallest particles of water scattered in the air. To capture this effect, you need a close light source (you can bring a flashlight with you). Also, in search of sheaves of light, it would be useful to take a walk to the nearest park: the sun's rays do not need additional illumination and always beautifully break through the branches of trees. Here you don’t even have to think too much about the composition. Now it is a full-fledged art, with its heroes and prizes. Reasonable image processing is not considered something shameful, you just need to learn how to use the capabilities of the editor available on your smartphone. First of all, do not forget about the composition and, if necessary, cut off what does not fit into the desired plot. Next, pay attention to the colors of the existing snapshot. They may look dull to you. In order not to lose the charm of a foggy morning, increase the saturation of the foreground, leaving the background cloudy and dim. If you wanted to capture silhouettes, increase the contrast of the image. It also makes sense to play with the white balance: moving to a cold or, conversely, warm range will help the image sparkle with new colors . The main rule is moderation. Overdone, you will not only lose the atmosphere of the picture, but also get digital noise. This was clearly not your goal. As you can see, all the tips are easy to follow and do not require the use of any complex technique. I hope they were helpful. source PDA Life
Photos taken professional photographers in foggy weather, they always amaze with their unusual atmosphere, expressiveness, mystery and depth. At the same time, novice photography enthusiasts quite often face the fact that images taken in such adverse weather conditions lose contrast, color saturation, objects in the frame cease to be clearly visible, and the pictures themselves become somehow faded and lifeless.
This is because shooting in foggy weather has its own specifics. In order to turn your shots into something that will exude mystery and enchanting atmosphere, a novice photographer needs to take into account various nuances. Shooting in fog requires special attention to composition and other aspects of photography, otherwise the frame may come out flat and uninteresting.
Effect of fog on photography
As you know, fog usually occurs in the evening near water and, under certain circumstances, can last until the next morning. Fog forms near bodies of water where the water must be warmer than the surrounding air. This natural phenomenon can most often be observed in autumn, when there are strong temperature differences between night and daytime, as a result of which microscopic water droplets form in the air.
You need to understand that when shooting in fog, you are dealing with a completely different aerial perspective and slightly different conditions than on a normal clear day. Due to the microscopic droplets of water contained in the air, light is scattered, that is, fog interferes with the passage of the light flux. In fog, simple objects around us can take on a much less familiar appearance, they have only vague outlines, and the background, depending on the density of the fog, may disappear altogether. As in any atmospheric haze, in the fog we see objects in the distance more dim than near. Foggy weather acts as a natural softbox.
However, the influence of fog on the final photographic images is not limited to this. First, fog significantly reduces the contrast of the photo. In this regard, photographers often have to resort to exposure compensation in order to make their life easier when further processing foggy frames in a graphics editor. Here, some positive compensation of the composition is most often required. In foggy conditions, the built-in exposure meter of a digital camera often makes mistakes.
Fog somewhat muffles the colors, and it does this differently. For example, blue and cyan diffuse into more than yellow or orange. In addition, the degree of muting of each color also depends on the size of the droplets and microparticles contained in the fog. Secondly, fog affects the depth of the image, increasing it and thereby changing the overall atmosphere of the image. Extra details in the frame are hidden, and the creation of the composition has to be approached more carefully and carefully than on a clear, fine day.
Actually, the whole trick of photographing in fog is to take into account these specific features and not spoil the picture. Fog is a kind of tool with which a photographer can give a photo more volume, make it more interesting and create a certain mood. Pictures taken in foggy weather are often distinguished by something elusive, but at the same time very valuable in artistic photography.
Catching the fog
To shoot in foggy weather, you must first select a place and the optimal time. It is best to photograph fog in spring and autumn, since these seasons are characterized by contrasting temperatures, which leads to the formation of atmospheric haze near the earth's surface. In particular, the most optimal period for shooting in foggy weather is the end of September - the beginning of October. Fog forms on the coast of the seas and oceans, near smaller reservoirs, in mountains and forests. A simple elevation can be interesting for shooting fog, from which a wonderful view of the foggy curtain creeping along the ground opens up.
It is recommended to go for shooting early in the morning. In the morning, the fog can disperse fairly quickly, or it can remain in the form of a haze above the surface for quite a long time. Those who are going to shoot in the fog need to decide in advance on the place of photography, get up early and take with them not only a digital camera, but also a tripod, as well as a set of optics. A tripod is required due to the fact that the fog still seriously reduces the illumination of the scene. Increasing the ISO sensitivity can lead to a rather noisy photo image. By getting up as early as possible, you increase your chances of capturing a fantastically beautiful foggy landscape in your pictures.
It should be noted that fog as a suburban phenomenon is quite unpredictable. Depending on the time of day, temperature and other factors, it can be very thick or, on the contrary, it looks like a thin blanket that quickly dissipates. The fog mass itself can shift and change in density over time. Each type of fog has its own effect on the lighting characteristics, but these changes can be quite difficult to notice when shooting outdoors, because the human eye quickly adapts to the change in contrast.
Choosing an exposure when shooting in fog
As with other adverse weather conditions, the choice of exposure becomes great value. In foggy weather, the exposure may be reduced due to objective factors, resulting in photographs that are darker and less natural. Therefore, when shooting in fog, it is common to increase the positive exposure compensation by about 0.5 - 2 EV.
To preserve the effect of the presence of fog in the frame, you need to take care of the white balance settings. For example, using the "Tungsten" mode can make hazy footage look colder. Fast shutter speeds keep the visible fog texture in the frame, but using a fast exposure can result in more noise appearing in photographic images. When the fog is dense and moving slowly enough, slow shutter speeds are more suitable.
In general, when setting the exposure time, it is worth starting from the density of the fog and what exactly you want to get in the frame. Use a histogram to help you understand exactly what the resulting photo image will look like. It is recommended to shoot in RAW format, which will give more options for post-processing photos.
Depth and aerial perspective
Remember that moving away from the subject in foggy conditions, you make it in the frame more blurry, smaller in size and less contrast. However, sometimes this may correspond to the author's intention, but in most cases it will simply lead to frame distortion. In this regard, it is important to select at least one object that would be located close to the camera. It will have sufficient contrast and color saturation, thus blending in with other objects in the frame or the background (if any). Thanks to this, the far and foreground will contrast nicely with each other.
This is especially important, given that the fog flattens the contrast to an almost unpleasant monotony, resulting in a frame that is faded, dull and uninteresting. To change the aerial perspective, you can not only make the foreground more contrasting and sharper than the background, but sometimes just greatly weaken the latter. As a result, the photo acquires the desired depth and volume. Weakening the background in a graphic editor is important to do when the foreground in the photo image plays a key role. At the same time, one should not get too carried away with this technique, so that the main part of the photo would not turn out to be too faded and not interesting.
Lighting
As we have already found out, the microscopic droplets of water contained in the fog scatter and significantly soften the light. At the same time, rays from direct light sources become more visible in the frame, such as light coming out of an open window at home. In order to capture these rays of light in the frame, you need to choose the right shooting point. It is better to be located in the immediate vicinity of the point where the light source is visible, but at the same time not in itself. This is shooting as if "from around the corner" in order to scattered light turned out to be brighter and more clearly distinguishable in the frame.
True, if the light is bright enough, and the fog has a dense structure, then light rays can be seen from almost anywhere. The light coming from streetlights and spotlights will be mostly "eaten up" by fog, resulting in soft, enveloping lighting. On the other hand, morning sunlight can be very well discernible in the frame, the main thing, again, is to choose the right shooting point.
Shapes and silhouettes of objects
In general, in foggy weather, when atmospheric haze hides the background and individual objects, all the flaws in the composition become very noticeable. Therefore, it is important to correctly approach the construction of the composition of the image, which can, for example, be aimed at emphasizing the shape of objects. Since fog greatly reduces the contrast and texture of the subjects being photographed, they can simply turn into silhouettes in the picture, which can sometimes be very interesting and attractive.
In order for a black object to turn into a silhouette, it is only necessary to exhibit not according to the object, but according to the fog. You can also try setting negative exposure compensation to reduce the brightness of your subject. At the same time, it is important to pay attention to the location of individual objects in the frame so that their contours do not overlap and do not intersect with each other. It is fog that gives the photographer the opportunity to play with the shapes and silhouettes of any objects in different ways, which, of course, must be used.
Don't Forget Condensation
Finally, it is necessary to mention such an important point when shooting in foggy weather as condensation. In foggy conditions, with a sharp temperature drop, water droplets condense in the air. Doing so can cause condensation to form on the lens surface of your digital camera or even inside it. What this may lead to, no need to explain. The risk of condensation increases when you have just left a warm room outside, and the camera with optics has been in a warm, homely environment for a long time.
To avoid such an unpleasant effect, you can put the camera in a sealed plastic bag before going outside. Then it just remains to wait a bit until the temperature in the bag equals the temperature of the air outside, after which you can open the bag in order to get the camera and start shooting. In any case, it is recommended that you always carry a lens case and a soft cloth with you to wipe and remove moisture from the front lens.
Adverse weather conditions, including fog, can quite often please the photographer with very interesting and unusual pictures. Foggy weather is notable for the fact that it introduces some kind of uncertainty into photography. And what exactly this uncertainty consists of cannot be said in advance, but it helps to create an amazing atmosphere of images and mood. The main thing when shooting fog is to choose the right exposure, carefully and thoughtfully build the composition, and also not be afraid to experiment in order to be able to get really unexpected results.
14.12.2010 37354 photography tips 0
Winter is the darkest time of the year and does not often please us with full lighting. However, only winter has a special freshness, variety and uniqueness of the color palette. In order to take pictures in the best light, you may have to get up early, leave the house before sunrise, and work all day until sunset. Make an effort on yourself and you will be rewarded with rich lighting that changes every second. Dress warmly if you don't want your "batteries" to run out faster than your camera battery. If you'd rather spend an extra hour in bed, there's great news for you: during the winter months, the sun is lower, so you can shoot all day and get beautiful, well-lit shots.
Snow swirls, flies, flies ... Photographing snow
Real frost and snowfall Lately quite rare guests in winter, so it is so important for photographers not to miss the visit of the "real winter". To get shots of fresh, clean, untrodden snow, you need to get out of the house early. In addition, if you are not too lazy to leave before sunrise, you will receive unique opportunity Capture the magical light of sunrise - the contrast of warm, golden skies and cold, bluish snow for stunning photos. But most importantly, make sure your camera battery is fully charged - cold weather consumes a lot of power.
The dazzling white sky and snow-covered landscape can recreate supernatural, amazing, bright shots in gorgeous black and white. You don't have to try to fit everything into the frame - the bare minimum is often sufficient. Use medium zoom optics to capture trees, snow-covered rooftops, sharply defined statues and other graphic elements in the frame against a clear white sky. If the photo is dominated by white areas, be sure to check the underexposure after the test shot (see below). You can also recreate the light tone of your shots in Photoshop.
When shooting snowy landscapes or cityscapes, try to think outside the box to create memorable photos. Snow is a great blank canvas, perfect for crisp objects. Take the trouble to find bright colors for a special contrast on pure snow. For example, red objects create a winning combination with white: telephone booths, mailboxes and road signs.
If it's snowing, experiment with different shutter speeds for all sorts of effects. A slow shutter speed will capture the movement of the snow, creating an attractive "shimmering" effect often seen in winter shots. Working in Shutter Priority mode will allow you to quickly use various settings. normal speed The shutter is good to use in conditions where there is almost no wind, within 1/15 sec or slower. In strong gusts of wind, pick up more high speed shutter.
Think twice about using flash when it's snowing. The light will be reflected on the falling snowflakes that are closer to the flash and thus create the effect of bright spots in the photo. This effect can only be used in creative shots.
Winter is a time of low, stingy sunlight that will help bring out the texture in the snow - lean in lower for maximum effect. Low sunlight provokes long shadows - use them to draw the viewer away from the foreground onto the subject and add depth to your shot. Shadows in the snow can create interesting abstract images. Position yourself so that you and your tripod don't cast a shadow on the image - stand in the shadows to hide your outline.
When you use rectangular filters, there may be a situation where there is not enough space for the lens cap, which is used to eliminate lens flare. Cover the lens with your hand, or better still, frame your shot and then cover the lens with your shadow, provided the camera is on a tripod. Otherwise, your photos will end up blurry, with little contrast, if you don't do anything about it.
Setting the exposure correctly
The main thing to remember is that when shooting snow, the camera settings and the autoexposure system may go astray. This will mainly cause your camera to be set to mid-tone. Instead of determining the degree of illumination of the image, the degree of reflection is determined. In cases where halftones are in harmony (for example, a gray car against a green field) - there are no problems. But what about dark shots, like a black cat in a black basement? The camera is set to halftone and the pictures look blurry. The same situation occurs when shooting dazzling white snow: the camera is set to a semitone, so the snow as a result looks flat and gray.
In order to restore snow-white brightness to pictures of snow, you need to help your camera. Below are three ways to achieve white rather than gray snow cover.
1. Turn off the exposure meter and apply overexposure
By turning off the metering of the bright areas of the snow and setting the exposure compensation to positive, you will return the snow to its bright white color. Focus the camera on the subject, then zoom in on a bright patch of snow in the frame. Use the exposure compensation button (+/-) adding a value ranging from + 2/3 to + 1 2/3 EV depending on the brightness of the snow - the brighter it is, the higher the value should be used. Then, take a reading from the exposure meter and press the AE-Lock button (AE-L) . Or use the manual exposure setting and set the right combination of "overexposure" value and shutter speed.
2. Turn off midtone metering and underexposure
Instead of metering a snowpack, lock the halftone exposure of a frame - such as a gray rock, building, or pavement - with the word of your surroundings. There is no need to set up positive exposure compensation using color effects to "trick" your camera's exposure metering system into a state of underexposure: snow will automatically be perceived as bright without it. In fact, you need to adjust a little underexposure to eliminate glare in the snow caused by fast shooting (which looks like burnt, blurry areas). Check the histogram - if it reaches the right side, use the exposure compensation button within -1/3 to -1 EV of the original midtone exposure values.
3. The easy way - just use a bar chart
At the time of using film, it was very important to be accurate with setting the exposure of the “snowy” frame - the slightest mistake crossed out all the work and brought a lot of grief. Therefore, it is doubly pleasant that digital cameras with histograms greatly facilitate the work of the photographer and eliminate annoying errors. If you're not capturing an important moment and you have time to spare, aim your lens, take a test shot, and check the histogram. Is the level in the center of the histogram? Add some positive exposure compensation to bring back the brightness. Is the histogram indicator in the right corner? Add negative exposure compensation.
A lot of bright snow in this shot resulted in "underexposure" - the empty right corner of the histogram.
Setting a value of 2/3 positive exposure compensation brightened whites without losing detail.
Camera manufacturers use various systems exposure metering and exposure algorithms in reflex cameras. The more expensive the model, the more perfect the functions. However, in reality it may turn out that you need little or no exposure compensation for "snowy" frames. In fact, you may find that your camera is quite good at capturing the brightness of the snow, that you just need to add a little negative exposure to eliminate the effect that comes from heavily lit areas. Learn your camera settings and how it performs under different levels of snow coverage. Take a picture in RAW format, not in JPEG, so that you can fine-tune the exposure.
Blue-blue hoarfrost lay on the wires ... Photographing hoarfrost
To obtain good shots frost, you need to get up and leave the house early. Frost is most common in the early morning and wee hours, and the combination of soft light and deep icy textures can sacrifice sleep and capture amazing moments.
Crispy hoarfrost will transform any shot, whether it's a rural landscape, close-ups of your garden or city park. Whatever the subject, the approach is the same - we do everything quickly! Touches of rays of sunlight, a little warmer just a degree - and the magic disappears. This can work in your favor though, allowing you to capture the contrast of cold shadows and patches of warm sunlight in the frame.
When removing frost, the most suitable option is to combine low ISO values for best quality pictures and a small aperture (high f-values such as /16, f/22) to increase the depth of the frame. Light levels will be low early in the day, so it's best to use a tripod, apply mirror lockup if your camera has this feature (usually found in the menu), and enable the self-timer shutter. Of course, you can release the shutter using the remote control, but this additional device will be awkward to hold in chilly fingers on a frosty morning.
If you are working with close-ups, make sure that your breath does not get on the subjects and you do not touch them when you move the tripod. Also choose a dark background for these shots to highlight the frost.
Background lighting can make the frost shine, although you will most likely have to adjust the exposure. The brightness of the background light can "confuse" your camera and lead to "underexposure", but it all depends on how large the subject is and how intense the brightness of the background light is. You may need to add some positive exposure compensation. If a dark background takes up too much space in the frame, the camera may overexpose the frame and the subject will be blurry. Add negative exposure compensation. Check the histogram after the first shot and adjust the exposure if necessary.
Nature doesn't have bad weather... How to photograph fog and overcast weather in winter
We advise you to follow the weather forecast for the winter photography season. The most favorable weather situation for your work is a weak area of high pressure, which in turn causes cold, almost windless clear nights. The result of these phenomena is morning mist and fog.
It is worth arriving at the shooting location as early as possible, since the most favorable lighting occurs immediately after sunrise, when it illuminates everything around with a golden light. Weather conditions in winter are fleeting, so you need to move faster. When the sun is high in the sky, moisture can evaporate very quickly. Make sure you have a precise location and subject in mind if you want to take pictures in time.
One of the challenges that many aspiring photographers face when shooting overcast mornings and fog is accurate exposure. Even the most advanced exposure meters can make mistakes when working in a gray-white fog - as it happens when shooting snow. These weather conditions reduce exposure and result in pictures that are dirty gray and dark. The solution to this problem is quite simple: you just need to add positive exposure compensation. You need to adjust the value between +1/2 and +2 EV depending on the brightness of the scene (brighter scenes will confuse the meter into more underexposure).
Shooting with a telephoto lens will reduce the effect of fog, so it's a good idea to adjust the white balance to give your shot a completely different look. Even with the fact that in most situations when shooting outdoors, you turn on auto white balance or daylight, a lot can be achieved by experimenting with the settings.
By changing the white balance to "tungsten" mode, the coldness of hazy or frosty footage will be enhanced. It's always much better to save your shot in RAW format and make any white balance adjustments in a dedicated RAW editing program, giving you the freedom to modify and process the shots however you want without risking losing the quality of the final image.
Summer is already beginning to prepare us for the autumn coolness, and therefore it is worth remembering how to photograph a weather phenomenon typical of autumn.
A mysterious fog that gives any photo a mystical and sometimes magical mood. Reduced visibility, muffled sounds, the very atmosphere of coolness and silence are priceless when they can be seen live or even captured in a photo. Of course, the fog will allow you to take more joyful pictures, for example, with the rays of the sun. Let's talk today about what you need to capture the fog =).
Photographing natural phenomena is very exciting and at the same time difficult, as they are ephemeral and constantly changing, or even completely disappearing. And fog is no exception.
How does it arise? In order for it to be clearly visible, high humidity and low temperature are required. It usually occurs after sunset and can last until the very morning, until the sun begins to warm the earth. You can often see fog in the lowlands and near the water.
You know for sure that objects are hard to see in fog and contrast is lost. But it is precisely these, it would seem, disadvantages that can make it possible to take pictures of amazing beauty and unusualness. Fog is often compared to a huge, light-diffusing softbox. This gives us amazing possibilities for conveying depth, lighting effects, and playing with object shapes.
How to show depth?
If the object we are photographing is far away from us, then it may be hard to see and the contrast is lost. But we can get volume and depth by blurring the background: light and air perspectives will look magical.
How to play with light?
Because fog is made up of myriads of tiny water droplets, when light hits them, you can get amazing beauty frames. Remember how interesting the sun's rays look when they shine from a haze: their lines are visible very clearly and clearly. If you are using artificial light sources, then the rays will be sharper as you get closer to the light source.
Silhouettes
As details and textures are lost and blurred in the fog, silhouettes come to the fore. The haze emphasizes them, while gently enveloping them. Be careful with the composition - if there are several subjects and they are too close - the boundaries may coincide and you will get an indistinct picture.
What exposure to shoot?
Remember that fog, like any other natural phenomenon, is not constant, but changes over time. To capture it as clearly as possible, you can take a picture with a short exposure, but then the noise in the photo will increase. Most often used for fog long exposure, then it will be possible to capture a smooth and slow flow.
Take care of yourself and your camera!
As we have said several times, visibility can be very difficult in fog, so be careful when you are in unfamiliar terrain. You can never guess in advance the place where you can stumble or stumble. And sudden ravines are also not a very pleasant thing. So, even plunging into the shooting process, do not forget to look at your feet =).
It is important to take care of photographic equipment. It will be cool and humid in the fog, and if you take out a relatively warm camera right away, condensation may appear on it both on the surface and even inside. The surface can be wiped with a soft cloth.
Useful advice for those who want to avoid condensation: pack the camera in a bag at home and do not take it out at the shooting location until it “cools down” and becomes cold. Then there will be no condensation.
Now you know some of the secrets of how to take pictures of the amazing natural phenomenon, which always makes a strong impression both live and in the photo. You can shoot nature, people, buildings during fog, which will be mysteriously lost in the distance.
If you want to learn more about capturing ephemeral weather events, sign up for our course.
Photographers, any fog shots? Attach in the comments =).
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