Younes Bounhar Photography

Winter photography, Part II

Last week, I provided a few tips on how to handle your photographic gear in the winter (see Part I). Now, while winter does impose some constraints on how to use the gear, it certainly opens up a number of shooting opportunities that would not be there otherwise.

1. Snow, exposed.

As some  of you may know, your camera meter is calibrated for midtone values (18% grey to be exact). What this means is that the reading your camera gives you is such that the overall scene has a tone that is equivalent to grey. For most scenes, you can safely rely on your meter and not give it a second thought. However, many winter scenes are dominated by this white thing, can’t remember what it’s called….uhhh…Oh yeah, SNOW! So when you take your exposure reading, the camera will try to render the scene grey, which is not what we want. You have to compensate the exposure by 1 to 1 and a half stops above the reading in your camera.

For example, if your camera tells you to expose 1s at f/11, you should dial in at least one stop, so either take the exposure for 2s at f/11 or 1s at f/8. For one and a half stops overexposure, you could dial 3s at f/11. Always take a look at your histogram to make sure you haven’t clipped any highlights.

There is a simple trick when shooting on a nice and clear day. All you have to do is take a reading off the bright blue sky. That’s it!

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Posted on December 30th, 2008 in Photography Tips Workshops | 4 Comments »

Winter Photography, part I

As winter rolls in, a good number of photographers pack their gear for a lengthy hibernation. Yet, winter offers countless photo opportunities that beg to be taken!

1- Can my gear handle the cold?

One of the questions that comes up most often is whether camera gear,  digital in particular, can withstand the harsh winter climate. I live in Canada, where the temperatures often hover below the -20C, and that has never stopped me from shooting! In fact, the cold has the very desirable effect of reducing sensor noise: since the sensor cannot accumulate as much heat as in warmer climates, noise becomes a mere afterthought.

That said,  there are a few things you should know before you head out in the cold.

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Posted on December 20th, 2008 in News Photography Tips | 11 Comments »

You just never know!

Shooting opportunities have been few and far between these past few months, weather playing a big part in this. After a good cold spell, we were treated to a wonderful rainy day this past Tuesday that I thought would provide for some interesting opportunities if some good light materialized. As we got closer to sunset, I looked outside my window, and though the light was not particularly enticing, I picked up my gear and headed out to the nearby Britannia park, on a hunch that something nice would happen. And boy, did it ever happen!

Posted on December 17th, 2008 in News | No Comments »

End of season

Well, another summer has gone by, and so has fall…Winter is clawing back its way into our lives. One of my favourite times to shoot is in between seasons, when the weather hasn’t decided which way it is going yet. This shot, taken in one of  my favourite spots close to my home in Shirley’s bay, nicely illustrates the transition from fall to winter.

Posted on December 16th, 2008 in News | No Comments »

First Magazine Cover!

I am pleased to announce my first magazine cover. Yours truly is on the front page of Canadian photography magazine Photosolution (http://photosolution.ca). You can also find my second article to appear in this magazine inside the January issue.

Posted on December 2nd, 2008 in News Publications | No Comments »

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