Last week I mentioned, “Sunday was chilly and cloudy. I would have preferred it to be snowing – but there was no snow – just a dreary blah day that lacked the kind of lighting that energizes photographers.”
On Monday, my wish for snow was fulfilled, and I was a joyful photographer. It snowed overnight. Not extensively, but the garden was covered in snow.
I grabbed my camera, ensured the memory card was erased, attached the Sigma 105mm Macro lens, connected a flash equipped with fresh batteries, donned my coat and winter boots, and cheerfully stepped into the garden.
With a gentle breeze blowing, I adjusted my ISO to 400 and set my shutter speed to 1/500th. I also understood the necessity of a smaller aperture for greater depth of field. I know some readers might think, “hold on…a wide aperture for a blurred background is standard practice.” That is correct. However, a breeze sways the plants in various directions, so I opted for around f/8 for augmented depth of field and a higher ISO that facilitated a quicker shutter speed.
All of this aligns with what one would set for a windy landscape photography session. Naturally, I was utilizing an off-camera flash accompanied by a diffuser.
I roamed around in search of captivating snow-laden subjects and was delighted to find that snow had settled on the tree that Jo and I adorned with red beads and ornaments.
The winter snow will transform the garden until the thaw of spring, and I am excited about capturing photographs. Heed my advice and keep your cameras prepared for some enjoyable photography just outside your door. Whether sunny or overcast, and even if it’s snowing, don’t hesitate to venture out and create some fun winter photographs.
Wishing you a safe and imaginative Christmas filled with ample opportunities for everyone to capture pictures. These are my reflections for this week. Feel free to contact me at www.enmanscamera.com or emcam@telus.net.