Which film for snow?

[Rhodes]

New weekend will be a snowy one. I was thinking of using my apx 100 for take some pictures, exposing one film at 100 iso, other at 50 or 80. Possibly will be using my leica, and hand meter. I have also kodachrome 25 to use, but do not know if I should and insted use a normal color film (using my hanimex reflex).
Also, I should use a smaller aperture that the hand meter show's me, right? One more stop?

 

[martin s]

Since snow tends to be outside I'd try to go with Sunny 16. My in-camera-meter is off a lot, one stop compensation is too general of a rule either, imo. If it's intense sunshine it might as well be a few stops.

martin

 

[StaaleS]

The other way around. The meter thinks that the show is 18% grey (or 12% or whatever it is) which would give severe underexposure, in other words you need to add exposure to make it white. One stop at least, methinks. The meter says f/8, you shoot at f/5.6.

 

[Rogrund]

Also, I should use a smaller aperture that the hand meter show's me, right? One more stop?

No, you should use a larger aperture. 1 1/2 or 2 stops.

 

[Rhodes]

I see, allways that since snow is more bright and reflects more the light, I should close the aperture more! Thanks! And should I try the kodachrome or use a normal color negative film?

 

[not_in_good_order]

I see, allways that since snow is more bright and reflects more the light, I should close the aperture more! Thanks! And should I try the kodachrome or use a normal color negative film?

I feel more comfortable using color negative film for snowy scenes because it is more forgiving, but it really depends on how confident you are in your metering technique.

 

[antiquark]

I see, allways that since snow is more bright and reflects more the light, I should close the aperture more! Thanks! And should I try the kodachrome or use a normal color negative film?

Don't expose for the snow, otherwise you'll have grey snow. If you used a grey card, that would help. Also an incident meter would work.

Here's a couple of pages that talk about the "gray snow problem:"
http://photonaturalist.net/how-to-fix-the-gray-snow-problem-with-photoshop/
http://photonaturalist.net/how-to-get-a-perfect-exposure-of-a-snow-covered-landscape/

 

[shadowfox]

I see, allways that since snow is more bright and reflects more the light, I should close the aperture more! Thanks! And should I try the kodachrome or use a normal color negative film?

Depends on what you want to get.

Different film and exposure combination give you different mood or look, so experiment, that is what makes film photography worth doing. "Grey snow" is not always bad 🙂

If you use Kodachrome, bracket the exposure, see which one you like better. If you use expired Kodachrome, give it one extra stop (open the aperture bigger) on top of the snow-compensation.

 

[Gumby]

Unless you are a glutton for punishment, use a film with a very broad dynamic range fro snowy scenes: color print or B&W film. Shooting snow scenes with slide film will probably work best if exposrue is estimated using incident metering... but still the chances of blown high- and low-lights is probable.

 

[oftheherd]

All good advice above. It depends on what you want and how you want to use it. As to the film, for instance, if you want to project it, Kodachrome is an excellent choice, even outdated if it has been kept frozen. If not, then negative film with a good dynamic range as Gumby suggested. Depending on the rest of the scene, you might want a negative film of the vivid color type. Only you can decide on that, but exposure, you have your best answers above.

On film, you need to be more specific about what you expected uses are, and somebody can help.

 

[Papa Smurf]

Open up and Bracket

Open up and Bracket

All good advice above. It depends on what you want and how you want to use it. As to the film, for instance, if you want to project it, Kodachrome is an excellent choice, even outdated if it has been kept frozen. If not, then negative film with a good dynamic range as Gumby suggested. Depending on the rest of the scene, you might want a negative film of the vivid color type. Only you can decide on that, but exposure, you have your best answers above.

On film, you need to be more specific about what you expected uses are, and somebody can help.

Ditto to the above posting. I have used Portra VC with some success @ + 1 2/3 while shooting snow scenes, but there you go with generalities which can get you in trouble. If you meter off of something middle reflective (18% ) or so such as non-snow covered trees, buildings, etc, then shoot at the meter reading, else wise, you definitely need to add exposure to get white snow. I am sorry to be ambiguous, but there are just too many variables to your situation. If I knew all of the answers I would not be lurking here looking of good tips. When in doubt, bracket, just remember that negative film has a wide exposure latitude and slide film does not. Good luck and please let us know how things turned out.

 

[Rhodes]

Thanks! I have 4 rolls of kodachrome 25, two from the last batch, and two that ended in 97 (the one from my avatar). For the color or kodachrome, I will use ttl reflex (the hanimex electro 35, since I have not cofidence in using chrome and hand meter; and is during development of the bw film I do something wrong or even takin the pictures, I have color photos).
I will be a laizure trip, since were I live do not snow! So, it will be more landscapes scenes and/ or people in snow having fun!
Do not know if helps, but for the bw, I will use my leica with jupiter 8! The color film that I have for chosing is: kodak color plus 200; two agfacolor optima 125 (expired in 94 or something) and fuji superia also iso 200.

 

[Papa Smurf]

Blue Cast

Blue Cast

I forgot to mention that under clear blue sky conditions, I usually need an aggressive warming filter or else the pictures have an overall blue cast to them. It can be corrected in post processing, but I would like to get to the point in my photography where I can "judge" the outcome and adjust my images before I snap the shutter. Hence, I typically shoot snow scenes with at least a skylight 1A or a 1B is better. Lately, I have been using a KR 1.5. I am not certain to what that equates, but it nicely warms my images.

I am open for discussion here as to how others deal with the excess of blue in snow scenes.

 

[Rhodes]

Bahhh, the trip was postpone for a week. At least I have time to read more about shoting in snow and to fill the cassettes!

 

[Tim Gray]

I shot several rolls in the last couple big storms. I used an incident meter for the most part, but reflected metering off the snow and then open up two stops seemed to work well.

 

[nikon_sam]

I see, allways that since snow is more bright and reflects more the light, I should close the aperture more! Thanks! And should I try the kodachrome or use a normal color negative film?

No...the camera or hand-held meter wants to expose the snow to match a 18% gray card...in order to get the snow to turn out white you need to open up the aperture or slow the shutter speed by 2 stops...


If...f11>>>open to 5.6
If...1/1000>>>slow to 1/250
This will let more light in and now the snow will be white and not gray...

 

[Rhodes]

Thank You all!