The Best Aperture & Shutter Speed to Take Pictures of Snow Flakes

No two snowflakes are alike.

Every snow flake is unique, making them great photographic subjects. Finding the best camera setting for photographing snowflakes can be a challenge, as light, wind and preference all affect how the shoot will go. Knowing the implications of how you set your camera will take the guesswork out of photographing snowflakes.

Aperture

The best aperture setting for photographing snowflakes largely depends on your tastes. For a soft "bokeh," or blurry, effect, use a wide aperture setting. A setting like f1.8 or f2.8 will suffice. With a faster aperture, the snowflake itself will be in focus but the surrounding environment will appear soft. For crisper snowed-like images, use a smaller aperture setting. F-stop settings such as f22 and f16 should suffice. These slower settings will keep the snowflake and the adjacent elements of the image in focus.

Shutter Speed

Choosing a shutter speed for your snowflake photos should be determined by what sort of style you want. Snowflake photos with longer shutter speeds will make streaks out of the snow, creating an impressionistic effect. With faster shutter speeds, snowflakes and their textures are sharply frozen in time. Longer shutter speeds for snowflake photography will be around one-quarter seconds to one-tenth seconds. They can be even slower with the addition of a tripod to stabilize the camera. Shorter shutter speeds for snowflakes will the between one-eightieth seconds to one-four-hundredth.

Tripod

A tripod can be very helpful when you are shooting snowflakes. Tripods ensure that your camera is stable while you are shooting, allowing you to have more artistic freedom. When you purchase a tripod, make sure that it has a weight capacity that will hold your camera. Test your camera on the tripod before purchase to ensure that they work well together. Try using your camera' s self--timer with your tripod, as it help you to keep your hands away from the camera while it is shooting. When using a tripod to photograph snowflakes you can set your camera for slower shutter speeds to catch the blur of the snow.

Other Considerations

Other elements affect snowflake photography besides just settings. Cold weather can make a camera malfunction, so it is important to the keep it warm somehow. Many photographers carry foot warmers with them to wrap around the camera lens to keep it warm; only remove the camera when you need to use it. Also it is wise to keep your camera batteries close to your body before you are shooting, so that they do not freeze or lose their charge.

References

• Dzineblog: Four Tips How To Photograph Snow
• Digital Photography School: Photography in Extreme Cold