Shooting portraits in the winter---: I have agreed to take photos of a friends daughter and her boyfriend for their "Valentine's portrait" today. I went outside today to try to check...

diannarucker Loc: Iowa

I have agreed to take photos of a friends daughter and her boyfriend for their "Valentine's portrait" today. I went outside today to try to check the lighting in the snow/ cloudy day. I'm having trouble getting the white balance to what I want and the right ISO? I thought I"d use Aperture priority. I have a 50 MM 1.8 that I like as well as a 70-200 2.8 that I use on my Nikon d7000.
I have completed several photo shoots outside but not in the snow. That is throwing me off.
Ideas for how to get the right setting?
thanks

MWAC Loc: Somewhere East Of Crazy

The snow is a huge reflector which is a plus, down side is the camera is going the shower as 18% grey, really not what you want. You are going to have to meter manually and if not using a custom white balance adjust in post.

I don't have a lot of experience working in snow, I live in North Texas, it's in the 70's today.

RocketScientist Loc: Littleton, Colorado

Try exposure bracketing. I think you want to overexpose slightly when doing snow shots. I'm no expert at this, I just read that here someplace...

diannarucker Loc: Iowa

I tried over and under exposing, I will probably just have to fix things in editing. I guess I"ll learn by experience! I know in the fall it's so pretty here in IOwa. VEry easy to take awesome photos. Today it is gray, snow is not the prettiest either. Looks more like March today than February. Gray day in about 31 degrees, windy. Cold..

snowbear

Use auto white balance, overexpose by one to two stops (bracket at 1, 1-1/2, and 2 stops over). Shoot raw so you can easily adjust the WB in post.

RocketScientist Loc: Littleton, Colorado

Maybe knock the ISO up a little too.

Festina Lente Loc: Florida & Missouri

Snowbear's advice is right on.

If the snow is unattractive, try leaving it out of your pictures. The camera kinda treats it like a light source due to its reflectivity. The grey sky and ground reflection is like taking a picture on top of a giant light diffuser. There are good, bad and ugly sides depending how you use the light.

As odd as it sounds, I have used a black sheet or black Bisqueen plastic on the ground to get rid of the upward reflecting light from the snow, as it can accent attention to more experienced faces, if you know what I mean.

diannarucker Loc: Iowa

I have a question about aperture. I like to have the aperture as large as I can get it, like 1.8. However, that also lets IN too much light so I end up playing with ISO. I usually use aperture priority instead of manual, I am not sure I have enough talent to go completely manual. I like to blur the background. Is there another way to do it without having the aperture down that far???

Wendycmt Loc: Alaska

You have a Nikon so I would recomend using the cloudy setting for white balance as I find the colors are most accurate and kind to faces. I shoot in the snow a lot and bracketing is key to get the exposure you want as apposed to what the sensor thinks you need. I like the soft reflections of snow on an overcast day as it gets rid of a lot of shadows on faces. Have fun.

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

diannarucker wrote:

I have a question about aperture. I like to have the aperture as large as I can get it, like 1.8. However, that also lets IN too much light so I end up playing with ISO. I usually use aperture priority instead of manual, I am not sure I have enough talent to go completely manual. I like to blur the background. Is there another way to do it without having the aperture down that far???

Why change the ISO? Why not just change the shutter speed?

CaptainC Loc: Colorado, south of Denver

diannarucker wrote:

I have a question about aperture. I like to have the aperture as large as I can get it, like 1.8. However, that also lets IN too much light so I end up playing with ISO. I usually use aperture priority instead of manual, I am not sure I have enough talent to go completely manual. I like to blur the background. Is there another way to do it without having the aperture down that far???

Wait a minute! Are you sure you want to use f/1.8? the DOF is so narrow you might have real focus issues. But OK, let's say you do. You say it lets in too much light - what is the shutter speed? Has that maxed out at...what/1/8000? If it did, get that aperture down to 2.8 or 4 - still will give you a soft background.

If it is a gray day, DO NOT put them out in the light. Put them somewhere where you can block that top light. Under a porch roof is ideal - that way the light comes from the side and has direction to it - not straight down.

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

Are the subjects caucasian?
If so, use the setting you camera chooses when all you have is the face in the frame.
Check that you have a fairly symmetrical histogram.
Will Crockett used this tecnique 10 years ago and it still works if you do it right. http://www.modifiedphotographics.com/2009/04/18/histograms-lie-unless/
Use that exposure for all your frames, that way ALL of them will be properly exposed.
Shoot Raw to allow for littel variances.

And CaptainC's suggestion of putting them in the shade to give some directional light is spot on, as usual (called subtractive lighting)

diannarucker Loc: Iowa

You are right 1.8 is too narrow a DOF, how far can I go up and still get a soft background??

diannarucker Loc: Iowa

no subjects are both Hispanic, black hair, darker skin

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

diannarucker wrote:

You are right 1.8 is too narrow a DOF, how far can I go up and still get a soft background??

Use the longer lens.