Winter time is an opportunity to use your camera in lots of different ways.
We should start by covering a few points to consider when using your camera in winter .
Number 1 is dress for the weather! There is nothing worse than being cold, wet and miserable. Take a warm drink? It will be welcome!
Secondly, you need to take a few basic precautions, or just a little care and protection, with your camera.
If it is cold when you take your camera out of the bag, car, house or whatever, you will be moving it from a warmer environment to a cold one. You will notice that the camera, lens and viewfinder will mist up
This is condensation. Do not rub the lens to clear it. This will completely obscure your nice, clean lens.
Wait for a while until it clears - that is when the camera cools down to the surrounding temperature. A handy "tool" to carry is a microfiber towel for wiping any moisture off the body. These towels can be found in most outdoor/camping stores. Do not put a wet camera back in the bag.
If it is wet or raining keep the camera in a plastic bag, one of those you can buy from any grocery store, and make a hole for the lens. You can use the controls through the bag. Cameras, especially digital cameras do not like to get wet. Water and electronics do not go together.
Batteries do not like the cold either and the charge will not last as long during cold weather. The solution is to take spare batteries and keep them somewhere warm, like your inside pockets.
Now we are ready to take photographs why go to all this trouble?
Winter is a time to take dramatic shots of frost, snow and ice, stark landscapes, mysterious mist and fog, and is also ideal for black and white photography. The light in winter is less so increase exposure and use a tripod or similar to steady the camera. If using a compact camera try using "night" mode.
However, if there is snow on the ground there will be a lot of reflected light so exposure needs to be reduced. If you do not have a DSLR camera use the "bright sunlight" mode.
Alternatively, focus on the darker areas of your scene, apply focus lock by pressing the the shutter release halfway, then swing back and set your scene and shoot!
Wet streets, artificial lighting, reflections in wet streets, low winter sun - the list is endless and only limited by your imagination.
In all instances, if your camera is capable, bracket all your shots. You can set to auto or manual bracketing. Check how to set up for your camera in your manual.
With a little practice you will be able to get a least that one great shot out of the bracketed shots.
Remember that with digital cameras you can get an instant replay, adjust and take again until it is right, and also that most digital imaging software on your computer can enhance your shots further.
