Cold may be a bit relative, although I think there are some absolutes. It was 9F today and snowing. Not so cold as Alaska, but for here that’s reasonably cold and also to be getting snow. It actually didn’t “feel” very cold to me, perhaps because of minimal wind or because I somehow think it feels warmer out when it’s snowing.
I drive by this spot and would really like the opportunity sometime to get a photo here in fog, snow or something else interesting (or the next field over) due to the depth here and it sometimes is quite pretty. Unfortunately, there really isn’t a good place to stop. There was little traffic on a snowy Saturday, so I made a “quick” stop in the road and snapped this from my open window before someone turned onto the road behind me. I have seen better conditions here, but I like a thick, fast snow which I did get.
Specific Feedback Requested
Any. This is a bit off of the intent perhaps, but any tips about getting a photo where there’s not a good place to pull off or about pulling off on private property?
Technical Details
Is this a composite: No
I had underexposed this (not attentive in my rush), but I found as I lifted it that it seemed like there was a color shift and brightness to the center/right third. I did actually try to take advantage of that in post, where maybe I should have tried to even it. I did cool the highlights a little and warm the midtones just slightly, playing around with the image.
This was taken with a 20mm lens at f4. Aperture priority so the camera set a fast shutter speed 1/1250. I would have used exposure comp to brighten it due to the snow, but I pretty much forgot to do anything in haste since I didn’t want to annoy any other drivers and safety also was a bit of an issue.
I wanted to remove the road and there was really nothing going on in the sky at the top of the frame so I decided to go with a 1:3 crop as a panorama to focus on the part that interested me the most.
This one does a real nice job conveying the feeling of cold and winter and I like the pano look. I might clean up some of the dark stuff in the snow but otherwise, the processing looks good to my eye.
Karla, the heavy snow against the dark trees is very striking. If there’s no place to pull off and shoot, then this is likely the best you can do. An alternative would be to park nearby and walk in, if the snow’s not too deep or you have snow shoes. The brightness shift across the frame looks natural.
The snow wasn’t all that deep , so there were some things sticking up in the field. Good point about removing those for a cleaner and more minimalist image. I am still working thinking on the parking situation, but maybe one of these days it will all come together!
Certainly check your local trespassing laws for this kind of thing - especially whether a property has to be posted. Here in Wisconsin a land owner doesn’t have to post No Trespassing for it to be in force. However, in order to successfully prosecute s/he has to prove damages. Also s/he has to ask you to leave and give you a chance to do so. It’s very easy to accidentally wander where you shouldn’t around here, but most folks are pretty good about fencing or posting so it isn’t an issue.
Where it isn’t posted, I venture. That is if there isn’t a sign saying keep out, I go in. I’m always respectful and quick. I never touch anything I don’t have to. Rarely do I set foot in an abandoned building for safety’s sake. But on property only I stay in the open and talk to anyone who comes by which has happened a few times.
In terms of parking on a crowded or busy road, I’ll try a driveway if I know I’m going to be quick. Or, lacking that, the roadside at an intersection if the shoulders are too narrow. The right of way spaces on the sides of roads are usually large enough to accommodate vehicles and since they’re right of way, they are public.
Sorry for the late reply, but this is something I grapple with a lot since I shoot abandoned rural properties all the time. Cheers!
