Christmas may be over, but there are still plenty of subjects and techniques to keep you and your X-series camera busy.
Winter wonderland
The days may be shorter and the temperatures lower, but there’s no denying that the winter months are a very photogenic time of year. Hopefully, we’ll get a good fall of snow over the next few weeks, which means great photos are to be had.
Like any time of year, taking good pictures in winter does involve some planning. If snow is forecast overnight, it could be worth an early start the following morning. If you’re lucky, it will be bright and sunny and you’ll get shots of the landscape before the snow starts to melt or gets covered in footprints. With this in mind, be sure to check the weather forecast the night before.
Make sure you charge up your batteries too, as cold weather can reduce battery performance. Likewise, we’d advise you to leave your camera (minus the battery) by the front door – this tends to be the coldest part of the house and makes it less likely for your gear to mist up due to a change in temperature when you get outside. Buying an extra battery would be a good idea, especially if you plan to be out and about for a while, plus be sure to pack a warm drink for yourself, in addition to making sure you have plenty of warm clothing. Oh, and make sure you put the battery back in the camera before you leave!
Once you’ve set foot outdoors, there will be plenty of photo opportunities to capture – these images above should give you some pointers. As well as going for the obvious landscape shots, look for more abstract images as well as close-up and detail pictures.
Most X-series cameras offer a preset Snow program mode, which should be your first port of call if you want to get great results quickly. To take more control, use exposure compensation to make sure the white snow comes out white. Select +1 in overcast conditions and +2 in sunny conditions to avoid underexposure.
While we’re sure you’ll make every effort to keep snow and moisture away from your X-series camera while you’re out, if it does get dropped in the white stuff or picks up moisture, place it in a plastic bag with a few sachets of silica gel when you get home. Put them in a warm (not hot) place for a day or two and it should clear up.
Shoot a 365 project
Lots of photographers traditionally start a 365 project at this time of year. The premise is simple: take one picture a day for a whole year. It sounds simple enough, but it will give both you and your photography a real challenge. To add extra spice, you could insist on using just one feature, lens or function on your X-series camera!
Fun of the fair
Funfairs spring up in towns during the festive period and you can use them to create eye-catching long exposure images. You’ll need a solid tripod and a low ISO (100 or 200), then select a long shutter speed of around four seconds and fire away. Alternatively, try your camera’s Night Portrait exposure mode and get a low light portrait.
Feathered friends
In colder weather, food becomes more scarce for birds. Attract them to your garden by offering a regular supply of nuts, suet balls and fruit. They’ll keep coming back once they know food is on tap, giving you the chance to photograph them. The XF55-200mm or XC50-230mm lens would be perfect to get in close.
Church interiors
Interiors of churches and cathedrals provide a plethora of photo opportunities. Head to one on an overcast day to avoid strong contrast between light and dark areas and try a range of shots including majestic wide-angle images. Set your X-series camera’s Dynamic Range to DR400 to maximise highlight and shadow detail.
Creative candles
Warm up those winter shots with a candle. Whether on their own or in groups they make perfect subjects. Combined with a face, they make great portraits, too. Increase the ISO on your X-series camera to avoid the flash firing, which will spoil the effect of the ambient light. Leave the white-balance on Auto to retain a warming glow.
