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Shoot winter still lifes

Techniques

24 October 2007 14:34

When winter frost, ice and snow arrive outdoors, they can transform ordinary objects such as cobwebs and clothes pegs on the lawn into fascinating photo subjects. But you have to act quickly or the moment will be gone.

After a sharp hoar frost there’s likely to be a clear sky, and the early morning sunlight will be low in the sky, revealing interesting shapes and textures. The frost, shadows (and choosing the right lens) will help you to be really creative. Look for natural details – the grass here, laced with tiny droplets of just-thawed frost, were taken just five steps from a suburban backdoor at 8am. 

By lying on a dry groundsheet and balancing the camera and 105mm macro lens on a beanbag, the photographer shot into the light, using the bright crisp conditions to pick out simple, abstract compositions.

Much of the simplicity has been achieved using very limited depth-of-field at f/5.6, f/4 and f/2.8 to isolate individual grass blades from their background. If you don’t have a macro lens, try using your telephoto to isolate individual blades. Focusing isn’t easy: a tiny movement can render the subject wildly out-of-focus, so be steady and slow as you work.

Look for compositions that please you. Where depth-of-field is limited, focus on a part of the subject that’s most likely to catch the eye. But don’t be afraid to allow large parts of the picture to be out of focus, as the selective focus effect can be very appealing.