SUCCESSFUL WINTER ALPACA PHOTOGRAPHY; FREEZING PERFECT MOMENTS

By: Susan Muther
BreedWorks 2007, 12/08/07

Some of the most unique alpaca photo opportunities exist during the winter months. Shimmering, frozen landscapes, early morning fogs, glistening icicles, powdery sprays of snow, and moody, evocative gray days greet you at every turn. But despite these superbly photogenic moments, most people hang up their photographer's hat for the winter months with a belief that their winter alpaca photos will be less than desirable. For these people, their experience tells them that winter alpaca photography yields underexposed images, foggy lenses, images of blinding white with little detail and of course, the excruciating pain from each and every frozen inch of one's body. So for them there is no gain from a lot of suffering.

Although winter photography is challenging, it is something well worth attempting. Good photography, that which stirs the emotions and captures the imagination, is one of the ingredients that can separate your alpaca marketing from all the others. Therefore, while everyone else is hibernating in doors, waiting for spring before taking their photos, you should pull on your winter gear and head out to the pastures. This article will outline some tips and tricks to overcome the difficulties.

If your alpacas are anything like ours, they love nothing better than chasing each other, running laps in the newly cleared pathways our snow blower has created in the pastures. And the males spend endless hours waging war in their eternal king of the hill combat on top of the 5 foot high snow mound, created by repeated plowing and snow blowing. Regardless of the alpaca's activity, their rich hued colors against the stark shimmering white snow can make for some of the most compelling images. Unfortunately, these beautiful photographic moments are also fraught with complexity and hazards.

Safety and Comfort

First and foremost, is the need to properly prepare yourself for being outside for an extended time in the cold. It is vital to stay warm and dry, especially if you plan to be out for a long period of time. Being adequately clothed will allow you to take the time you need to capture that special elusive photogenic moment that you might otherwise have missed if you were rushing to get back indoors. Many layers of light clothing, those of cotton, polypropylene, silk and of course, alpaca, are more effective than just one or two heavy layers. Waterproof outer layers including gloves are essential. And gloves are preferred over mittens as they facilitate camera handling more. Although you may not be able to actually shoot with the gloves on, they are safer for holding and carrying the camera. Many outdoor photographers wear thin knit gloves inside heavy mittens and remove the outer gloves to operate their cameras. You can also buy photographer's gloves with finger openings from LowePro, or just snip off the fingertips of an old pair of gloves.

Equipment

Cold conditions are extremely hard on camera equipment, especially battery dependent cameras that may freeze or shut down. Manual cameras are more reliable in extreme cold, but are less convenient in many other ways.

Your digital camera will work fine in very cold temperatures as long as it has functioning batteries. The cold can quickly zap the energy out of any battery, but warming them up can restore much of their power. To keep your batteries warm, one trick is to use a rubber band and attach a chemical hand warmer to the battery compartment. Otherwise keep extra batteries in a pocket inside your coat. You can also put a chemical hand warmer in that pocket to speed up the process.

Next you need to be aware of the effect the weather has on your camera. As anyone wearing glasses can attest, warm lenses will fog up when suddenly exposed to frigid temperatures. Your camera lens will do the same. Your camera needs to adjust to the cold before it can be used. Give the camera a few minutes, the few minutes it will take you to install that warm battery, to let it temperature adjust.

Conversely, when you go back inside, the opposite is true. A cold camera brought into a warm environment will fog again as warm moisture condenses on, and in, the unit. Let the camera come to room temperature for a couple of hours to ensure all the moisture has evaporated before storing in it.

And lastly, there is one other affect the cold can have on your equipment, and that is a delayed or slowed shutter response. This is the first, among many reasons to bracket your shots.

Taking the Shot

Most often, winter alpaca photos tend to be underexposed, resulting in a dark, flat images. This is because most camera light metering systems have difficulty exposing a mainly snow covered scene correctly. Camera meters determine correct exposure by reading the light reflected off the targeted subject. Usually, in most scenes where there are many shades and colors present, this poses no problems and correct exposure is easily achieved. This is because a camera's meter reads off many different areas in a given scene and averages out areas of equal darkness and lightness. However when a scene is mainly made up of one color or shade, such as the white of the snow, metering problems can occur.

With scenes of mainly white coloring and light values, the meter assumes that there is more light present than is actually there, even when light levels are quite low. The result is an image that is underexposed where even the white areas appear to be grey. And the dark areas are completely indistinguishable.

To counteract underexposure, the scene must be deliberately overexposed. For digital cameras, you may need to use the manual setting. Simply take a meter reading and overexposed the shot by one or two stops above what the meter shows. Here is another situation where bracketing your shots will ensure you capture at least one good image. So if the meter reads proper exposure at f/11, adjust down to f5.6, this will be your baseline shot. Now bracket your shots, taking one at f/4, one at f/8, and one at the metered f/11. This should give you a broad range of exposures, providing you with at least one at the proper exposure. If your lens supports half-stops, adjust the aperture by 1 1/2 stops instead of a full two, and bracket at each half-stop.

Another tactic would be to expose for something other than the snow itself, perhaps the barn, or an alpaca in the shot. Take your meter reading off this darker object and then recompose your shot within the viewfinder and take the photo.

Cameras with only automatic exposure may be constrained by their lack of control but there are a few ways to 'fool' these cameras into exposing correctly. Most exposure and focusing systems in these cameras are activated by depressing the shutter halfway but without taking the photo. Point the camera at another area of equal distance but with much more variety in shade. Depress the shutter halfway and hold it, locking the exposure and focusing reading. Recompose the original scene in the viewfinder and press the shutter button the rest of the way.

And finally, although traditional photography practice tells us that using flash outdoor is not necessary, if you are shooting a winter photograph, using a flash can bring out details and highlights that might not be captured without it. However, if you are shooting close shots avoid using flash as much as possible as the reflection can greatly reduce any detail in your photo.

Creating Interest

Winter's stark monochromatic palette can make for some striking images especially when punctuated with contrasting shapes and colors such as an expanse of fencing, a warm-toned alpaca, trees and barns. Look for opportunities where colors, people and animals, peek through the snow. One can get lovely results by shooting the richly colored alpacas against a white, cool snowy background as illustrated in photo examples A and B. In both cases, the cool, blue hued background of the snow is the perfect foil to set off the warm tones of the alpaca. How better a way is there to accentuate the warmth that alpaca fiber provides than by expressing it in your photos?

Photo A

Photo B

To capture unique scenes, consider shooting from unusual angles. By using an unusual perspective, for instance, from above, through trees or doors, can add impact and interest to what might otherwise be a mediocre, run-of-the-mill image. In photo example C, we add a bit of humor and interest by shooting a group of girls from above. None of the individual animals look particularly great, but in shooting from our barn balcony, we capture the alpaca's natural curiosity and show their comical side.

Photo C

We capture a completely different mood in photo example D where we frame the image by shooting through tree branches. The vertical glare from the sun in the left portion of the image adds even more framing and drama to the scene. This image, without these elements would be a rather less than wonderful pasture shot.

Photo D

To get some interesting results, shoot in the morning or afternoon, when long shadows create contrast and detail that might otherwise be lost with a sun directly overhead. Also as an added benefit, by creating more variety in contrast and shadow, and exposing for those, your meter will give you a reading that's more equally balanced, and a better chance at a properly exposed shot. In photo example E, we use the early morning sun to cast long shadows and add detail and definition to the snowy path as the alpacas do their morning walk. Also, with the sun lower in the sky, the light is less stark and allows us to capture the details and subtle shadings within the alpacas themselves.

Photo E

Winter's photogenic moments are not necessarily found only on sunny days. Sometimes, the gray skies and grey days can be the setting for some very evocative photos. Use the gray sky to your advantage and use the moody color to add more character to your image. You will have a greater opportunity to showcase the full spectrum of the gray scale, visible in the winter sky. A feeling of tenderness and togetherness as the young alpaca is lead down a snowy road, is captured in photo example F. The grayness of the snowy overcast day accentuates the fragility and uncertainty of the alpaca. And by muting most all of the elements, it allows the alpaca, the handler and the slightly brighter road, to be the main focus. The image's framing, lighting and composition create a story that would not be possible in other environmental conditions. Had this photo been taken on a sunny, spring day, the feeling would be much different. And overall, the image would be less compelling.

Photo F

Another example of how a winter setting can make a normally blasé photo into a strongly evocative image is photo G. This wintery shot of the old wooden lime spreader is infused with nostalgia and beauty. Also note how the composition prevents this image from being overly morose and simply too grey. The image is basically divided in half with the bottom half (the tree line, snow and spreader) providing a dark and solemn base and the top half (the clouds and blue sky) adding brightness and optimism.

Photo G

Winter is the perfect time to explore patterns and textures, contrasting colors and superb action shots. So be brave, dress warmly, get out there and shoot. The world of winter photography awaits you! Follow the tips outlined in this article and you are sure to be successful in 'freezing' those perfect photographic moments without getting frozen.

For more in-depth lessons on photography consider taking one of BreedWorks' highly acclaimed photography seminars. And if your schedule doesn't meet ours, we offer one-on-one sessions dedicated to your specific needs and interests. To learn more contact BreedWorks by phone (607 432 6860) or email us, to see how we might help you move from photo frustration to fantastic photos.