Bringing this somewhat back on topic, my rule of thumb is for snow in full sun, give 2 stops more exposure than the meter suggests. If it is overcast, such as when it's cloudy and snowing, 1 stop more exposure than the meter suggests.
For example, where I am normal bright sun exposure for ISO400 is 500 F/11. This was shot at 250 F/11, and was a stop off what the meter suggested. Camera was Canon New F1, partial metering screen, metered before the train came along and the dark of the locomotive could influence the meter.
View attachment 324218
One shoe size DOES NOT fit all. Snow could be one stops above, or seven stops above mid-tone 18% value. Keeping life and sparkle in snow is different than just bagging something which looks like snow generically. I've spent my whole life doing mountain photography. "Rule of thumb" is "malarky".
The OP has no experience metering for snow. Would you sugges they blindly believe the meter? Rules of thumb are not accurate to 3 decimal places in all situations, but a check for what might be in the range of reasonable."Rule of thumb" is "malarky".
Am heading off to the Alps on Friday
So far so good. Some shots taken in Nancy France (-9) and Innsbruck (-3) on the drive down to the Tirol. HP5 shot at 1600 (ID-11 for 21 mins) on the New F1 (24mm F2.8 Canon). Thanks for all the suggestions guys.
You might find the Jiffy Night Calculator useful. I have been using it since it was first published in 1963. It has adjustment for snowy scenes.
Night Exposures - In a Jiffy
I love shooting after sunset - the limited dynamic range of twilight, the rich colors in the sky after the sun has long gone, the twinkling lights of a distant city, the trails of car lights along ...f-sunny.com
You might find the Jiffy Night Calculator useful. I have been using it since it was first published in 1963. It has adjustment for snowy scenes.
Night Exposures - In a Jiffy
I love shooting after sunset - the limited dynamic range of twilight, the rich colors in the sky after the sun has long gone, the twinkling lights of a distant city, the trails of car lights along ...f-sunny.com
Why not use a digital camera and transfer the exposure settings to the film camera.?
Because digital sensors aren't film!
Why not use a digital and transfer settings, Alan? Because digital sensors aren't film! And even films differ from one another, and can in turn be developed differently as needed. Plus a digital camera is a hecka lot bulkier and heavier than a light meter, and way less specific in its readings. I suppose some people shoot b&w on film, but color on digital, in the same outing. So one is welcome to try.
But it's a shotgun approach, not a precise sniper variety. And snow scenes can vary a great deal in intensity, with some contrast conditions being well beyond typical digital capacity, but within the parameters of intelligently used black and white film choices.
Drew: We had moved on from snow to night scenes. Using a light meter at night is worthless. Sirius's night scene chart prefigured the setting for various types of night scenes. Of course, with a digital, you can see the scene in the LED display as a good starting point, especially for those who don't have Sirius's calculator. That's the point I was making.Because I have used it since 1963 with slides including tungsten slide film and never had a bad exposure. As usual there is no need for the bells and whistles of a digital camera when the Jiffy Night Exposure Rule provides a complete answer.
Drew: We had moved on from snow to night scenes. Using a light meter at night is worthless. Sirius's night scene chart prefigured the setting for various types of night scenes. Of course, with a digital, you can see the scene in the LED display as a good starting point, especially for those who don't have Sirius's calculator. That's the point I was making.
And its light and no batteries!Ah but the calculator is free.
And its light and no batteries!
And sometimes one can use one's spot meter and make an educated guess.
After dark from the hostel rooftop patio, Santiago, Chile. January 2019 about 11pm, my last night and I still had a couple holders with unexposed film!!
5x7, 180mm lens, FP4+, f32 @ 10 minutes, platinum/palladium print
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