Using Photography to Break the Cabin Fever of Winter

Do you ever find yourself experiencing cabin fever when the snow is just too much? We hardy New Englanders are all too familiar with heavy snowfall and snow days spent inside because of it. But how can you avoid boredom when shut in? Sure, you can watch TV or Netflix, pop in a DVD, or even curl up by the fire, hot cocoa in hand. But what about doing something a little more productive? Something that will really break the cabin fever better than your favorite TV show? Consider turning your snow day into a photoshoot. You’ll be able to further develop your photography skills while also having fun with it. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Clear the Clutter – The first step to any project is to make sure you have a clean workspace, and, in the case of an art project, a clean canvas. For the photoshoot be sure to clear any clutter from the background. If not, people’s attention could be drawn more toward this clutter than to the actual subject, even if the background is blurry.

• White Balance – It is important to capture the true colors of whatever you’re photographing. Sure, your eyes can automatically detect the waves of light, which your brain then translates into the color you see. Cameras and their lenses, however, haven’t quite caught up to speed though. In order to capture the true colors, you need to do what is called white balance. This can be done with a plain, white posterboard. Place the white posterboard as a background, then put the object in front of it. The white posterboard should be the only thing in the background with the object you plan to photograph in the foreground. White balance is a simple technique to get the truest color in all your photos.

• Let it Shine – Another technique that will enhance the colors in your photos is to let in natural light from the most abundant source: the Sun. You may have to feng shui the room a bit to get the right amount of light focused on the object, but it’ll be worth it to get that perfect shot. If the picture is still too dark, though, you may want to use the flash as well to really get the desired effect.

Don’t let a winter storm bring you down. Enhance your photography skills by turning your snow day into a full blown photoshoot. You’ll get some great photos you can be proud of and share with others. It may take some prep work, but you’ll be a pro soon enough.