Settings for Snow Scenes

Breakfastbar

Hi, can anyone please tell me the best settings for taking snow scene photos in bright sunlight and cloudy conditions. Thanks.

Electricwitch

I'm struggling with snow scenes as well. Most of the articles I've read say to increase exposure by +1 or +2 but I still don't get a good color sky; it's very grey or too dark. Also I'm not sure when you say expose +2 does that mean expose two more stops (i.e .0.3 0.7) or just go straight to +2.

I've been very disappointed with my snow shots.

ZekeMenuar

I don't know a thing about taking pictures in snow, however
here's what my cheater book says about photographing in snow.
The book is Digital SLR Settings & Shortcuts for Dummies by Doug Sahlin.

Metering Mode: Evaluative
Drive Mode: Single Shot
Shooting Mode: Aperture Priority
Aperture: f/7.1 to f/16
ISO Setting: 100 - 800
Focus Mode: Single Shot
Auto-Focus Point: Single auto-focus point
Focal Length: 28mm - 85mm
Image Stabilization: On

Notes:
If the snow looks blue, switch to the cloudy white balance setting or manually tune the white balance.

If the scene looks darker in the image than it really is then the snow is tricking the camera into thinking the scene should be darker. Use exposure compensation to to increase the exposure.

Usually the settings in this book get me in the ballpark if I don't know how to shoot a given scene.

Electricwitch

This book sounds like it needs to be on my to buy list. Thanks for info.

Karen

Breakfastbar

Thanks for the comments. I think that I may have been a bit premature in asking my original question. I realized, after posting, that I could just use the same settings I used on my Kodak Easyshare Z612 when taking photos in snow last year, which turned out ok. However, I was still a little apprehensive about taking my Nikon D3100 to Austria so I ended up taking the Z612 instead and once again I was pleased with the results. The settings I used were:
Shooting Mode: Aperture Priority
Aperture: f/8 (smallest available)
ISO setting: 100
White Balance: Daylight

I then adjusted the exposure compensation until the scene through the viewfinder looked natural. Sorry, but I don't know how to post photos that can be viewed by everyone otherwise I would do so in order for you all to see the results.