How to colour correct snow photos fast
in Lightroom
You'll need:
Some wrongly exposed snow or ski photos with a colour cast.
Photo editing software (we used Lightroom but all software should have a similar white balance correction tool).
There are typically 2 problems to fix with photos taken in the snow: too dark and with a blue colour cast. You can set your camera to compensate for both of these before you start taking photos (set the exposure compensation to +1 or +2, and set the white balance to snow conditions), but if you forget, there's a quick and easy way to fix the exposure and colour cast in Lightroom.
1. Fixing colour cast and exposure problems
Open up your photo in Lightroom (or whatever photo editing software you use) and find the white balance eye dropper tool, and the exposure correction panel. In Lightroom they are both the Develop module:
For the white balance, click the eye dropper tool on a part of the image that should be pure white. For the exposure, click 'Auto', or move the Exposure slider to the right. That's all there is to it. You might need to adjust the 'Temp' and 'Tint' sliders under the eye dropper tool if the image looks wrong still. I've set the display up to show the Before and After photos, but you should view the corrected image on its own against a grey background to decide it it's fixed. Compared right next to the original image this one looks a bit pink, but on its own it is fine.
Once you have settings that work you can save them and apply them to a whole batch of photos to make sure they are consistent and save some time (Develop > New Preset... , then add a name for the preset and click 'Create').
2. Extra problems if you use different cameras
I use my phone and a compact camera on holiday, and they both set the auto exposure and auto white balance differently. If I want to include a mix of photos in an album I need to correct the white balance very, very carefully otherwise the photos will have a nice selection of different blue and pink tints which will look odd if they are next to each other in an album.
These photos took a bit of toing and froing to get the white balance the same, but once you have settings that work for the different cameras, save them and apply them to the photos from each camera to maintain a consistent batch of photos. (Develop > New Preset... , then add a name for the preset and click 'Create'.)
Our TIPS
1. Set exposure compensation before you start
Dial in a +1 or a +2 compensation and your camera will automatically overexpose all of your photos. The reason snow photos are dark is that the camera automatically thinks everything is a mid grey tone. If there is mostly white snow in the photo, the camera will assume it is grey and provide an exposure to match. By over exposing you are compensating for the fact the camera doesn't have a brain. Don't forget to put it back to 0 when you leave the snow.
2. Set the white balance before you start as well
Find the white balance selector on your camera and choose the 'snow' setting if there is one, or (using your manual) work out how to do a manual white balance correction for the snow conditions. It's a bit of a pain to set up, but saves you a lot of post processing work.
3. Do you ski at the back of the pack?
I usually end up at the end of the line so any photos I take have beautiful views down the mountain but nobody's faces in. Remember to shoot up the hill from time to time.
4. Remember, that sunny day might be the only one you get
If the sun comes out, take LOTS of pictures. It might be cloudy for the rest of the holiday.
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