P#19: The Stunning Contrast of a White Birch Tree in the Fall

A Winning Combination

Jim Zuckerman: This photograph of the white birch tree is a perfect example of what I was talking about earlier with respect to birch bark and red leaves. It's just a stunning combination. (click the image for a larger version)

Here you have a white sky but, at least to my eye, it's not distracting because it's almost like a white background in the studio. There's so much color here and you've got a nice balance with those tree trunks that the white background is okay.

Audri Lanford: This is a really good example of when a white sky shot okay. It's great. Now our listeners can see what you mean by that. It's gorgeous. I love that contrast.

Jim Zuckerman: Thank you. Also notice that in this situation, the white sky can influence the meter and cause some underexposure. When you shoot toward the white sky, always monitor what is happening in terms of exposure with your picture.

You can see in the LCD monitor. It will give you a really good idea. Those camera monitors are not perfect in assessing our pictures, but they can give you a really good idea of what's going on. If you're shooting toward a white sky and you notice that your pictures are a little bit dark, just go plus one third on your exposure compensation.

In Conclusion

Sometimes breaking the rules is okay, and that's exactly what Jim did when he took this beautiful fall shot. While you usually want to avoid white sky in your photographs, it can work out well in certain situations. This picture of a white birch tree was one such occasion.