Shooting in snowy situations is a challenge, but these tips will help you make the most of the weather.

• Bright snow scenes fool your lightmeter, so set exposure comp between +1.5 and +2 to keep the white stuff from looking gray.

• Snow reflects the predominant light color, and overall blue casts are very common in daylight.Use a custom white balance to minimize the effect.

• Experiment with flash and shutter speeds during snowfall to either blur the flakes with a long shutter speed (1/8 sec or longer), or freeze the flakes with a burst of flash. Combine flash and a long exposure for a combo of blurred and frozen flakes.

• To bring out the rich textures of fresh snow, photograph when the sun is low on the horizon.

ADAPTED FROM LIGHT AND LENS: PHOTOGRAPHY IN THE DIGITAL AGE BY ROBERT HIRSCH (FOCAL PRESS, 2008, $50)