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Question:

Hi, I came across your site looking for tips on shooting in the desert. As I am from New York this will be a totally new experience for me. I was thinking I would overexpose a stop similar to snow...but is that correct? Do you have any tips or ideas? This is my first big trip west and I'd hate to get home and see that my pics weren't what I was hoping for.

Thank You for your time.

Answer:

You're right, shooting in the desert is like shooting snowy landscapes. How much you will overexpose will depend on the tone of the sand. The lighter the tone the more you overexpose, the darker the less you overexpose.

Since the best shooting occurs with early morning or late afternoon/evening light, there will be areas in your picture that will be in heavy shadow. Keep this in mind when determining your exposure as well.

For the image at http://www.garryblack.com/scenic004p.htm if I remember correctly, I underexposed this shot by 1/2 a stop, maybe even 3/4.

For http://www.garryblack.com/scenic003p.htm I shot this directly on what the meter recommended, I figured that the dark shadows balance out the lighter sand.

One item that you will definitely need for shooting in the desert is a polarizing filter. It makes a remarkable difference.

Have a great trip!