Bright, sunny day.

A crow, a raven, a moose or a black bear appears. How to photograph the scene to ensure the black-colored object does’t “blow out”. That is, how to keep the detail in the feathers or fur?

How about when new snow is in the scene? How to photograph the beautiful setting without “blowing out” the snow. You know that feeling, don’t you? The snow becomes one large blob of white. So, how to keep detail in the snow and make sure the color is correct?

The answer to both questions is relatively straight forward – – – focus and set the exposure on the object in question.

Here’s what I do with a Nikon D7000 SLR and Nikon 70-300 VR lens.

1. Use program mode (or aperture-priority mode) to utilize single area for focus and center-weighted metering for exposure.

2. Shoot in RAW for maximum control over color and contrast.

3. Shoot multiple photos. Vary the exposure and focal point for maximum benefit. Remember, it’s easy to delete poor photos from the computer, but a shot not taken is one that is forever lost.

4. A quality telephoto lens helps the photographer focus on individual elements of photographic scenes.

Next time you take a photo of a snowy scene on a sunny winter day, or a black bear, let me know if it turned out well.

A crow in the sunlight (Focus, and set the exposure, on the eye)

New snow on Mt. Hood (Focus, and set the exposure, on the ridge in the foreground)