Metering in a snowstorm?

[Struan Gray]

You haven't said what sort of photograph you want to make. Lith-like shadows on a creamy white field? Accurate tonal depiction with the resulting bugger all seperation between the snowflakes and the background? The on-camera flash snapshot aesthetic?

Decide that, and the exposure/development will be obvious.

I would try to depict the feel of the wrap-round sensory deprivation you get when walking through a whiteout. Put the whites on Zone V and print light.

[james mickelson]

One thing to think about is the color of the image. If you expose color positive film (slide) in that light, it will have a very blue tone to it. Even though your eye says it's flat and colorless or gray, the light that is there is almost all blue as that is the last discernable wavelength of light getting through the clouds. If you want a more pleasing color to the image, I would put a warming filter on the lens. Not the Outdoor Photographer strength but a slight warming filter which would neutralize some of the blue and make the color more pleasing, not that blue is unpleasant. But it would make the snow white. The idea of using a flash is a good one especially if you have multiple exposure options. A short flash would freeze the snow a short distance from the flash while a second exposure without flash would allow you to soften the falling snow like water falling. Whatever you do, have fun doing it.

[Capocheny]

And torrential down-pour here in Vancouver today!

But, the ducks seem to be having a good time!

Cheers

[Wayne Crider]

What James said but a stronger filter. I wouldn't be tempeted to expose such expensive materials without a color meter. Even a cheap Sixticolor would be better then nothing. Just allow for any cold coloring that you want.

[Brian Ellis]

I think that how you determine your exposure depends on the scene. What was in those black shadow areas? Was it something important to the photograph or were they just accent blacks or something similar that didn't require detail to be shown? If the latter then you could just place the snow wherever you wanted it depending on what you wanted to convey in the photograph. E. g. if you wanted a bright, high contrast photograph you might place the snow on Zone VI or VII and let the shadows fall where they may, most likely Zone I or II from your description, which means there would be no detail in them. If you were going for a darker, more moody look, place the snow on Zone V or VI which will result in the shadows being totally black but that's o.k. if there's nothing important to the photograph in them. If there was something in the black areas that was important to the photograph then place the snow where you want it and meter the shadows to see if the contrast range exceeds the ability of the film to hold detail in both areas. If it does then you either don't make the photograph or you accept the fact that you'll have to give up detail somewhere and expose for the area in which detail is most important.