Photography by Alistair Scott

Author:Alistair Scott
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Greatest Guides Limited

With these settings your shutter speed will probably be slow and a tripod, coupled with a remote release (or the camera’s self-timer) will be essential to avoid vibrations.

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If you’re using a remote release, tie a bright ribbon to it. That will reduce the chances of leaving it behind on a mountainside somewhere.

Keep a weather eye

When you are photographing landscapes, try to anticipate the short-term weather. For example, if the sky is filled with clouds, note which way they are moving. A gap in them, some distance away, may be moving towards you, bringing with it a very photogenic shaft of sunlight. Watch, and wait for it to happen.

Mist opportunity

A mist-covered view may not seem to provide many opportunities for photography. The countryside and sky will be hidden, the light dim, and everything a featureless gray. But wait … once more. The secret of success is timing. The fog will begin to lift, sooner or later. And when it does, color will return to the landscape.

The key to getting a successful shot is to take photographs at the moment when there is a balance between moody mist and the vibrant landscape. Too much mist and the scene will be that monotonous gray. Not enough and you will fail to capture the mysterious atmosphere. But be aware, the moment when mist and landscape are in perfect balance can be very short – no more than a minute or two – less if a breeze gets up. So you need to be ready.

Mist when? Mist where?

If you are keen on photographing those atmospheric misty landscapes then dawn, especially on a wind-free morning, is the best time. And the best places are low-lying land, or river valleys, where mist tends to settle. The very best spot of all is an elevated position overlooking that valley, hollow or other low-lying land.

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Have a lens cloth ready while you are waiting for the mist to lift, and keep checking your lens. The humid conditions mean that droplets of water are likely to condense on the glass, ruining the contrast. If droplets do begin to form, wipe them off with the cloth.

Sky-high

Look above you. If there are dramatic cloud formations, point your camera upwards to make the sky the dominant feature. Leave the land as a mere narrow strip along the base. These ‘skyscapes’ can create very successful photographs, especially if you use an ultra wide-angle lens. Just remember to include a little bit of land in the image, preferably with something like trees or buildings on it. They give a sense of scale. A photograph of nothing but sky doesn’t convey its ‘vastness’ in the same way.

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Spend time sky-watching, even when you don’t have your camera with you. Become familiar with the different types of cloud, how they form and move. Watch the moon as it rises, or the stars as they rotate. Just as a farmer is never wasting his time leaning on a gate watching his animals, so a photographer is never wasting time watching the sky.

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