Landscape photography can be an intense and emotional experience at times. Of course there are many examples of the hastily grabbed shot where luck has played its part. Perhaps en route somewhere that perfect combination of light and form presents itself, completely unplanned, and there may only be minutes to capture the image before the light changes. A good photographer will always be prepared though and will invariably have a camera with them. However, more often than not, the photograph is the result of hours of careful planning and preparation.
My list of locations that I want to photograph is an ever growing one. In fact it’s becoming so long that I am unlikely to get to all of them. I simply don’t have enough years left! But it’s always good to have options. And to dream.
Once the location has been identified the landscape photographer needs to assess when the conditions will be right to capture the perfect shot, if such a thing exists. This can be an extremely frustrating process or a rewarding one depending on how you see the opportunity.
There are many sources of information that will tell you from which the direction the light will shine and when, and that will forecast when the weather is right for the shot you want to achieve. I like nothing more than pouring over maps, using the contours to picture the shape of the landscape. But once again fortune and patience are key.
Many is the time that I have spent hours travelling to a location, whether it be by car, by bicycle or on foot, only to find that the forecast was inaccurate. Often it is a question of patience, just waiting for the perfect light. I love these times. An excuse to simply sit and wait. To take in the scene before me, to experience the elements, and to sit in idle contemplation away from the pressures of life. It’s funny how things seem so different after these interludes. The seemingly insurmountable problems, those nagging doubts, and the endless voices have a habit of resolving themselves and melting away. This for me is an opportunity not a frustration. Walking away without taking a photograph because the conditions were not right is not wasted time. It is time well spent.
Sometimes the stars are aligned and everything comes together on the first visit. The choice of composition, the weather, the light, and my own frame of mind are just so, and the time comes to make the image. But no two visits to a location are ever the same. The light will always be different. Some locations are so spectacular or have such an emotional connection that they justify repeated visits. Take a look at the photograph of the trees that feature in my logo. I have visited this location literally hundreds of times. It’s right on my doorstep. And it’s never the same. The day I took the photograph that I’ve used in my logo the ground was thick with snow. A rare occurrence in southern England. It’s unlikely I’ll witness the same scene again which makes it even more rewarding that I was there to witness it. My persistence paid off.
In my next blog I’ll talk more about the process of taking the photograph.