While going through my blog post archives I found this gem. The original blog post (12 Real Landscape Photography Tips) was pretty popular throughout 2013 on my old blog The Official Thief Images Blog, so I decided that it need a bit of freshening up thought that I should post it here because that these tips are still pretty relevant.
There is a lot of information on the web to help you improve your landscape photography but I am yet to find one that will give you advice that will make your life that little bit easier. So the tips that I have listed below are lessons, mostly hard lessons that I have learnt during the years of trekking out the door before the sunrises to try and get that magical shot of Mother Nature doing her thing.
I call this conducting a recon which means that I always check out the location during daylight hours because it will be more than likely be dark when I arrive or leave the area. I am not there to take photos but to try and answer some questions that I may have about the area that I’m going to be in such as:
- Where can I park,
- How long did it take to get here,
- Which track do I take to get where I want to go,
- Are there any gates that restrict access after hours (early morning, late afternoon)
- What time does does the area open or close,
- Where will the tide be at low/high tide,
- Which way will the sun rise or set,
- Are there any obstacles that I will need to navigate like fences or gates, and
- Is the spot I want to use on private land and if so, who and where are the owners so can I ask permission to use it.
2. Take a torch/ flash light.
This one might seem like its fairly obvious and you are probably sitting there saying out loud “of course” but I seem to keep forgetting mine. There have been countless times where I am fiddling around with something in the dark well before first light only to ask myself Where’s my torch? even though I usually know the answer ‘right next to the urn of coffee on the kitchen bench!’ followed by a few expletives. Having a torch will enable you to find that something in the bottom of your camera bag like that mysterious cable release or where you put that lens cap (which I always seem to loose) and just as important to find your way in or out of the area safely. The torch also needs to be waterproof and rugged and be able to float in case you drop it.
3. Check the tide and sunrise/ sunset time.
You want to ensure that the tide times match up with Sunset or Sunrise times because I have gotten to my chosen spot, set up and started to shoot as the sun rose only to realise that if I don’t pack up and move now, I’m swimming back to shore ! Not really an option. Also many fisherman have been knocked off the rocks by rogue waves and sadly drowned. So knowing if the tide is coming in or going out will also help you compose your long exposure shot but also save your gear and more importantly your life. So check the tides before you go out.
The tide times are a decision point as well, if the tides don’t marry up with the sunrise or sunset times, I won’t go to that spot unless there is something else there that I want to shoot which may mean a sleep in if the wife lets me.
4. Appropriate footwear and clothing.
I don’t know how many times I have decided to go and do an early morning shoot and throw the old flip flops on my feet, a pair of old shorts and a t-shirt and head on out, only to get there to find that my chosen footwear or clothing is completely inappropriate and inadequate. Flip flops don’t allow you to walk over sharp rocks or get a decent grip on slippery surfaces which could result in you sliding towards an unintended swim. I highly recommend that wearing an old pair of runners and clothes that you don’t mind getting wet or muddy. The shoes will protect your feet, provide you with some much needed grip on slippery surfaces and the clothing will help protect you from the elements such as high winds, sudden drops in temperatures or even a little bit of rain.
5. Know the weather forecast.
This one goes hand in hand with footwear and clothing. The last thing you need is a sudden change in the weather and be out in a sudden temperature change which could result in you suffering from Hypothermia or have that landscape shot covered in fog. A good fisherman checks the weather forecast along with the tides before they head out, just because you are a photographer doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be doing the same.
6. Take a Mobile/ Cell phone
Fortunately nowadays we have many ways of communicating with people including text messages and social media however having a phone that you can make and receive phone calls from is pretty important. Having a cell phone can provide you with the ability to call for help if needed (and you may not be the one in trouble) or let your loved ones know that you are finished and on your way home. Be aware though that in some remote places you may not get any cell phone reception at all. This is something that you can check when you are conducting a recon of your chosen location. If you are unable to get any reception at all, I recommend going with a friend or a group or even setting some timings with loved ones so they know when you will be back in range of the cell phone towers.
7. Tell Someone
This may not seem to important but please let me reassure you differently. If things do go horribly wrong whilst you are out in the wilderness and you get hurt and no one knows where you are, you may well be in for rough few nights in freezing temps or seriously injured and in desperate need of medical assistance. Telling someone where you will be and when you are expected to return is smart. If you don’t return they can can call you on your cell phone and if you don’t answer after say 20 or 30 minutes they could then come and look for you to see if you are ok, and if you are hurt they can then contact the local Police department or the paramedics. Things do go wrong from time to time and there is nothing you can do about it but you can put some form of a safety net in place to prevent things from becoming worse.
8. Turn around
The original intention was to shoot some seascapes because I struggle to get them right. I’m not sure why but because its a weakness I like to work on it to see if I can fix it. This morning wasn’t particularly any good so I turned around to see what else there was to shoot and thats when I spotted a tree being silhouetted against the colourful sky. The tip here is to turn around and see what is behind you. I have been on many shoots where the landscape turned out to be rather uninspiring due to foregrounds, the sky, weather, random people etc but by turning around I am now looking at another perspective to it, I then adjust my height by squatting, kneeling or laying down, or even climbing up on a large rock to see what is different about the landscape and on many occasions I have been pleasantly surprised.
9. Local Knowledge
If you don’t live there or live in the surrounding area and you want to know where to go, ask the people who live and work in that area such as Police, Hotel Reception staff, the guy at the petrol station, the pharmacy, taxi drivers. Most of these people have lived there for all of their lives and have an intimate knowledge of the area and they can tell you things about places that you wouldn’t even have thought about. Especially the spots tourist don’t go to because the locals will not always divulge that special place to a tourist. I am always asking about Marina’s, the old parts of town with dingy alley ways where tourists don’t go and abandoned buildings. I still haven’t found any abandoned building but I have Marina’s, rocky outcrops and creepy, scary alleys where I didn’t even think to look. Most of these places will more than likely be an undesirable location to many tourists but they can be great photographic gems. Don’t be afraid to ask.
10. Use a tripod
I know that you have heard this piece of advice before but a tripod is a must, but here’s the other bit of advice that you never get told. Your tripod can get wet and by wet I mean by using it in water, I constantly use my tripod in the water and I have been up to knee deep on many occasions. I didn’t buy my tripod to use in a studio, I bought the tripod to lump around the country with me and for it to provide a steady platform for the my trusty camera. So don’t be scared to get it wet, dirty or even muddy. It all comes off at the end of the day.
11. Insect Repellant
I laugh every time I say this, take insect repellant with you, and a good one, there is nothing worse while you are out photographing the sunrise or sunset and being bitten non-stop by bugs, but you will never guess where mine normally is, its with my torch next to the urn of coffee on the kitchen bench. A good insect repellant will keep those bugs at bay and let you concentrate on what you are there to do. Capture Mother Nature at her finest.
12. Drink Responsibly
You might like to have a few drinks of a night, out with friends or at a Barbeque but be careful on how many drinks you consume as you could very well still be over the legal limit in the wee hours of the morning while driving to your chosen location. The chances of being subjected to a Random Breath Testing (RBT) is pretty high here in Australia even on weekdays, so add some caution when drinking the night before if you intend on driving to your chosen location the following morning, even if you still feel under the weather, simply cut it away for that day and go back to bed. So the message here is really, if you wish to drink, drink, but drink responsibly.
This list is by no means an exhaustive list and I’m sure there are more tips out there. If you have got some tips I would love to hear them or if you have tried something and it worked or it didn’t work, let us know and hopefully it will make life that little bit easier when out photographing this beautiful place that we call home.
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