Yellowstone Intermission: Photography Lesson #2 - Weather Creates Opportunity
I mentioned this in the last blog post, but blue skies are often photographically boring. That statement points towards another photographic expression worth noting - Weather creates opportunity!
I remember the look of confusion on Ann’s face when, before she started photographing, she commented on the sky as we were heading out for a hike with camera in hand, “Looks like it’s going to be sunny!” “Yeah!” I replied with a bit of disappointment in my voice. “I wish it was overcast.” As Ann now well understands, for the type of intimate landscapes we tend to photograph around our part of Oregon, direct sunlight is usually overly harsh and often creates a greater dynamic range of light (the range between the darkest and brightest parts of a scene) than the camera can handle. Overcast light (or even hazy clouds) can soften the light tremendously and provide subtle gradation in the transition between lit and shadow areas of an object.
Weather can introduce even more qualities that make an image special.
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The above photograph was taken early in the morning following a night of rain. The rocks and plants are dark with moisture, the mist in the valley gives a sense of depth (by separating the trees from the mountain in the background), and the clouds reflecting the morning light gives added color to the image. Some of my best photographs have been made in a light rain or between showers.
That isn’t to say that weather is always good. As you know from the previous post, we ran away from the weather during this trip. It’s extremely difficult to find and to create great images in a downpour or heavy steady rain or while it’s snowing. That’s what we were running away from. Once weather gets heavy, you start loosing much of the subtle qualities it can add to an image.
What one should be looking for are the transitions in the weather. The lightening storm as it approaches. The cold front as it dissipates. The breaks between showers. That is when conditions on the ground and the skies become special and, if you’re quick enough, you can make images that capture the ephemeral qualities of light, clouds and atmosphere that weather can produce. Often those conditions exist for only a few minutes.
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But to capture it, you have to be there and be ready.Which means that sometimes you’re going to get cold and wet and, more often than you’d like, walk away with no photographs.But sometimes . . . well, it’s worth it!