How to prepare for a landscape photography shoot

[doubleconvex]

This is a post that I wrote for my photography blog and was originally published at How to prepare for a landscape photography shoot | DoubleConvex Photography, Media & Design

There are some things that are bigger than you, and that you just have to work with. Its a bit like swimming in the ocean where you place yourself in the food chain, and there are no guarantees about coming face-to-face with a jellyfish or a shark.

There's a bit of that with landscape photography - you really are going to be at the mercy of the elements. However, a little bit of preparation always goes a long way towards being able to take a few good shots. There are a few things to always consider when taking on board a landscape photography shoot - location, weather, time, gear, and fitness.

Some of these are items that you can control - while others are things that you will need to plan for and work along.

Location

For a start, its always a good idea to know

• where you're going;
• what you're going to shoot; and
• how you're going to get there.

This is something that is within your control. The last thing that you need to be doing is driving/walking around in circles being uncertain as to how to get to where you want to go. Always do your research before leaving, and have a clear idea of what you want to shoot.

Weather

Weather is one of those things that is bigger than you, but is something that you can work around. Needless to say, going out to shoot when the weather forecast calls for a day of intense rains does not make for good conditions for photography, and will usually lead to a very wet and frustrating trip. The best conditions for landscape photography are partially cloudy days with very little wind. Always check the weather forecast before heading out on a shoot.

Time

There never is enough. Time is one of those things that you have a reasonable level of control over. When planning a shoot, its important to have a good estimate of:

1. how much time it will take to get to your location;
2. how much time you plan to shoot; and
3. what is the best time to shoot at.

The first of these three items involves considering not merely the drive times to locations, but the amount of time it will take to hike from where you plan on parking, to where you plan to shoot. The second involves the amount of time you plan to spend on shooting your subject. The third involves consideration for (a) the time of the day, and (b) the time of the year at when you plan to shoot.

The best time of the day to shoot is typically when the sun is low. For morning shoots, that is from first light (about half an hour to an hour before sunrise, depending on your location) to an hour after sunrise. For evening shoots, the best time is about 45 minutes before sunset, to a half hour after sunset. You can usually find guides to sunrise and sunset on the Internet for your location. In addition, there are a range of different apps for smartphones that will put that information in the palm of your hand.

If you're planning to shoot on the coast, be sure to take note of tidal movements. Getting it right is the difference between having the right conditions, or being unable to even approach your subject.

In terms of choosing the time of the year, the choice comes down to the nature of the shot that you plan to take. Generally speaking, both spring and fall are excellent landscape photography seasons (especially the fall). If you're looking for good snowbound shots, winter is pretty much your only choice. Desert shots are best taken in the summers - but beware of the heat.

Gear

Your choice of gear is in your control. It is not merely limited to your photography gear, but also your hiking gear, and any protective equipment that you might need. Consider the following if you're hiking for any length of time over 1o minutes.

1. A decent pair of walking shoes or boots;
2. If you're going to be covering rough terrain, consider the use of a hiking pole;
3. Protective clothing - when shooting on the coasts, never assume that summer means that it is going to be warm. Check with the locals, and with the weather bureau for wind patterns. The weather on the coast can change very suddenly, and it is important to keep yourself warm in such circumstances. Consider dressing in layers, and ensure that you keep your head, ears, and fingers well protected.

In regards to photography gear, you ought to have the following at all times:

1. Your camera (duh!);
2. The correct lens. 90% of my shots are taken with a wide angle lens (17-40mm);
3. Enough memory;
4. Enough power (or a backup battery);
5. A weather shield (or plastic bag) to protect your camera from any moisture or rain;
6. A towel (to wipe away any major moisture that you lens may be exposed to); and
7. A micro-fibre cloth to keep the lens clean from any minor moisture exposure (especially handy in coastal shoots or in the middle of the rain).

Other things that help are:

• Neutral density and/or polarizing filters;
• a tripod (they can get a bit bulky; sometime I choose to carry my GorillaPod instead); and
• a remote cable release

Now you'll notice that this is a fair bit of stuff. Most photographers look for a decent backpack to help them get around. When choosing a backpack, look for one that has both waist straps as well as shoulder straps that sit just above your hips.Backpacks designed in this manner help distribute the weight across both your legs as well as your shoulders, and reduce the risk of back strains.

Also make sure that you have enough water and snacks to keep you going during your shoot. Landscape photography shoots typically take a couple of hours when working with the light, and the odds are that you will get thirsty and hungry while you're out and about.

Fitness

As you might have gathered by now, landscape photography involves a fair bit of walking with a considerable amount of weight strapped to your back. Needless to say, landscape photographers need to be reasonably fit. A good way to acclimatize yourself to this is by walking at a brisk pace while carrying a small load in general. You don't have to set any new records, but just be able to walk fast enough to where holding a conversation becomes challenging. If you're into working out at the gym, treadmills and stair steppers are a great way to bring your fitness levels up. Ideally, you should be able to walk 20 minute sessions without too much difficulty.

These are just a few things that you'll need to take on board landscape photography. But they do not count for anything unless you have a clear mind and are at peace with yourself.

Above all else, its important to not stress over taking a heap of great shots. I've always believed that landscape photography is about being able to enjoy your surroundings in nature, and that your feelings inside you perceive your surroundings and influence how you capture a scene. It is when you find yourself at peace with your surroundings that your images will truly come together as a memory that will take your breath away at a later time.

In summary,

• plan the location of your shoot meticulously - know what you want to photograph and how you're going to get there;
• make sure the weather is smiling on your;
• allow yourself enough time to get to your location at the right time;
• make sure you have all the gear you need - not merely to take photographs, but also to take care of your own well-being; and
• make sure you're fit enough to make the trip.

Good luck on your next landscape photography shoot!

[Islandcrow]

Excellent tips. You touched on this, but there are now a lot of great tools out there to help out landscape photographers plan their shoots. Google Earth is a god-send! In addition to using it to plan my lighting (i.e. what time of day is going to be best for the shoot) and getting a good idea of what sort of terrain and other natural (or man-made) features could make for interesting photos, for many areas, other people have posted photos. Granted, many of these aren't exactly award winning shots, but they can give you an idea of what the scene looks like.

My favorite tool, however, is The Photographer's Ephemeris (The Photographer's Ephemeris | Plan your shoot). It's a free program that pretty much combines Google Earth with sunrise/sunset and moonrise/moonset utilities. . .and it looks like they've released an App for the Android (I'll have to download that myself).

Oh, and the last thing I always point out is. . .learn to enjoy the hike. I can't count the number of times that even after the most careful planning, I've gotten to my location and it either wasn't quite what I'd imagined, the weather didn't cooperate, or it simply took longer than I'd planned, and I missed my ideal light. At least I got some fresh air and exercise. . .better luck next week.

[RichardTaylor]

Thanks very much for this post.
+1 on The Photographer's Ephemeris.