What goes into my images

One of my favourite images, all about the light & location. Dove Lake, Tasmania

If you want to take better landscape photos then stand in front of something more interesting, if that doesn’t work then stand in front of it more often.

I’d love to say my skills as a photographer is the main thing behind my images but for me the above saying says it all, great locations & persistence to get ideal weather conditions. Look at any landscape photo & there will nearly always be these two main elements that will be the big difference from a nice image to a great image. Ideally you’d like both to increase your chances of getting that shot but sometimes a spectacular spot can make up for not so perfect conditions & still produce a great image. And other times the light will turn what otherwise is a pretty ordinary scene into a work of art.

Since purchasing my first camera in early 2017 ive been fortunate enough to be able to spend a lot of time travelling & exploring fantastic locations across the country. Which is something you need when you drive everywhere like myself, Australia is pretty big & simply driving to your next location can take up a lot of time. And with that time im able to chase the ideal conditions around the country depending on the seasons, ideal conditions for a landscape photographer & the type of photos I like to take often means contending with the likes of rain, wind, cold & humidity. A lot of people don’t have the luxury to be able to devote so much time to there hobby, then to spend that time in what you hope will be ideal conditions and not get that shot you were hoping for, suddenly that early morning hike doesn’t seem like the best use of your precious time.

Sunsets after rain seem to often provide fantastic colour. Petrel Cove, South Australia

So how do I try & increase the chances of getting that great shot?

Chasing that bad weather

I love cold, cloudy, miserable weather! Maybe its from growing up on a farm in Australia with long hot summers & experiencing many droughts that I used to relish any cool wet weather we’d receive. Luckily for me it also suits my passion of photographing nature & hiking in cooler weather makes it a lot more comfortable. So my main tool is the Bureau of Meteorology which is Australia’s weather agency, known in Australia simply as The BOM. If im planning a trip I like to look at the long term averages of the areas im interested in visiting to find out what months they usually get a reasonable amount of wet/cloudy weather, the last thing I want are sunny days followed by more sunny days. Once Ive worked out a few suitable areas I then look at the long term outlooks, these give you the chances of exceeding above average rainfall/temperature for the next month. This information gives me a pretty good idea on what location should have some interesting weather for my trip. When visiting the deserts of central Australia rainfall can be very sporadic so even using the weather apps it can be very hard to plan for good weather, although it is useful for checking recent rainfall if planning to photograph desert wildflowers or waterholes in the creeks & gorges. Checking recent rainfall is also particularly helpful if you plan on visiting waterfalls, most of Australia’s waterfalls are best visited after some good rain. Once ive set out on my trip I then keep up to date with the weekly forecast & checking it daily. Sunny days generally aren’t great for taking great photos but are perfect for scouting out sunrise/sunset spots so when you do get some better conditions youll know where to go to take advantage of it. Keeping a eye on the weather radar is helpful too particularly with fast moving storms. When im in remote areas with no mobile phone reception I use my satellite phone to get updated weather forecasts from family members.

After two weeks of endless blue sky there was finally some storms on the forecast so decided to head out earlier then planned to Chambers Pillar to try to make the most of it. Northern Territory

The downside can be if you get day after day of endless wet weather which can be pretty frustrating & uncomfortable when camping but you just make the most of it. It also keeps a lot of the tourists away so much more peaceful. When im not travelling & just at home I still regularly check the local forecast so I know what days might be good for a sunrise/sunset shoot at the local beach etc.

Finding that location

I never have a strict schedule when travelling & mainly use google maps to work out the national parks & natural attractions in the area. Ill have a list of places I want to visit but will be pretty flexible, quickly moving on to the next location or extending my stay due to a better forecast. Satellite view on google maps is handy too for looking for some interesting rocky coastlines etc. I often find written descriptions of a area describing the local landscapes helpful too rather then solely relying on online image searches. Another way to find some great locations is to talk to some locals, its surprising how many times ive been told of lesser known spots to visit from chatting to people on there morning walk or stumbling onto local photographers while out & about.

At the end of the day though you just cant beat getting out there & exploring for yourself rather then too much online research. It can take a bit of the magic away viewing a lot of images of a area your about to visit, much better to see them first in real life then on a screen. Also viewing very beautiful photos before you leave for the trip can be inspirational but if you don’t get similarly good photos it can be a bit of downer even when you may in fact be still taking good quality photos. And no matter what, you can find yourself taking similarly composed shots of the images you viewed online rather then working out your own composition.

When arriving at a new location I like to find a suitable spot for sunrise & sunset asap so if there is some colour in those first few days I hopefully wont miss out. While out scouting even in sunny weather when I don’t often take many good photos I still like to always have my camera gear with me just in case, and sometimes at night I will compare scouting photos to help decide which one is worth spending more time at. If I find one particularly good spot then ill often go to it for both sunrise & sunset to better my chance of getting good light there. I also time myself on most walks/hikes so I know when to set my alarm for sunrise & when to set out in the afternoon for sunset.

A cascade I stumbled upon on a cold cloudy day while exploring Mount Field NP, Tasmania

Beating the crowds

Being out in nature is always much more enjoyable when theres less people about so I always try to do my travelling outside of school holidays to beat the crowds, particularly the real popular tourist areas. You have less chance of people getting in your shot, more freedom to move around for different compositions, generally cheaper accommodation & you usually don’t have to book in advance to get a campsite so you can be more spontaneous & flexible with your schedule. With campgrounds less crowded its usually a lot quieter too so easier to get a early/good nights sleep in for that early morning sunrise shoot. Sunrises are my favourite time to photograph with less people about & no footprints at the beach, just beautiful smooth sand. So even if you are somewhere in the busy season getting up early is definitely worth it. It can also help when photographing popular spots to get there well before sunrise/sunset so you can find a good place to set up, even better if you’ve scouted out the best composition earlier so you know exactly where to go straight away. The more your enjoying yourself its more likely you wont have any problems finding the energy to get up early or adding that extra hike, which in return will pay dividends.

A very popular National Park but on a weekday outside school holidays theres no trouble with crowds. Lamington NP, Queensland

Be creative

No matter how well you plan sometime things just don’t go your way. I love visiting central Australia for instance & it is a landscape that photographs well with a big blue sky or the late afternoon light glowing on a rocky gorge, but if you get a week or two of endless blue sky which is very common your photos can all look a bit alike after a while. This is when you have to get a bit more creative, wether it be using my 70-300mm lens & focusing on smaller details of the landscape, taking close up shots of interesting patterns in the sand/rocks or taking advantage of the clear skies by having a go at astro photography. Using a drone is another fantastic way to take great photos when theres not much happening with the weather by mostly or completely eliminating the sky & focusing on interesting patterns in the landscape looking down from above.

With nothing but clear skies on the forecast I decided to visit this old truck after dark & with a head lamp I highlighted the truck under the stars. Pink Lakes NP, Victoria

Mid afternoon on a sunny day at the beach – Esperance, Western Australia

Luck & persistence

Sometimes you just get very lucky. Driving back into Bermagui around sunset after a afternoon of showers I could see a bit of colour developing, trying to think of a spot that looked west all I could think of was the Marina. Took this within a minute of parking the ute & within another minute or so most of the colour had disappeared.

Sometimes you have to be persistent. Most of the time the only visible bit of this shipwreck is one or two pieces sticking out of the sand but after some wild weather & high tides a lot of it had been revealed. After hearing about it on the news I spent a week there hoping to capture a good shot before it was again covered in sand. During that week I didn’t get any I was happy with so a few weeks later I spent another week there & finally got this sunrise.

Sunrise with no footprints or people. Buster Shipwreck – Woolgoolga, NSW

When your alarm goes off a hour or two before sunrise & you turn it off still half asleep only for it to be taken over by the sound of rain on your tent it can be so easy to just go back to sleep, or reset the alarm to just before sunrise & go to a spot not as photogenic but a lot closer. But the weather can change quickly & most of my favourite sunrise/sunset shots were taken just after rain with often the most stunning colours mixed with interesting clouds. The opposite can often happen too, poking your head out of your tent & seeing a sky full of stars, only to wake up around sunrise with high cloud colouring up & you left thinking what if. I also find if you do regularly get up early for sunrise (particularly when on a photographic trip) then your body will adjust & I will often find myself waking up 5 or 10 minutes before my alarm. I hate being rushed so I like to get to my spot before or around first light so I can set everything up & just sit & watch the light change. As a landscape photographer you have to be persistent.

Conclusion

Theres only so much we can do & a lot of the time it just doesn’t eventuate. But when it does go your way, to have your camera set up at a beautiful location & to watch mother nature put on a show while you capture it is priceless & makes up for all the disappointing times. So if you want to take great landscape photos, spend less time worrying about your gear or any rules of photography & as much time as you can outdoors enjoying nature & its bad weather.

Photographing Honey Possums