Moraine Park Aspens. Snow was falling at a pretty good clip when I arried in Rocky Mountain this morning. Using the heavy snow to isolate this grove, allowed me to create a unique image of an often photographed location. Canon 5D II, 70-200 F4 ISSome of my favorite photographs have been taken during in less then ideal weather conditions. Weather can make or break creating great imagery. Often times, it is tempting to want to get out in the field when the weather is nice and predictable. While I’ll take being out in the field any day, sometimes we as photographers need to push ourselves to get out and shoot in weather and light that on the surface appears uninspiring but in fact leads to creating dynamic and unique imagery.
When the weather is less than ideal and I decide to head out into the elements I try to stay local. I often stay local for a few reasons, but one of the important reasons to photograph locally is that I have a better understanding of how the weather will affect my area. Furthermore, instead of additional travel in adverse weather, staying local allows me to focus my resources and my vision on areas that I have a greater familiarity with. This familiarity of my local geographic area as well as how local weather phenomena will affect the landscape, allows me to be more productive with field time.
So the next time your alarm clock goes off at 3:00 AM on a snowy winter morning, don’t hit the snooze button. Instead, use your knowledge and experience of your own local area to create unique imagery in less than ideal weather conditions.The Ponderosa trees on Flagstaff Mountain just outside of Boulder are one of my favorite subjects to photograph. When we get upslope type condtions I will often hike up Flagstaff Mountain in order to capture the conditions. From experience I know that hoar frost and rime ice will coat often coat the trees and grasses. These conditons allow me to capture these beautiful trees and their surroundings in conditions that better represent my vision. Canon 5D II, 24-105mm F4 IS
2 thoughts on “Bad Weather,Great Images”
Really like this shot. I know this area and the grove looks very diffrent with blue skys behind it. It looks like a black and white. You can almost hear the slience just by looking at the shot alone. The Ponderosa tress on Flagstaff look great with the ice and frost. Very unique.
Thanks Joe. In conditions like these there is no place or subjects I’d rather be shooting.
Really like this shot. I know this area and the grove looks very diffrent with blue skys behind it. It looks like a black and white. You can almost hear the slience just by looking at the shot alone. The Ponderosa tress on Flagstaff look great with the ice and frost. Very unique.
Thanks Joe. In conditions like these there is no place or subjects I’d rather be shooting.