How do you plan when to go out?

Tazzie

Tazzie

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Helen
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Being pretty new to landscape photography I'm getting frustrated by the weather already! Everytime I get up for a dawn shoot the sky is grey, by the time I've got to a "location" for dusk the sky has clouded over :shake:

What weather sites / other tools do you use to plan your shooting days?

Or am I missing the point entirely? :bonk:

Thanks in advance! :)
 
For the morning shoots I use a combination of local weather forecast (TV), weather forecasting websites and a bit of knowledge about the area.
I only get up at silly-o-clock if all pointers are towards the conditions I want and then 50% of the time what happens is totally different! :lol:

Sundown photographs are usually easier... look at the sky and how the light is falling. You can usually tell if it a thin cloud layer is going to form as the day cools just by watching for a few minutes.
 
Got up at 7am today as the forecast was sunshine all day today down at Marwell Zoo, even checked the forecast again at around 11pm and it was still showing sun all day.

Anyhow, got up early, thick cloud cover here, checked the forecast and it had changed to cloud down at Marwell as well. Pain in the bum, this photography stuff!
 
I use the local weather forecasts and if the worst comes to the worst ad the weather doesn't play ball I never let it go to waste and scout out a few locations and note them in the diary,and you never know you might get a few mono images

Cathal
 
This thread's worth a read too :). I usually check the weather forecasts from a few days in advance - for example, I was pretty confident it was going to be good frosty landscape weather this morning - but if it's cloudy, it's cloudy. It doesn't stop you from shooting :) - practise composition and so on, take advantage of moody skies etc.
 
RichardtheSane said:
For the morning shoots I use a combination of local weather forecast (TV), weather forecasting websites and a bit of knowledge about the area.
I only get up at silly-o-clock if all pointers are towards the conditions I want and then 50% of the time what happens is totally different! :lol:

Sundown photographs are usually easier... look at the sky and how the light is falling. You can usually tell if it a thin cloud layer is going to form as the day cools just by watching for a few minutes.
Click to expand...

:agree:

Well that's what the plan usually is:suspect:

Cheers

Darren
 
weather forcasts,
The Met office website has loads of usefull links from standard easy to read predictions, to maritime forecasts, mountain area forecasts and synoptic charts.

Mountain area forcasts cover the extra hill bits of the UK. These are usualy very good for general weather, cloud cover, visibility and expected outlook.

Synoptic charts. You know, the ones with the squigly lines ;) are relatively easy to get to grips with the basics.
Rule 1. High pressure will tend to fill a nearby low pressure but will obey rule 2.
Rule 2. Wind will rotate clockwise around a high pressure and anti-clockwise around a low. Use your left hand and point the thumb up for high and down for low... the wind follows the curve of your fingers.
Rule 3. High pressure areas have clearer skies in winter and hazey in summer.
Rule 4. Low pressure areas have dence clouds and usualy more rain.
Rule 5. Fronts will move with the winds around highs/lows and will bring cloud/rain before they pass.

Tide times
www.easytide.com The admiralty run it and the tide time charts are made by them... You can get up to 7 day predictions for most UK and many foreign ports.

Sun/moon time and bearing predictor. Change the city to the nearest location to you first.
This should help to give an idea of the bearings and time where the sun will rise and set, also the altitude that the sun will climb to.
So if you have a special location nailed for perfect composition and want the sun to co-operate, get your compass out and get a bearing. Then change the dates to find the perfect date and hope the weather plays ball!


:bonk: :D Sorry its a bit dis-jointed
 
Great information and links here :)

Just to add, all those amazing landscapes you see, often from the same photographers a lot of the time, are not just luck or magical technique or special equipment. Keen landscapers go back time and again to the same places, hoping and planning for the perfect shot. It's a combination of basic research, dedication, and loads of patience. Simple. But not easy ;)

Richard.
 
Some great info here, thank you very much indeed chaps :)

Marky - whilst I agree it's a great time for practising there are moody skies and plain boring white / grey ones! I try and shoot something other than the sky in those situations but kind of feels like I'm defeating the object by getting up so goddam early!

I wonder if it's too late to ask Santa for some patience??!!
 
marky_h said:
This thread's worth a read too :). I usually check the weather forecasts from a few days in advance - for example, I was pretty confident it was going to be good frosty landscape weather this morning - but if it's cloudy, it's cloudy. It doesn't stop you from shooting :) - practise composition and so on, take advantage of moody skies etc.
Click to expand...

Re read that thread again, thanks for the heads up :)

singlespeed said:
[
Sun/moon time and bearing predictor. Change the city to the nearest location to you first.
This should help to give an idea of the bearings and time where the sun will rise and set, also the altitude that the sun will climb to.
So if you have a special location nailed for perfect composition and want the sun to co-operate, get your compass out and get a bearing. Then change the dates to find the perfect date and hope the weather plays ball!


:bonk: :D Sorry its a bit dis-jointed
Click to expand...

Am loving this site - thanks single :)
 
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