Shooting landscapes in dull weather.

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robump

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Robert
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Hi everyone,

I really want to get out and shoot some landscapes but the weather is really dull and overcast at the moment, does anyone have any tips on how to shoot landscapes in this kind of weather?

Is it just a case of lengthening the exposure?

Thanks
 
yes, but it's really not worth it. Landscape photography relies on light, Or to put it bluntly, nobody wants to see dull weather landscapes, this is Britain, we can see that any time we want by sticking our heads out the window! :naughty:
 
robump said:
Hi everyone,

I really want to get out and shoot some landscapes but the weather is really dull and overcast at the moment, does anyone have any tips on how to shoot landscapes in this kind of weather?

Is it just a case of lengthening the exposure?

Thanks
Click to expand...

In very simple terms you just need to allow more light into the camera to expose it properly, this could be done by increasing the time the shutter is open, using a larger aperture or increasing the ISO (or a combination of the three) however you normally want a fairly big f-number for landscapes so shooting wide open probably isn't the best option so that leaves you with increasing the ISO and/or slower shutter speed......

The real problem with landscapes on a dull day is that there's usually very little colour/contrast which can make for pretty boring pictures.

You could perhaps get a little creative by having something of interest in the foreground and using a flash to highlight it, or wait until sunrise/set and hope for some nice colours in the sky :)
 
Thanks for the advice everyone! I think i just need to wait for the weather to improve! It really is horrible!

I do like the idea of highlighting something with light, maybe ill try that at night, thanks for the advice!

Cant wait until spring!
 
Look for breaks in the cloud, or try early in the morning or early evening for low lying mist. When the sky is overcast and lacking interest, look for situations where the amount of sky is minimised. Some landscape features are just as photogenic in dull weather as bright, so look for waterfalls, etc. Overcast generally dulls colour, so you'll have to look for strong colours in the landscape - easier in autumn.

A couple of the locations on the Joe Cornish video have overcast conditions (with and without driving rain) and he pulls off some great shots.
 
Dull flat lighting is a bit of a bummer for landscapes. All my free time this year seems to have been plagued by it.
 
Have a go at waterfalls great subject for overcast weather:)
 
Hi Robert.

I know what you mean, the dull weather can really be frustrating and I also prefer to have some light to play with. However.... some people revel in it. Shooting black & white is what's generally prefered, though this may take some editing work to dial in contrast.

If there is definition in the cloud (rather than flat grey stratus) you can get quite effective long exposures (via a 10 stop filter).

The weather can be annoying (I haven't seen the sun for over a week) but keep trying and eventually you'll adapt a style that will suit the conditions.

As you can see I shot this on a dull grey damp day/evening.

6179045976_2d3929e361.jpg
 
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I'm limited in time with my day job but am a keen landscape photographer so have to get on with whatever I get on my day off, often at this time of year that is overcast conditions.

Close up or detail shots work, as does making the scene look even moodier and stormier, either with filters or in PP. Also some landscapes look better in bad weather, Whitby Abbey for example looks great in stormy conditions and a bit boring in sun.
 
Check out Irene Froy's superb Scottish landscapes before you give up on poor weather landscape photography in the UK. (Do a Google search for her web site).
 
A warming filter would help a little (I think) but won't really help with the lack of interest in the sky.
 
dhracer said:
A warming filter would help a little (I think) but won't really help with the lack of interest in the sky.
Click to expand...

Then leave out the sky.. a landscape shot doesn't need to include the sky..
 
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