This article comes from Hummingbird Network

As the saying goes, landscape photography depends on the sky. During the shooting, we will encounter all kinds of weather. The red clouds in the sky are beautiful, but it is impossible to encounter burning clouds every time you shoot. Besides, every photo is full of red clouds, which will also cause aesthetic fatigue.

Especially during the trip, you can’t choose the right weather to shoot like at home. You may encounter any weather conditions. If you are lucky, you will shoot red clouds, but you will also encounter dark clouds or light skies.

Photography is painting with light, and light and weather are closely related. The atmosphere presented by the same scene under different weather and light conditions is completely different. Being good at taking advantage of the best creative time in various weather and light can help improve the production rate.

Analysis of shooting examples in various weather conditions

For landscape photography, common weather can be simply divided into two categories: cloudy and cloudless. Cloudy conditions can be divided into burning clouds and dark clouds, and cloudless conditions can be divided into facing the sun and facing away from the sun, which are completely different light conditions. Facing the sun is what we usually call a light sky, backlighting, and a large light ratio. You must use a filter to balance the light ratio, while facing the sun is a smooth light, and you will see the Venus belt at the junction of the horizon.

Different types of light, such as backlighting and light metering, these basic concepts will not be repeated. Usually articles explaining light are explained with examples of different scenes. This article will use a set of example pictures taken in the same scene, but in different weather and light conditions, to explain how to use the best light to create in various weathers. , I believe that photos of the same scene can illustrate the problem more intuitively.

The ice beach in Iceland has been photographed many times. When encountering various weather conditions, let’s take a look at this group of photos:

These photos are the appearance of the ice beach under different light conditions. There is no good or bad light. As long as it is used properly, it is good light. The following analyzes the light characteristics of the four photos one by one.

fire cloud

It is a blessing from heaven to encounter such a burning cloud in Iceland, which is known for its bad weather. It is also the luckiest sunrise in my several trips. When encountering this kind of cloud, it is easy to produce pictures regardless of the camera or mobile phone, as long as you pay attention to the exposure and composition.

heavily clouded

Scattered light, the light ratio is not large, and the light characteristics of the blues period are used to highlight the cold and lonely atmosphere. Compared with burning clouds, it is more conducive to the expression of emotions in photos. This photo is also one of my personal favorites among the ice beach photos.

Cloudless

Landscape photographers do not like clear and cloudless skies unless they are shooting starry sky and aurora. When encountering a sunny day, they should seize the best creative time. The 10-minute light and color rendering effect of the first rising of the sun is the strongest. This photo shows the reflection of sunlight hitting the ice, which is difficult to capture in other weather and light conditions.

Venus belt

Before sunrise and after sunset, a pink-purple band of color appears on the horizon opposite the sun. The term for this band is called the Venus Band. Usually photos taken during this time period will show a very beautiful tone due to the soft light and soft colors.

The Venus belt is above the horizon for a short time, fading in about 20 minutes, and the light and color change gradually during this period.

The color shown in the photo on the left in the above picture is the best few minutes in the Venus belt period. The top of the horizon is completely pink and purple. After these few minutes, the color will slowly fade upwards and gradually merge with the blue sky, which is the right side. photo scene.

Light characteristics during shooting

There are two very important shooting times in landscape photography, the golden hour of sunrise and sunset, and the blues hour before sunrise and sunset. The rays discussed in this article are also based on these two time periods.

The golden hour refers to half an hour after sunrise and half an hour before sunset. During this period, due to the low angle of the sun, close to the horizon, the clouds are illuminated with warm colors, and there are often gorgeous morning and sunset glows.

The blues period, in contrast, refers to the dark blue tinge that occurs in the sky when the sun is between -4o and -6o below the horizon before sunrise and after sunset. At this time, the light ratio of the sky and the ground is close, and the light is very soft.

For the golden hour and the blues period, fully understand the light characteristics of these two periods, and show the meaning of the work through the rendering of light.

blues hour

golden hour

Pictured above is the same shot at Bombo, where the somber, heavy blues hour is quite different from the splendid brilliance of golden hour.

Various types of weather and light

Understand the different types of light that appear in various weathers, and use the shape and color of light to help express the mood and atmosphere of your photos.

sunny

The variety of light is most abundant in clear weather, and both golden hour and blues hour are creative spaces. However, cloudy and cloudless sky will be different situations. Clouds will make the picture more vivid. High-altitude clouds have richer color changes during golden hours than low-altitude clouds, and there will be a transition from red-orange-golden. If high-altitude clouds and low-altitude clouds are staggered, the photo will be more layered and three-dimensional. The distribution of cloud cover can be analyzed through weather forecast websites and satellite cloud images.

cloudy day

The light on cloudy days is mostly scattered light, and the sky is covered with low clouds. Even in golden hours, the sun may not penetrate the thick clouds, so the photos taken on cloudy days are mostly blues.

In the early stage of shooting scenery, I always looked forward to the weather with red clouds, and I also did various researches, and I have a snobby eye of “no red, no shooting”. It was not until the experience of filming in bad weather in northern Europe that I had a reborn understanding of the concept of good weather, and finally realized the true meaning of “extreme weather makes a blockbuster”.

Cloudy days don’t have brilliant colors, but you can capture the flow of clouds with long exposures.

The photo was taken in Thredbo, NSW. The picture on the left is the colorful clouds at sunrise in the early morning. The picture on the right is after the sunny turns to overcast, and the dark clouds are covered at dusk.

rain/fog/snow

It is difficult to give a precise and proper definition of atmosphere. This is a feeling that can only be comprehended and inexpressible. It is the emotions and feelings that the photographer conveys to the audience through various renderings. Rain, fog, snow and other weather are excellent materials for creating atmosphere, which can create a serene, tranquil or depressing and dignified mood, and can cover up many messy details and simplify the picture.

“Twilight Mountain” The fog creates a sense of layering, similar to the expression technique of traditional Chinese painting

“Reina in the Snow” freezes the snowflakes flying in the air with a fast shutter speed

“Shuiyunjian” The sky is drizzling, and the mountains are surrounded by clouds and mists, like water and clouds

Before the storm in “The Storm is Coming”, the thunderstorm cloud has a peculiar shape, suitable for expressing a sense of solemnity