Wait For It - Timing The Light

Here's a quick post to illustrate the power of timing in landscape photography.  

Normally timing a photo is not all that important for landscape photographers.  We can take our time to set up a shot and shoot when ready. Unless it's a wildlife shot the subject is not moving and timing is not the most important thing to be concerned with.

Sometimes timing a landscape shot can make the difference between a ho-hum photo and one that really grabs your attention.  This morning was just such a time.   June and I were walking at our local state park and I was lucky enough to have my camera with me.   It was a typical winter morning.  The wind was calm, the sky was overcast, and occasionally the sun would break through the clouds for a minute or two. The moving clouds and constantly changing light was what made the difference today.

Here are three shots taken in a span of  less than two minutes.

8:54:32

8:55:17

8:56:20

In the second photo, the sun was hitting the bank and bare maple trees but not the hillside behind.  At that brief moment, the bright trees were standing out against the darker background.  The high contrast causes your eyes to be drawn right to the trees.  These conditions lasted less than a minute.

I was able to get this shot because I was watching for interesting light and paying attention to the interplay between the cloud shadows and the trees.   When you're out looking for interesting subjects to photography be sure to pay attention to the light.  It can make all the difference in the world.