The Remaining Leaves

Long days of total cloud cover, or perfectly blue skies put a pause on my autumn trips. Today was supposed to be somewhere between, I tried a few different locations, but eventually the sky fell, I was left in fog once more. The waves of thick white haze rolled through filling the valleys, my trip was over. I packed up, began heading back down the road until to see this view off to the side. What landscape photographer in their right mind could resist. I pulled over, ran across the road between two banks of thick fog and composed an image. Golden glow, dark sky, and trees already left bare for the winter.

Sometimes you plans don’t workout. Sometimes you have to react to the light, rather than plan for it. Unfortunately there’s no way to know when those moments will arrive. Thankfully, with a bit of experience under your belt you’ll be able to compose on your feet. If you’re shooting from a tripod, as I often do, be mobile. Work the scene while still shooting the scene, compose moments while you’re searching for the shot you want. I used the break in the trees to create a framing device for the rays breaking through.

Of course it’s not always this easy, I’ve been in many situations where I packed it in because the scene I was shooting was lost, only to find a scene later on that I could work with, but unable to find a place too work it. As much as I preach patience in your photography, sometimes there’s no winning as a photographer. It’s ok, you may loose a scene today, just remember the weather, the effects its having and prepare to try again later. Make mental notes, or physical notes. You may shoot the same scene a hundred or more times, eventually you’ll capture the shot you were waiting on, of course… you may catch something much better.

Until Next Time!

Aperture: f8
ISO: 160
SS: 1/25th
Focal: 27mm

Fujinon 16-55mm