crash course 1: planning and scouting

Now, while it’s perfectly possible to get a perfectly, erm, perfect image without putting in any groundwork, I prefer to usually leave nothing to chance and take nothing for granted by carefully planning my landscape outings.

I also prefer to shoot at the extremes of the day when the light is usually at its best for landscape photography: softer light is more flattering than harsh, “contrasty” light.

Lots of locations I can shoot from memory, but I still want to know when and where the sun is going to rise or set and, when shooting coastal scenery, what phase the tide will be at for both aesthetic and safety purposes.

I’m always scouting for new locations wherever I go and not necessarily when I’m going out to purposely scout for locations.  I need to be creative as my mobility is compromised, so sometimes I see things that other, more adventurous photographers might miss.  I’ve also trained my eye to “see” images in different forms of light.

I always have a camera with me (usually my phone) which I then use in conjunction with a notebook or more often the notes app on my phone.

Once I get home, I can start planning what I might like to do at a location, updating my notes with the aid of one or all of the following phone and web applications:

- Google maps and images

- The Photographer’s Ephemeris

- Dark Sky

- Clear Outside

- My Tide Tables.

Google:

I don’t particularly like Google as a company, particularly the way they track your online activities (not that I’ve anything to hide) and push adverts your way.  But it’s an undeniable gold mine of information from maps to images.  It enables me to see a location without actually going there, as well as provide directions, parking and other vital information for when I do want to go.

This I find essential as I’m unable to walk any real distance so I’m looking for interesting but easily accessible locations.

While looking at previously shot images is useful, I don’t like to overdo this as I don’t want to approach a shoot with any pre-conceived ideas.

The Photographer’s Ephemeris:

This is an essential tool, providing information on where and when the sun and moon will rise and set.  I can pin a location and see the detailed information I really need.

This is a really simple app to use and gives me just the vital information I need for a particular location at a particular time.

Dark Sky:

This is my preferred weather forecasting app.  I find it extremely accurate.  Again, I can be location specific and it just does what it needs to do.  I like to cross check the weather with other apps, but Dark Sky I find to be the most reliable.

Clear Outside:

This is an extremely useful app.  It forecasts the levels of cloud for any particular location.  More importantly though it tells me the make-up of that cloud, so whether it’s high, middle or low-lying.

le app to use and gives me just the vital information I need for a p

Of course, I’ll be ideally looking for high cloud – the type that really catches fire at sunrise and sunset and this app really helps with that.

My Tide Tables:

You’ll all recall the post from a couple of years back when my beloved Nikon D800 camera was lost at sea; washed away by a freak high wave.

For seascape photography knowing what the tide is going to do is essential both for the quality of your image but also, more importantly, for your safety.  And having cold, wet feet for the day is no fun either.

So, once I’ve scouted a location and planned exactly where and when I want to shoot it, it’s just a case of waiting for the right weather conditions.  Of course, living in the UK this often means a long wait!  I’ve found that it helps to be flexible and not stick rigidly to a plan, no matter how much or little effort and work I’ve put into it.  Sometimes you just have to go with the flow and get out whenever you can.

But having that plan in place really helps when time is tight and I’m chasing the light for that perfect image.