The ever-changing day in the life of a landscape photographer: Knowing when to quit

 

 

"Dear me, today is just one of those days," landscape photographer Thomas Heaton says in the opening of his latest video. What is he talking about? He's talking about something we've all experienced as outdoor photographers, the conditions just flat out suck. Weather is bad, light is bad, nothing is working out the way you expected but sometimes perseverance pays off and everything somehow comes together.

You can set up and wait out the weather and the light and that can work out. Heaton set up his gear and framed his composition, waiting for when the light changes to just how he wants it. "You have to stand, sit back…and just watch as the light paints over the landscape." When the light hits the landscape the way you want, take shots. Heaton says it's best to not take just one shot in a situation like this, when the light is changing so dramatically so quickly. And when it doesn't come together, you simply have to know when to quit. When the conditions aren't great for shooting, there's nothing wrong with just soaking in your surroundings and enjoying the great outdoors.

From bad to good and back to bad was the theme of the day for Heaton. When it starts to go bad, when do you pack up and call it a day?

To see more from Thomas Heaton, head over to his website.

(Via Thomas Heaton)