When at the mercy of weather and light, flexibility is an important skill for landscape photographers

 

 

Things don't always go according to plan out in the field. For landscape and travel photographer Thomas Heaton, he did everything right. He scouted his location ahead of time, he found the composition he wanted and yet, ultimately, you are at the mercy of the conditions when you're doing outdoor photography.

In his latest video, Heaton is in dense woodlands. Light filters slowly in the woods, so patience is a must. While waiting for the right conditions, he shows off how critical a polarizer is, even when shooting in the woods. People often think about a polarizer for making skies bluer or cutting reflections in water, but it is much more versatile than that. Foliage reflects a lot of light so using a polarizer can make leaves appear much more saturated.

While waiting for the light, the wind picked up and made Heaton's desired shot impossible. What do you do when conditions aren't cooperative? Sure, you can pack up and leave. Alternatively, you can be spontaneous and see if you can find a different composition. Flexibility is an important skill and looking closely at your surroundings can pay big dividends.

For more videos like the one above, visit Thomas Heaton's website and YouTube channel.

(Via Thomas Heaton)