Photography: Mountainsby Ron ToelOther Articles by Ron Toel:
Unrelated to Photography: Alligators ... Elephant Seals ... Ruby-throated Hummingbirds ... Wood Storks |
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How many images of scenes have there been of a snowcapped mountain reflecting in a lake in the fore ground. For a sheer visual spectacle, nothing can compete with the mountain landscape. Wild terrain, spectacular scenes, and constantly changing light presents one an endless source of images to capture. Mountain light in clear weather has a special intensity. The sky is a deep blue and shadows are much stronger, and the light is more extreme. Because there is less atmosphere, there is so much more blue cast to the distance in the images. This tends to give illusion of depth, but it also cuts down on visibility. It is caused by the Ultraviolet rays and can be reduced with a good UV filter.
Mountains also have special weather patterns that can change at a moments notice. Be prepared to take advantage of these changes as soon as it happens. Watch for clouds to create a sea of white with a mountain peak as an island.
Don't forget to shoot verticals.....in mountains, this gives one freedom when it comes to composition. Shoot ranges from afar and again up close and even from the top down. Remember that telephoto lenses help compress the images of foothills to show the size of the peaks and ranges of the distant. This works well both vertically and horizontally.
The mountains offer a completely different group of animals to shoot and there could be tundra if one goes high enough. These areas have their own habitats as environment and are prone to being very productive in the imagery they can create.
This is also a place where one has to take care of the equipment and one self. Equipment needs protection from collision with rocks.... padded carrying cases for all bodies and lenses. Proper clothing and shoes are needed to protect one self.
Just get out and have fun.
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