Photographing mountains is as natural for any photographer who finds himself before them as breathing. It is impossible to find yourself in front of an imposing mountain and stop the impulse of wanting to photograph it like crazy to keep that magical moment in your memory.
The mountain is imposing, beautiful, mysterious, it makes us see the magic of nature, the ephemeral and insignificant of our life, but at the same time its greatness. Contact with nature, fresh air, silence… We want to summarize all these sensations in an image, we want to take that mountain to home.
Now, how many disappointments, how many photos no more did you end up taking home? Many, right? Well, you are not the only one, photographing mountains is easy, making them convey what you are feeling when photographing them, not so much ;-).
But don’t worry, we’re going to try to prevent that from happening with a few practical tips so that nothing goes wrong in your search for that moment you want to take home.
Material
It is worth nothing, photographically speaking, to be in the right place and at the right time, if you do not have the necessary material to get the results you want, so a careful preliminary selection of the material is one of the keys to obtain a satisfactory result.
Photographic
- The camera
- Batteries charged and more than one (in the mountains you don’t usually find many plugs) 😉 .
- Tripod: to avoid shake and obtain maximum sharpness.
- Monopod: they are a good option for working landscapes during the day with enough light as they reduce trepidation and are lighter.
- Remote shutter or, in its absence, use the camera’s remote shutter.
- Batteries charged and more than one.
- Optics: the most used in this type of landscape is the wide angle, but with a more standard type 35mm or 50mm you can also get good images (and in general with what you have 😉 ).
- Comfortable backpack or bag to comfortably and safely transport all the material.
- Filters: the polarizing filter to increase the contrast of your skies, as well as the UV (Ultraviolet) to eliminate the bluish tones that occur at certain heights or the neutral gradient filters can be very useful in the mountains. In addition they do not weigh or take up hardly anything ;-).
not photographic
A successful mountain photography session does not only depend on photographic material, your comfort and safety are key so that everything else goes well.
- Comfortable shoes and adapted to the characteristics of the terrain through which you are going to move.
- Warm clothing and preferably in layers, to be able to add and remove if necessary.
- Lantern if you plan to stay until sunset or want to leave at sunrise.
- The mobile always well charged in case you need to make a call or communicate while you’re away.
- Always carry some food and water.
- An old-fashioned map. Yes, Google knows everything, but you can run out of battery 😉 .
Of course, the material will not be the same if you are going to climb K2 or if you get out of the car at a viewpoint to take some photos on the road. Nor will it be the same if you do the excursion in summer, autumn, spring or winter. It will be necessary to adapt to the needs of each climate and the type of mountain you plan to photograph.
But the moral is that you always go well prepared and a little better, just in case ;-).
Composition
It’s not just getting there with dignity, but ensuring that the images you take home are worthy of the landscape you want to photograph, for which composition comes into play. Here I share with you some ideas that can help you.
- Includes a human element: adds interest to the image and helps us to establish a size scale.
- take advantage of the lines: Calm horizon lines, strong diagonals, or winding S’s on paths will help enhance your images.
- Symmetries: they can be boring or surprising, depending on how you work with them.
- Reflexes: They give a lot of play if you give them a touch of originality (as I’m sure you will 😉).
- Depth: try to give the image depth thanks to playing with the different planes of your scene, it will also add interest to the image.
- uses the color as a compositional element plus.
- Make sure the image has a center of interest, a point where the gaze is able to stop and not get lost in the frame.
- uses prospects and original and different points of view.
Light
I’m not going to lie to you, the most photogenic lights for photographing mountains are sunrises and sunsets, with the sun low on the horizon and that soft, warm light that brings out the textures and shapes of the mountains. You see it, right? 😉
That is the best moment, although it is not the only one, each moment of the day gives you completely different images, with more or less volume or shadows, more or less contrast, etc.
And what about night photography? I am more and more fascinated by what can be achieved with it. If you need material, I recommend this couple of articles.
Another resources
To avoid boring images, the first thing is to unleash your creativity; not just stand in front of a beautiful landscape and just click.
- The sky: Clouds can add a dramatic air to your images most interestingly, you can even try long exposure.
- The vertical format: it is out of the ordinary when we think of landscape, but it can give you very good results.
- The depth of field: we always look for a good depth of field in landscape, but it does not have to be that way every time. Playing with the blur can help you center the point of interest in your image and make it more attractive.
- Panoramic: horizontally and vertically, they can help you if you do not have optics with too much angle or even if you have them but you still need more.
- Fog, rain, and other atmospheric conditions adverse: do not miss out on cloudy days or foggy moments because you can get fascinating images. In bad weather, good photos 😉
- Natural frames: the branches of a tree, the hole between two rocks… Natural frames can add a touch of originality to your frame.
- This article with 100 express tips on landscape photography 🙂
- The different seasons of the year will provide you with absolutely different images, each season with its own resources and strengths: from the falling leaves of the trees or the ocher tones of the forests and mountains in autumn, the snowy peaks or the frozen cobwebs of winter, to the flowers in spring or summer.
Applications (App) that will become your best allies
No one leaves home without a phone, especially if they go on a trip to the mountains 😉 . And, in addition, most of us have a smartphone that does thousands of tricks, also when it comes to photography. Calculate the hyperfocal distance, light, calculate where the sun rises or sets, where the milky way will be… Everything is possible, easy and, in many cases, free or very cheap, through the mobile phone.
Here I leave this article with 13 mobile applications for photographers (That your camera would like to have) for you to take a look and do not forget Photopills either.
other tips
Tips related to safety always occur to me, because I think that sometimes we underestimate the power of nature and overestimate the power of our physical form, and both are usually clever companions 😉 .
So I think it’s better to err on the side of caution.
- Always check the weather forecast before leaving.
- Travel light as much as possible.
- But never at the expense of your safety and comfort. It is better that you leave the flash at home than that you later lack a warm jacket.
- Always tell where you are going to be before leaving, even if you are accompanied.
- Be careful with selfies and extreme photos, no nonsense in the mountains 😉 .
And so far this article for mountaineers and mountaineers. It is possible that I left something in the inkwell. If you think so, add it in comments to share it with all of us. And if you liked it, help us spread it on your favorite social networks. Thank you very much and until next time. See you on the mountain 😉 .