10 Tips for Shooting Landscapes in Ireland, Part I {Enjoying the Unknown}

posted August 15, 2012 in Happenings, Photographer Resources

Any medical student can use a scalpel. It takes years for a surgeon to master one. No different than a photographer and a camera.

I was reminded by this when shooting these landscapes images in Ireland.

I have learned a lot over the past 10 years on what works and what doesn’t when it comes to my personal and professional approach to landscape photography. I wish to share some of the things I’ve learned with my blog readers who have been so loyal to me over the years. It is easy to focus on camera technicals, but more importantly taking ‘good’ landscape images starts with a solid foundation in photographing the unknown.

good landscape photography = (fearless self-reliance + being prepared + enjoying the unknown) x 2 + mastery of gear

“Fearless self-reliance” takes courage, planning, and a bit of gusto to sacrifice money and time to make something new. Being prepared is all about having the right tools when you need them. Enjoying the unknown comes with being able to jump into any situation — call it triage photography — and create something with your style. And mastery of gear takes years, not months.

More importantly, however, and essential to longevity in the art is enjoying the experience and the process, no matter what nature presents. Being comfortable makes such a difference.

I share this video, Landscape Photography tips in Ireland, Part 1 :

http://vimeo.com/47595592

To Review, My 10 Tips for Shooting Landscape Photographs in Ireland :

Talk with the nice locals. Obvious, but if you can connect with someone who has been in your shoes, they will likely offer wise advice not in the guidebooks.
Don’t predict the weather. Letting what you can’t control dictate attitudes of what you can control is a sure setup for failure when it comes to relying on nature’s elements to make your magic happen. While not every day can be sunny, there’s beauty in the mood of fog, rain, and snow.
Discard the postcards. Even though fancy images your final destination might lure you there, don’t duplicate. Chances are the light won’t be as glamorous every moment. Most landscape pros return back to their favorite spots dozens of times to capture their portfolio favorite.
Stick with one lens. As hard as this is to stay, pick your favorite lens and stick with it. Gear can be stuff to hold us back or tools to propel us forward. Keeping it simple forces our brains to think creatively and smarter.
Shoot an extra 30 minutes. Being patient isn’t easy, especially when you are tired and frustrated. Honestly, so is everyone at that point. Stick it out, and go the extra distance even if it is for an extra 30 minutes. You very well might be rewarded.
Take a few extra photos, for creativity sake. Our left-side of the brain loves to play games with the right. You might think you’ve nailed it–according to the left– while creative potential for the right lies untapped. It’s a creative battle, but the best will win.
Stay awhile. Even though shooting outdoors in exotic locales is a luxury, time makes art better than any post-processing. Experimental Photoshop testing isn’t as productive as it might seem when the heavy creative lifting will all be done out of office.
Buy a detailed map. There’s something magic that happens when people circle a favorite spot on the map. First, you are much more likely to find the place. But when you return with the shot, you are often rewarded with the memories behind-the-scenes to get your shot. That’s a nice cherry on top. Plus, the extra details facilitates writing photo captions and remembering your story.
Be open to new visions projects in new locales. You’ll experience new environments and compelling situations which might offer better results than if you had planned the ‘perfect’ angle, lighting, composition, ect. For example, you might be shooting traditional landscapes and a fine-art approach to grazing animals might present itself. Being focused has its merits, but embracing change opens new perspectives… so much of what travel is about.
Be social. Modern social networks don’t replace face-to-face conversation, but sending out a tweet or email shows effort and makes them know you care. This opens the door to sharing genuine conversation of your shared passion. The stage they stood one might be yours sooner than later.

I hope you enjoyed this first in a mini-series of topics aimed to help landscape photographers do what they love to do. In my next video, I’ll share my top 20 gear essentials I bring with me when off exploring and photographing.

If you have any questions, please comment below I’ll answer or address them in an upcoming series.

While I am no videographer, here are a few vignettes to give you a better sense of my experience ‘off yonder’ :

[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/47345139[/vimeo]

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