Nature Photography How To

All outdoor photographers are at the mercy of the weather, and we have to accept whatever Mother Nature gives us. That’s especially true if you travel to a location, and it’s impossible to return on a different day when conditions improve.

Even when it’s not storming, flat light on overcast days can really make things difficult unless you know a few tricks. In the tutorial below you’ll learn several effective methods for capturing great images on bad days.

Dean Allan is a professional landscape photographer and an adept instructor. He’s based in Scotland, so he’s very familiar with cloudy days. In this behind-the-scenes episode he’s visiting the gorgeous Balnakiel coastline in the Scottish Highlands. The scenery is beautiful, but the light—not so much.

Despite less-than-ideal conditions, Allan manages to capture effective imagery, and you can too (wherever you are) by following his straightforward advice. He begins by dispelling a few misconceptions about travel and landscape photography. Put bluntly: beautiful sunrises, billowing clouds, and dramatic sunsets are the exception not the rule.

As Allan says, “I’m a full-time pro, and the vast majority of the time I’m out shooting in very flat, featureless, mundane weather conditions.” As you’ll see, one approach he takes when that occurs is to find something interesting within a scene to compensate for the poor light.

Allan also works hard when making his shots to include as many textures, colors and layers, as possible. And strong composition under these conditions is an absolute must. If you’re willing to accept the challenge, watch the video, take Allan’s advice to heart, and you may find that you’ve developed a new style of shooting.

After enjoying the video, pay a visit to Allan’s YouTube channel where you’ll find more helpful tips and tricks.

And be sure not to miss our earlier post from another accomplished pro, with a complete beginners guide to landscape photography.