4 Oct
2012

Posted in: Landscape Photography, Sweden
By Patrik Larsson    11 Comments

The waiting game

Landscape photography is a waiting game. Make sure you come out of it as the winner!

Obviously you are not going to succeed if you just wait. You have to know what you are waiting for.
So what are you waiting for?
Well, I bet most of you would say the light. Some might say inspiration or time. But that’s the topic of another blog post.

The thing I wait for most of the time is the light. The timing of the light on the landscape is crucial to good landscape photographs. Many times you only get good light conditions for a few minutes in a whole day.
So with that in mind you’re not going to just stand in your backyard and wait. Unless you have a really nice backyard that is.
No, you are going to wait after you find your composition. Finding the right spot always comes first. And then you wait… And yes waiting can be boring, but that’s what you have to do, and that’s what you need to be good at.

Of course you could just snap a shot and then move on, but honestly how many really good photos would that give you? You need to be really lucky to be in the right spot when the light is good if you always move around.
To me one great picture in a week is way more worth than ten good ones. Great or good that´s the difference between waiting or moving around. As Ansel Adams would say ”Twelve significant photographs in any one year is a good crop”.

Twelve in a year! That means one per month. I know that he says significant what ever that means to you, but it´s still just twelve in a year. But don’t get caught on the numbers, think about the meaning. It´s about quality not quantity. And you get quality by waiting in most cases.

So if you are the person comfortable while waiting you are lucky. If you are restless like me you have to practice. Trust me it will make your images better!

About the images
I made these images in the southern part of Sweden this august. I was scouting the place on the day before and found it to bee a nice spot for sunrise. The next morning I went out when it was still pitch black. As morning progressed I found these flowers and set up a composition. As soon as I saw the first picture on the camera I knew that I would need some sun on it to warm the whole scene up. There were some clouds but I noticed a small gap. So I waited for the sun to get high enough to shine trough the gap. What a difference it made to the picture!

Technical details: Nikon D800E, 20mm, ISO 100, f/13, 1/5 seconds.

Technical details: Nikon D800E, 20mm, ISO 100, f/13, 1/10 seconds.

About Patrik Larsson (9 Posts)

I am a photographer with a passion for landscapes, from small carefully selected cross-sections to large views. To inspire others with what I love is the best life for me. Previously I worked as a teacher in photography and outdoor activities for some years. Today I work as a freelance photographer and workshop leader. I give courses and lectures for schools, companies and associations.