Beginner's guide to landscape photography in poor conditions
One of my email subscribers raised this question in a recent questionnaire: how can you take better landscape photos when you’re on holiday or out for a walk, but the timing or weather isn’t ideal? I thought it was such a good question that I’d cover it in this blog.
If you want to give yourself the best chance of taking a great landscape photo, it makes sense to visit a location when the conditions are favourable. The softer light around sunrise or sunset, or mist that simplifies a familiar view, can make a real difference to the result.
But photography doesn’t always happen on a carefully planned outing.
You might be on holiday, arriving at a scenic viewpoint in the middle of the day. Perhaps you’re enjoying a walk and find an interesting landscape, but the sunlight is harsh or the sky is an uninterrupted grey. You may not have the option to wait for better light or return another day.
In these situations, the challenge is to move beyond a quick snap and create a more considered photo. You cannot change the conditions, but you can change how you respond to them.
Start with composition
“Start with composition” might sound like a bit of a cliché, and I know I bang on about it, but there’s a good reason: it’s one of the most important ingredients in a successful photo. That’s why it sits so high in my Ten Pillars of Great Landscape Photography. A little thought about composition can turn a quick snap into a more interesting photo that people want to look at.
Before reaching for a filter or trying a creative technique, think about how you arrange the scene within the frame. Give the viewer a clear subject or focal point, consider the rule of thirds, and look for leading lines that draw the eye towards your subject. Sometimes, moving a few steps or leaving out a distracting element is enough to make a real difference.
I’ve covered composition in plenty of detail elsewhere, so I won’t repeat it all here. The key point is that, even when you cannot control the light or weather, you can still choose what to include and how to frame it.
However, once you’ve made the most of your composition, there are several camera techniques worth exploring.
Think in black and white
Black and white is one of the first options I consider when the light is harsh or the colours are doing little for the photo.
Strong midday sunlight can create pronounced shadows and bright highlights. Rather than fighting those contrasts, you can use them as part of a black-and-white composition. Grey, overcast conditions can also suit monochrome, particularly where the interest lies in texture, shape and the differences between light and dark.
The important thing is to look for a photo that works without colour, rather than treating black and white as a way to rescue any disappointing image. Look for strong shapes, interesting patterns and shadows, and a subject that stands out from its surroundings.
A useful way to assess this is to switch your camera’s picture style or profile to monochrome. On many cameras, this gives you a black-and-white preview on the rear screen and, if you have an electronic viewfinder, through that too. It helps you judge the composition without being distracted by colour. If you shoot in RAW, the file retains the colour information, so you can still choose between colour and black and white later. A monochrome JPEG does not offer that same flexibility.
However, taking the photo is only part of the process. Post-processing plays an important role in getting the most from black-and-white photos, especially those taken on grey days. Simply removing the colour can leave the result looking rather flat. Adjusting contrast, highlights and shadows can help separate the different elements, bring out textures and give your subject more prominence. The aim is not necessarily to make everything more dramatic, but to make thoughtful adjustments that suit the scene.
Black and white is not a cure for a weak composition, but even in poor light, where there are worthwhile shapes, textures and contrasts, it can offer a different way of interpreting the landscape.
The photo at the top of this article shows how black and white can work well on grey sky days (combined with some long exposure to blur the clouds). The photo below shows how black and white (combined with effective composition) can work well in emphasising shape and texture on bright sunny days with poor light.
Use a long exposure to simplify the scene
Long exposure is another way to move beyond a quick snap when the light isn’t great. Rather than simply recording the scene as you see it, you can use movement to introduce an artistic element — softening water or turning moving clouds into streaks across the sky. These effects can give your photo interest that doesn’t depend on beautiful light.
The contrast between blurred movement and sharp, stationary subjects can also simplify the composition. Imagine a coastal scene with an interesting arrangement of rocks but choppy water competing for attention. A longer exposure can soften the water, making the rocks more prominent and giving the photo a different feel.
You don’t have to smooth everything completely. Experiment with the shutter speed to see whether you prefer some texture and movement in the water or a softer, more abstract result.
Capturing streaks in clouds usually requires a longer exposure, and the effect depends on how quickly they are moving. A featureless grey sky won’t suddenly gain detail, so look for visible cloud shapes to work with.
For this approach, you will normally need:
A stable tripod.
Moving elements, such as water or clouds.
Stationary subjects that you want to keep sharp.
An ND filter if the light is too bright to achieve the shutter speed you need.
An ND — neutral density — filter reduces the light entering the lens, allowing you to use a longer exposure without making the photo too bright. In daylight, you will often need one to achieve exposures lasting several seconds or more.
Of course, this requires a little equipment and time, so it won’t suit every casual walk or holiday stop. But if you have your tripod and filters with you, it’s worth considering before dismissing a scene because the light is disappointing.
The photo below uses a long exposure (and a well considered composition!) to add interest on a bright sunny day with non-ideal light.
Try Intentional Camera Movement (ICM)
Intentional camera movement, usually shortened to ICM, is a technique I often use when the light is poor or harsh. Instead of keeping the camera still, you deliberately move it during the exposure. This blurs detail and simplifies the scene, shifting the emphasis towards shapes, colours and lines rather than showing everything exactly as it appears.
I find it particularly useful in woodland in the middle of the day, when harsh sunlight and strong shadows can make an already busy scene look even more cluttered. Rather than coming away with a snap of the woodland in poor light, I can use ICM to create a simpler, more artistic interpretation. It’s an approach worth trying when the weather or light isn’t helping a conventional photo.
The direction of movement can follow the structure of your subject:
A gentle vertical movement can echo the lines of tree trunks.
A horizontal movement can suit the bands of sea, beach and sky.
A small, controlled movement such as moving the camera in a small arc can soften detail while leaving the scene recognisable.
Start with a shutter speed between 1/10 and 1/2 second, then experiment. The result depends on both the exposure time and how quickly you move the camera, so there is no single correct setting.
For a smooth, continuous effect, start moving the camera before you press the shutter button, keep it moving throughout the exposure, and follow through after the shutter closes. Aim for a gentle, deliberate movement rather than a sudden jerk.
In bright conditions, a low ISO and smaller aperture can help you achieve a slow shutter speed, but you may also need an ND filter to prevent the photo from becoming overexposed.
Expect to make several attempts. Review the results and change one thing at a time — your shutter speed, the direction of movement or its speed. Composition still matters, and bright patches can still be distracting. The aim isn’t simply to make a blurry photo, but to use movement to simplify the scene and create something more interesting.
The photo below was taken on a bright sunny spring day using the ICM technique (and a well considered composition) and created using a small arc movement while the shutter was open.
Look for details within the landscape
Sometimes the best response to disappointing conditions is not a special technique. It is choosing a different subject.
You may have arrived expecting to photograph a sweeping view, but that does not have to be the only image you take.
Look for smaller scenes and details within the wider landscape, such as:
Patterns and textures in rocks or tree bark.
A building on a hillside surrounded by autumn-coloured trees.
A lone tree or a small group of trees.
Reflections in water.
Shapes created by fields, walls or hedgerows.
These can offer an interesting photo without relying so heavily on beautiful light or a dramatic sky.
These smaller scenes are often less dependent on a dramatic sky. Overcast light can be particularly useful for woodland and intimate landscapes, where softer illumination allows detail and texture to become the main
If the sky adds nothing, try leaving it out altogether. If a wide view looks confused, isolate one part of it.
This is also a useful option when you have limited time or equipment. You do not need a tripod or filters to start looking more closely.
Let the conditions influence the photo
It is easy to become attached to the photo you hoped to take. Perhaps you have seen a familiar viewpoint photographed in beautiful evening light and want to make your own version.
But if you arrive under grey skies or in bright midday sunshine, trying to recreate that image may only lead to frustration.
Instead, pause and ask: What sort of photo suits the conditions I have now?
That might mean a graphic black-and-white image, a long exposure, an abstract ICM photograph or a quiet study of a small detail. It might simply mean changing your viewpoint and excluding the parts of the scene that are not helping.
None of these approaches guarantees a successful photo, and sometimes the sensible choice is to enjoy the walk and leave the camera in the bag. There is no need to force an image from every visit.
But before dismissing the light as “rubbish”, spend a few minutes looking for a different possibility. Start with composition, then choose a technique only if it helps the photo you want to make.
You may not come away with the image you originally imagined — but you can still come away with something worth making.
Want to learn more?
Understanding light and how it affects your photos is an important part of my beginner workshops and 1-2-1 training sessions. I also usually cover creative techniques such as intentional camera movement and long exposure, with practical guidance to help you try them for yourself.
If there’s another topic you would like help with, I can cover it on request. Have a look at my website for photography training options or get in touch to discuss what you would like to learn.
About Gary Holpin Photography
As a professional photographer based in Devon, my journey began along the stunning South West Coast Path. Disappointed with my initial attempts to capture its beauty, I embarked on a second 630-mile journey, this time dedicated to mastering photography. Today, I'm a nationally acclaimed photographer with award-winning landscape photos.
I specialise in providing top-notch property photography, business photography, and drone photography services to businesses across the South West. Additionally, I offer comprehensive photography training courses tailored for both businesses and individuals. Whether you're looking to enhance your corporate image or improve your personal photography skills, my training programs are designed to help you capture stunning images.
As an award-winning and widely published photographer, I frequently share my passion for photography and Devon through engaging talks at local camera clubs and community groups. My expertise spans the entire South West region, ensuring that clients from Devon, Dorset & Somerset benefit from high-quality photography services and training.
