PHOTOGRAPHING IN THE FOG !
TAKING PHOTOS IN THE FOG IS TRULY A FUN THING TO DO, AND I DON’T KNOW HARDLY ANYONE WHO DOESN’T LOVE PICTURES OF PHOTOS OF FOG. IN SOME CASES THEY CAN BE ROMANTIC, IN SOME CASES JUST A BIT EERIE, SOMETIMES IT IS ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR TYPES OF PHOTOS ON THE MARKET FOR MOOD-TYPE PHOTOS.
THERE ARE A FEW TIPS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT IN TAKING FOG PHOTOS. AS YOU TAKE NOTE OF THESE PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THERE ARE MANY PROFESSIONAL FOG PHOTOGRAPHERS WHO SPECIALIZE IN THIS, AND IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THEY HAVE ALSO APPLIED THESE PRINCIPLES:
1- BE PREPARED THAT TAKING PHOTOS IN THE FOG IS SOMETHING THAT IS NOT EASY ON YOUR CAMERA EQUIPMENT. YOU ARE DEALING IN A HARSH ENVIRONMENT USUALLY. FOG IS A CLOUD SITTING ON THE GROUND, AND IT IS VERY MOIST AIR. SO YOUR CAMERA EQUIPMENT IS SUSCEPTIBLE TO CONDENSATION IF YOU HAVE BEEN IN THE CAR, AND YOU WILL BE FIGHTING THE FACT THAT THE CAMERA MAY BE GETTING WET THROUGH THIS. BE PREPARED TO WIPE DOWN YOUR CAMERA WITH A CLEAN CLOTH, AND KEEP THE WATER FROM GETTING INSIDE YOUR CAMERA IF POSSIBLE.
2- WATCH FOR PATCHES OF LIGHT RUNNING THROUGH THE FOG FOR IMPACT. IN THE PHOTO ABOVE, AND BELOW, NOTICE WHAT AN IMPACT THAT LIGHT COMING THROUGH THE FOG CAN CREATE A MOST DRAMATIC EFFECT IN YOUR FOG PHOTOS:
TRUE, THAT FOG IN GENERAL CAN CREATE AN EERIE ATMOSPHERE, BUT, TO GET MORE IMPACT, WATCH FOR THOSE RAYS OF LIGHT TO CREATE THE MOST DRAMATIC EFFECT.
3- IN THE WINTER, AND YOU HAVE FOG, EVEN THOUGH THE FOG IS COLD, IT DOES PROVIDE AN INTERESTING EFFECT ON THE PLANTS. THIS IS THE PERFECT TIME FOR GREAT MACRO SHOTS:
Notice how the moisture in the fog will stick to the plants and cause some beautiful effects on plants. It creates ice formations and a “frosty” effect that is really beautiful. If you have some good close-up lenses, you will have a great time taking photos of macro work during the fog.
4- IN THE WINTER FOG, ALWAYS BRING ALONG AN EXTRA SET OF BATTERIES. THIS IS A BITING COLD IN MOST CASES, AND IF YOU ARE OUT IN THE COLD VERY LONG, YOU WILL FIND THAT YOUR CAMERA MAY SHUT DOWN IF YOU DON’T PREPARE YOURSELF FOR THE COLD WEATHER.
5- IF YOU LIVE IN THE MOUNTAIN AREAS OR HILLSIDES AND CAN GET ABOVE THE FOR A BIT, THIS CAN CREATE AN AMAZING PHOTO. NOTICE HOW THE TREES AND POLES AND EVEN SOMETIMES THE BUILDINGS CAN POKE ABOVE THE FOG. THAT CAN BE A VERY INTERESTING PHOTO THAT IS NOT USUALLY CAPTURED. SO, LOOK FOR THAT OPPORTUNITY TO GET ABOVE THE CLOUDS IF YOU CAN.
6- WANT TO CREATE A ROMANTIC OR BEAUTIFUL PORTRAIT, THEN TAKE YOUR PORTRAIT PHOTOS OUT IN THE FOG.
THIS IS ANOTHER WAY OF USING FOG: I THINK IT ADDS TO THE ROMANTIC PART OF PORTRAITURE. SO, AS A PROFESSIONAL PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHER, YOU WILL DO SOMETHING WITH PORTRAITS, THAT NOT A LOT OF OTHER PHOTOGRAPHERS WOULD DO. SO, YOU WOULD BE DEFINITELY UNIQUE, FOR SURE. I THINK IT LOOKS NICE.
7- AND FINALLY: TAKE A LOOK AT THE COLOR OF YOUR FOG. WHAT COLOR IS THE FOG REALLY? IN THE WINTER, THE FOG MAY BE A LITTLE MORE WHITE THAN GREY. YOU MAY WANT TO SLIGHTLY OVEREXPOSE. IF YOU ARE TAKING PICTURES DURING THE DAY, THE CLOUD ACTUALLY MIGHT BE A LIGHTER GREY IN COLOR. I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN TAKING PICTURES IN THE FOG, IS TO REMEMBER THAT YOU WANT THE DETAIL OF THE SUBJECT NOT THE FOG. THE FOG IS THE MOOD THAT SETS THE IMAGE INTO A SETTING. THE SUBJECT WILL NEVER BE THE FOG, THE FOG JUST HAPPENS TO SURROUND THE SUBJECT.
AS WITH ALL PHOTO SUBJECTS, IT TAKES PRACTICE, BUT GO OUT AND ENJOY THE FOG. IN SOME AREAS PEOPLE WILL TRY TO DO THE SAME WITH SMOG. I AM NOT SURE THAT WILL CREATE QUITE THE SAME EFFECT AS FOG, BECAUSE YOU WILL NEVER GET THE LIGHT RAYS, THE SPECIAL EFFECTS THAT YOU WILL GET WITH FOG. THIS WINTER AS THE FOG SETS IN, GO OUT AND ENJOY THE FOG, AND SEE WHAT YOU CAN DO.
