Advanced Planning for Better Results

Open up any nature photography how-to book or take part in a landscape photography workshop and you will most likely learn that a little planning before you go will lead to better results. 

This planning usually starts with studying maps or consulting dedicated apps like Photo Ephemeris. Whenever possible, this should be followed by a scouting trip to the desired location. Then it’s time to assemble the pieces of the puzzle – what is the topography like; where and when does the sun rise and set over the year; is there vegetation that will change colour throughout the seasons; do I have to take tides into account, and so on. Then you can come up with a plan for when to go and where exactly to set up for the perfect picture. 

Additionally, you will also need to be aware of opening times that sometimes apply to protected areas. I learned this the hard way very early in my career. After getting up in the middle of the night and driving for five hours to catch the 6am sunrise, I ended up in front of a gate that said Open from 9am…

Just as important as the above, although rarely mentioned, is to think ahead about the potential impact on the environment of the photo shoot, especially on those places where we set up our tripods. In the current climate (pun intended) outdoor photographers carry a bigger responsibility than just producing “the shot”.  

How do we do this? I start with one of the basics: travel. I have found this to be a delicate subject but we should ask ourselves if it is really necessary to travel hundreds or thousands of kilometers for a few pictures and is it worth the resulting environmental impact. This whole issue of travel photography is probably worth a discussion of its own. The problem when travelling is not only the feared carbon footprint, it is also the impact of the masses that gather in certain locations. Groups of photographers visiting and fighting over the best viewpoint can do considerable damage to an ecosystem – Iceland is one of the more current examples of this problem. 

Unfortunately it is not only the herd mentality that can cause damage. On occasion it is also the lone individual. I remember a situation a number of years ago when I was out with two fellow photographers. We were planning the evening shoot and one of my companions suggested we capture the sunset from the top of a particular mountain. There had been some issues regarding access to that area, and, more importantly, the blanket bog that covers parts of this landscape is home to fragile and rare plant communities. Nevertheless my companions decided to go for it. In order to get in and out as fast as possible (to avoid trouble with the landowners) the plan emerged to do the ascent in a 4X4 via some farm access roads and some cross country driving. This was the moment I dropped out. I don’t know what became of the plan but thinking about the damage a 4×4 can do to a sensitive ecosystem still sends shivers down my spine.

This is probably an extreme example of how not to behave but it illustrates the questions we should ask before we set out to our chosen location. Some basic knowledge of the habitat or ecosystem you are planning to work in is not only helpful but in many cases necessary. Especially if you are planning to photograph any kind of wildlife you need to be aware of its habits and behaviour and this not only applies to the big and cute ones. A slimy invertebrate deserves the same respectful treatment as a cuddly brown bear.