The Faroe Islands - If You Don't Like The Weather

In The Faroe Islands Wait A Few Minutes, It Will Change

As a landscape photographer, I love being out photographing when the weather is euphemistically called ‘changeable’ and prefer locations where those conditions are more likely to occur. In Scotland for example, they say, ‘If you don’t like the weather, then wait twenty minutes’ (on the Faroe Islands, they reduce that to five minutes!). I have another saying – ‘if I haven’t got wet, then I probably haven’t got a good photo’. It is not that I am a masochist who enjoys spending endless hours standing around and getting soaked to the skin. It is just that many years of experience have taught me that working on the edge of a weather system when bad weather is moving in or out can bring the most dramatic light and the moody conditions that I love to photograph. 

I know that we British are reputed to be obsessed with the weather – that is undeniable, I would admit – but it’s an obsession that is also true of landscape photographers, regardless of nationality. Ask any landscaper how many weather apps they have on their phone, and I bet it’ll run into double figures for most (my personal tally is 16!). When I have a photographic trip planned, I use these apps, visit weather websites, and listen to radio & TV forecasts several times a day. These will give me a reasonable idea of whether I am going to get the changeable conditions I desire (and, importantly when I am likely to get them).

There are times of course, when the rain falls steadily all day without that magical break in the cloud I am hoping for, and I get nothing but soaked for my efforts. It’s on those occasions that I remember the phrase ‘patience is a virtue’. For I know that there will be other days when I’m gifted with dramatic light bursting out from an overcast sky to illuminate a distant hill or mountain. When this happens, it makes the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. Suddenly, all the soakings and hours in the cold become insignificant. Just witnessing these sights can be exciting and inspiring. Should I be fortunate enough to record that with my camera, then that’s a wonderful bonus! 

These opportunities can be unpredictable and easily missed – there’s another saying in landscape photography, ‘if you’ve seen it, you’ve missed it’. Capturing successful images requires having a camera ready to operate and being able to respond rapidly to changing conditions. Speed of reaction is important with this type of spontaneous photography, and familiarity with equipment is essential. If time allows, I’ll use a tripod, but where that’s not possible, I’ll look for a wall, fence or gate to provide support. The beauty of modern cameras is that excellent high ISO performance and image stabilization systems mean that handholding, even with telephoto lenses, is possible without any detrimental effect on image quality. 

Protecting equipment in wet weather is important. Even with cameras that are weather sealed I prefer to take additional precautions when I can. For example, in heavier showers, I tuck my camera & lens under my coat, or if they are tripod-mounted, I’ll cover them with a dry sack until I’m ready to take the picture. When I want to continue shooting in heavy rain, then I’ll fit a lens hood, in the hope that it will keep rain off the front element of the lens, and I’ll also put a waterproof cover over the camera & lens.

If you would like to join Kevin & me on a 2024 workshop to the Faroes to witness the changeable weather that is a characteristic of these amazing islands and photograph the dramatic landscapes, then please visit – Faroe Islands Photography Workshop May 4 – 11, 2024 – Rockhopper Workshops 

And, of course, it’s important to not forget our own personal weather protection in inclement weather. Extreme cold and wet weather not only dampens the landscape but also our spirits. My level of creativity generally moves in inverse proportion to those two factors if I am not adequately prepared. Remember another adage relating to outdoor activities, ‘there’s no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing!’. 

Whilst I’m often hoping for my ‘ideal’ conditions, experience has taught me that good photographs are possible in almost any weather. Whatever prevails simply influences what, where, and how I shoot. When the weather forecast is looking unfavorable for delivering the dramatic light I love, I have learned that it’s worth just going out anyway. I have a phrase that I remind myself of when I’m questioning the validity of a day out in unpromising weather – ‘If you don’t go, you won’t know’. 

As I have got older I have become more Buddhist monk-like in both hairstyle and outlook. Gone is the time when I would curse those persistently wet (and usually non-productive) days. I accept I can’t control the weather, so I’ll revert to several strategies that I’ve developed over the years to get photographs regardless. My first fallback plan usually involves searching out woodland areas. These offer shelter in inclement weather, and subjects can benefit from the lower contrast that dull days provide. Woodland scenes look great on misty or foggy mornings, with groups of trees looming out of the murk to create atmospheric images. Color, patterns, and texture can be found in tree bark or on the woodland floor, and I love to move in close to create abstract, intimate images. If there’s no woodland nearby, I’ll look for water – rivers, streams, lakes, and the sea. Water can provide a much-needed highlight on a dull day.

Low light also provides the opportunity to utilize slower shutter speeds, and with the camera firmly mounted on a tripod, creative effects can be attempted. Long shutter speeds will turn water into an impressionistic blur – an effect that benefits from having a solid, non-moving counterpoint in the composition. If the light isn’t low enough to achieve the desired effect on its own, a neutral density (ND) filter can be used to reduce the exposure even further. I always carry 6, 10, and 16-stop filters with me. Using these, the water can take on an ethereal appearance that creates very calming, restful images. Alternatively, ND filters can be used to create dynamic images with windblown clouds, full of energy, providing mood and drama to the resulting photos.

You will, I hope, have gathered by now that I truly welcome what most of the general population would call ‘bad weather’. For me, there is nothing worse than a bright blue, cloudless sky. Give me dark & ominous skies, bands of rain and intermittent rays of light emerging from the gloom. I hope the images that illustrate this article demonstrate that 1) I’m not completely mad and 2) why I frequently visit locations with variable weather – Scotland, the Faroe Islands and the English Lake District for example. Remember, if you don’t like the weather …………………….

If you would like to join Kevin & me on a 2024 workshop to the Faroes to witness the changeable weather that is a characteristic of these amazing islands and photograph the dramatic landscapes, then please visit – Faroe Islands Photography Workshop May 4 – 11, 2024 – Rockhopper Workshops 

Steve Gosling
November 2023
E-mail: [email protected]
Mobile: +44(0)776 996 7933

Elevate Your Vision

Join our community of passionate photographers.

Access our extensive knowledge archive.

Master the art of landscape and beyond.

Your Email *

Select list(s) to subscribe to

Example: Yes, I would like to receive emails from Luminous Landscape. (You can unsubscribe anytime)

Constant Contact Use. Please leave this field blank.

---

By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: The Luminous Landscape Inc. https://luminous-landscape.com. You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the  SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact.

By subscribing I agree with Terms and Conditions

Do it later