Night Photography Part 1: Preparation

June 11, 2020

Night photography is one of my very favorite genres to shoot whenever I get the chance. And when I say Night Photography, I mean both Astrophotography and general night photography, such as night cityscapes, light trails, and other night scenes. Today’s tips for preparation apply to all areas of night photography. If you are looking for Astrophotography tips in particular you can visit my past blog posts: 9 Tips for Astrophotography Part 1 and 9 More Tips for Astrophotography Part 2. In this series, later posts will be focused on town & city scenes, light trails and star trails.

8 minute exposure of the stars over Mt. Rundle at Vermilion Lakes

I believe that preparation is key to enjoyable and successful night photography. Being prepared with the proper gear, knowing that gear and your location is the best first step toward creating amazing night imagery.

1 -Invest in a quality tripod - If you already shoot nightscapes even occasionally, you know that a tripod is critical to sharp night photography. The longer exposures you are shooting, the more important that the tripod is strong and sturdy so it won’t move if the conditions are windy. In addition to this, it is important to choose a tripod that is intuitive to you in its use. Being able to easily put the camera on the head and shift its position, especially in the dark is so important. If your tripod doesn’t feel easy for you to adjust, find one that is. It will take so much frustration out of working in the dark.

2) Pack Your Cable Release/Remote - When photographing long exposures, whether just 1-2 seconds or longer, a cable release will help eliminate any camera shake from pressing the shutter. Get to know your remote and how it works if you will be programming it for a time lapse or long exposure in bulb mode.

3) Bring a Headlamp and/or Flashlight - Depending on where you will be shooting, be sure to have a headlamp or flashlight to light your way and to help you work with your gear if you get stuck working in the dark. If you are shooting with other photographers, you’ll want to all get set up and try to avoid turning on any lights once you get shooting. Even a little light shining into the foreground can ruin a fellow photographer’s exposure.

4) Know Your Gear Well - Being able to work with your gear in the dark is so important for an enjoyable night shooting experience. If you can adjust your camera on your tripod and access the buttons you need on your camera without fumbling around, you’ll save yourself so much frustration. Know how to change your settings, playback and zoom in to check focus without having to turn on a flashlight. Spending a little time mindfully noticing where all these buttons are can make a world of difference.

Harbour Town on Hilton Head Island as Blue Hour transitions to night.

5) Scout your location - Spend time during the day scouting out your location. Being able to see where you will be walking and setting up will help you when it is dark. Additionally, it can help to envision the composition you want to shoot in the daytime. Taking this time will create familiarity with the scene, minimize unexpected obstacles, and aid success in finding an intriguing composition.

6) Lower Your Screen Brightness & Turn on your Highlight Blinkies - One of the most frequent difficulties with night photography is underexposed images. It is easy to look at your LCD screen on playback and think your image is well exposed when in reality is it underexposed. Lowering the screen brightness is helpful in preventing this mistake. Checking the histogram for proper exposure is the second important step. Using the highlight blinkies on your LCD is another helpful tool to use to ensure the brightest areas of your night scene (e.g. stars, city lights, etc) are not blown out. Check your camera manual to learn how to turn down the brightness and enable the highlight warnings.

7) Prepare for the Elements - Depending on where you are shooting you may run into various weather conditions. In the summer months, some areas could get buggy at night so you may want to have bug spray on hand. In cooler months, and even in some climates, such as the mountains, the night temperatures get far cooler than the days. Be prepared with layers to keep yourself warm. If you will be in wet areas, waterproof shoes might be helpful, or hiking boots for slippery and uneven terrain.

8) Be safe - In the city or the wilderness, night time has its dangers. In both cases, it is important to be safe by being aware of your surroundings and it is always best to have a friend for shooting partner with you.

Night Photography Part 2 coming next week!

Kristen Ryan is an award winning and published landscape and fine art photographer and educator residing in the Midwest suburbs of Chicago. All images are available for purchase in the Fine Art Store or by request. Kristen leads ladies landscape photography retreats in the Tetons, Chicago, and the Canadian Rockies, offers private mentoring and teaches an online landscape photography workshop, The World Around You. The next run of The World Around You begins August 17!

Notes from Quarantine

May 28, 2020

I have been absent from this space over the last few weeks. It felt as if the content I had planned for these past weeks just didn’t feel right under the circumstance and perhaps that isn’t the case, but things just feel so different right now. And as I set aside those topics, my landscape photography workshop, ‘The World Around You’ began and all my time was pulled into class and keeping my home running during this crazy time.

I’ve been thinking a lot about my photography, and photography in general over the course of this Shelter at Home. Reflecting on its importance in my life and in the world overall. And mostly with regards to nature photography in particular as it doesn’t document the pandemic in the same way as people photography. In that way it feels less important and yet as we see the way the world has changed with empty streets, empty stores, and people spaced out with masks, the nature is a steady presence and in my mind, feels almost more beautiful than ever before.

On a walk the other day I found myself reflecting on the ways my photography has changed and not changed, during the last two months. If you look at my Instagram these days, you’ll find more small wildlife and intimate nature scenes sprinkled among the landscapes that have historically dominated my feed. And certainly this is a change. I do have some birds and macro in my (huge) Lightroom catalog that I scroll past as I go digging for landscapes to edit or grab an image as an example for my blog or in teaching. Many are even given 3 stars in my system to designate images worth editing but rarely have they been edited and shared. They get passed over for the landscapes and nightscapes that I love and spend time teaching to others. In my time at home, which is the majority of my days, I spend time editing the collection of images that I have captured during my travels and retreats. In fact, I will much more often spend time editing those images than exploring my local landscape.

In the past, I would often find myself noticing moments in nature outside my window or on a walk and framing them in my mind. Less often would I actually grab the camera and capture what I was seeing. And some of it was because the beauty felt ‘inferior’ to the grander beauty I had already sitting unedited on my external hard drives. Certainly there is truth to that and the response to my local images on social media is much less than my travels. But that is ok as I do not create images for the response of others. But today, and in the last several months, I AM picking up the camera and capturing what my eye is drawn to.

A truth I realized is that whether the simpler beauty that I see in my everyday surroundings is less impressive than the views of my dream travels or not, observing and capturing that beauty brings me joy and gratitude for our natural world. So often I find I am wishing myself out of the flat Midwest instead of appreciating what is right in front of me. And while I will be so grateful to explore the world again and turn my camera to the mountains and ocean, I hope to continue to finding joy in capturing what is out my front door.

My approach to my photography certainly has not changed. Whether I am out in the mountains or walking along the pond beyond my yard, camera in hand, it is the experience of being in nature that brings me the greatest reward. The creative process and the quiet moments center and calm me. It slows me down and brings me gratitude. The resulting images are a wonderful bonus.

And wherever I am, I go out and observe without expectations. Open mind and open heart to be moved by both the simple and extraordinary moments that Mother Nature offers me.

My “Beauty in My Backyard” project is still going strong with my Sigma 150-600. You can read about the evolution of this project on Sigma’s blog here. I have expanded the project to include some macro with my Nikon 105mm macro lens and my Velvet 56. And as we ease the restrictions, I’m getting out to some local spots around me.

I’d love to hear about how this pandemic has influenced your images or how you think about your photography. Comment below or send me a message. Connecting with others in this passion is my second favorite thing about photography. Second only to the enjoyment of the creative process.

Looking forward to getting back to some sense of normalcy and adding more tips & inspiration in this space in the coming weeks! Stay well!

6 MORE Tips for Capturing Reflections

May 1, 2020

In my last post, I shared 5 tips for capturing beautiful reflections in landscape imagery. Some of my very favorite landscape images are ones that include reflections. For that reason, I wanted to share some more tips with you this week!

1) Create Symmetry - In landscape photography, it is often recommended to avoid a centered horizon in creating a strong composition. However, when capturing reflections, a centered horizon can be a great choice for composing an image with beautiful symmetry. This is especially the case with a simple scene that isolates the subject and its reflection. When the top and bottom of the scene appear identically, the centered horizon yields a pleasing sense of balance in the frame.

A minimal scene of clouds and trees reflecting in Emerald Lake.

An example of a more complex scene with multiple elements that are mirrored in the waters of Emerald Lake.

2) Think Abstract - Sometimes a reflection can lend itself well to an abstract. Fill the frame with subjects with interesting textures, lines or repetitive shapes.

This image is a scene in Jasper National Park at sunrise. I was drawn to the textures and repetition of these trees and I used my telephoto lens to create an abstract of just the trees and their reflection.

This abstract captured the reflection of tree trunks in the pond beyond our home as the snow fell last month.

3) Avoid Distractions - As you frame your shot, be aware of distractions that might get in the way of your clear and compelling reflection. This can mean items in the water that distract the eye from the reflection such as algae, rocks or sticks. It is also important to check that your positioning captures the reflection without cutting it off. For example, make sure your trees or mountains are reflected fully without the shoreline cutting off the tops of them.

This scene at Oxbow Bend requires that you watch your position so that the full top of Mt. Moran is reflected in the Snake River below.

In this scene in Grand Teton National Park, I carefully set myself up so that the reflection of the Grand Teton would not be impacted by the rocks in the foreground.

4) Frame your reflection - Look for framing elements to add more depth to your reflection images. However, be aware of tip #3 and don’t cut off the important parts of your reflection. Use the framing elements to add depth but avoid distracting the eye away from the reflection that is your main focal point.

In this image, I wanted to frame Mt. Moran and its reflection in the water below. I was very careful to position myself to comfortably frame the subject and while not cutting off the reflection with the foreground foliage.

5) Ripples are Ok! Generally we look for the clearest reflections and the stillest water. Reflections feel like a mirror when the water is the stillest. But don’t shy away when there are some ripples in the water. They can add some interest to your image and make it unique.

It can be hard to get a clear reflection in the very large Jackson Lake so I was excited to see it on this crisp autumn morning. As you can see, there are ripples in the water but capturing this with a faster shutter speed allowed the ripples to cre… — It can be hard to get a clear reflection in the very large Jackson Lake so I was excited to see it on this crisp autumn morning. As you can see, there are ripples in the water but capturing this with a faster shutter speed allowed the ripples to create an interesting texture while still getting a great reflection.

6) Have patience! Sometimes you may visit a spot that often gets reflections but when you arrive the water is full of waves. In some situations, you may be out of luck, but sometimes if you stay long enough, the reflection will appear during breaks in the wind.

On this stormy and windy afternoon, there was just a short window in which I was able to capture the reflection of the mountains in the water.

Hope these tips will help you next time you are out searching for reflections.

5 Tips for Capturing Beautiful Reflections

April 15, 2020

One of the most compelling elements you can include in landscape imagery is a strong reflection. Reflections add interest, often create symmetry and help to add depth in a simple scene. Reflections are a great way to capture a more intriguing image when the skies are uncooperative, such as full overcast or completely clear.

Calm waters in Emerald Lake in Yoho National Park as the sun sets and moon rises.

You can find reflections in any water source that is still such as a pond, lake, calm area of a river, a puddle, or even the wet sand along the shore. Reflections of mountains, trees, city buildings and skies are all compelling subjects to find reflections of in your scenery.

Some tips for finding and capturing the best reflections and most compelling images:

1) Find Calm Water ~Calm water is a necessity for the clearest reflections. Smaller and shallower bodies of water will often be easiest to find calm water though even larger and deeper lakes can be calm enough for clear reflections if you catch them at the right times. Early morning or later evening will often be the best times for finding calm water. Check your weather forecast and choose days and times with low wind.

Pretty calm waters at Oxbow Bend in Grand Teton National Park. The 10 second exposure smoothed the water a bit.

2) Consider the light ~ The best reflections will be captured when the light is behind you and a bit to the right or left. With that in mind, be aware of how the sun can cast a shadow of your body into the scene. Unless you are going for a shadow self portrait, then go right ahead 😊

Calm waters in the Snake River with the sunrise light behind me.

Calm morning waters at Lake Marmo at Morton Arboretum with the sun behind me.

3) Find the best perspective ~ Sometimes the the reflection is obvious in the scene but other times the best reflection can take a little exploring angle and perspective. Get low and see if you can get more reflection than at eye level. It’s also important to consider how you are composing the scene to avoid chopping your main subject AND its reflection in an awkward way. Be sure to leave comfortable space above the subject and below its reflection.

The reflection of the sky and clouds in the wet sand and very shallow waters at Cannon Beach in Oregon is enhanced by my low perspective very close to the sand. Getting low also helps to add depth in the image.

4) Consider using a Graduated Neutral Density filter - The reflection is often much darker than the subject above. A graduated neutral density filter can reduce the exposure of the top of the frame to neutralize the dynamic range so you can better expose the shadowed reflection. This is especially the true in a situation where the sun is setting behind your subject and not illuminating the reflection such as in the Teton images above.

5) Experiment with long exposures ~ If the water is a bit rippled and the reflection is lacking, shooting a long exposure will smooth the water and sometimes bring out a hint of reflection as well.

This sunset at Oxbow Bend had an incredibly beautiful reflection for evening. The water was nice and calm. This is a situation where a GND could help to decrease exposure on the sky a few stops and allow the foreground to be exposed brighter without… — This sunset at Oxbow Bend had an incredibly beautiful reflection for evening. The water was nice and calm. This is a situation where a GND could help to decrease exposure on the sky a few stops and allow the foreground to be exposed brighter without overexposing the sky.

In this scene, the water was extremely choppy from the wind in the late afternoon on a blustery November day. The 30 second exposure brought out some reflection of the mountain in Bow Lake.

I hope these tips help you capture stunning reflections in your local scenery and in your travels. If you’re looking to purchase filters for creative effects including long exposures, my go to filters are from Breakthrough Photography *. They are great quality and do not add a color cast.

*Affiliate Link

4 Tips for Capturing Mother's Nature's Atmosphere Part 2

March 25, 2020

A couple weeks ago I posted an article encouraging you to get out and capture Mother Nature’s Atmosphere in the fog, snow, rain and frigid temperatures. I believe that dramatic and inclement weather can create incredible opportunities for some of the most unique and compelling nature images. These moments happen amongst stormy skies and when the weather clears just enough to let light through. I also believe that even in what appears to be a dreary day, there is beauty to be found if we open our minds and think creatively to see the extraordinary in the ordinary.

So today I have 4 tips for capturing Mother Nature’s Atmosphere:

1) Let go of Expectations -

Head out with an open mind and without expectation for what you will capture. As a general rule, I try to do this whenever I go out to shoot but I think it is especially important when the weather is behaving unpredictably. Sometimes we can have a particular kind of beauty or image in our heads and that can blind us from seeing a different kind of beauty right in front of us.

The image below is captured at the iconic Oxbow Bend on a winter’s morning in 2016. Beyond these trees is typically where you would see Mt. Moran but on this morning, you would not know the Tetons were there. Instead of driving past, I captured the beauty of the mist and snow among the trees. While I hoped for a different view that morning, I made the most of what WAS in front of me and I really love the winter magic in this image.

2) Consider Different Focal Lengths & Perspectives - As landscape photographers, we are often drawn to the grand view and wide angle scenery. Sometimes the beauty will be in the expansive scene. But often we can find it in smaller segments of the landscape.

An overcast evening with low lying clouds at Emerald Lake in Yoho National Park created a beautiful atmosphere surrounding the Emerald Lake Lodge & its iconic restaurant view. Across the lake I was drawn to the way the low clouds mixed in the tr… — An overcast evening with low lying clouds at Emerald Lake in Yoho National Park created a beautiful atmosphere surrounding the Emerald Lake Lodge & its iconic restaurant view. Across the lake I was drawn to the way the low clouds mixed in the trees and reflected in the still waters of Emerald Lake. While I captured the wider view and loved it, I also used my telephoto lens to capture a smaller and more detailed scene. This is one of my favorite recently edited images.

One of the days of the September 2019 Magic in the Tetons retreat was extremely overcast and rainy. While we enjoyed a little extra sleep and a nice breakfast in town together, we also were determined to find some beauty in the day. The sky above wa… — One of the days of the September 2019 Magic in the Tetons retreat was extremely overcast and rainy. While we enjoyed a little extra sleep and a nice breakfast in town together, we also were determined to find some beauty in the day. The sky above was pretty dreary but the low clouds were beautiful as they floated through the evergreen trees. I grabbed my Sigma 150-600 to capture the atmosphere on the side of the mountainside. As much as I love my Teton views, this is one of my favorite images from the retreat. And I love how it shows the beauty we found even in some of the dreariest conditions.

3) Be Patient - Sometimes Mother Nature’s dramatic weather is spectacular in an obvious way, such as when a storm is brewing and the ominous clouds are passing over the mountains or ocean in the distance and you can comfortably capture the incredible drama. Other times, she brings consistent rain or overcast clouds. There are days the cloud cover or rain simply does not let up, but holding patience for a partial clearing, or even a single moment of light, can lead to incredible images. In those brief periods of light between the dreary skies, or waiting out the downpours, we can find amazing beauty. Sometimes even a lackluster sunset can become colorful a short while after the sun goes below the horizon.

While in Turks & Caicos, my husband and I rode our bikes 3 miles to the edge of South Caicos for sunrise one morning. While we were there, we got caught in a downpour and we ran off to an abandoned building for shelter. Instead of leaving, we wa… — While in Turks & Caicos, my husband and I rode our bikes 3 miles to the edge of South Caicos for sunrise one morning. While we were there, we got caught in a downpour and we ran off to an abandoned building for shelter. Instead of leaving, we waited out the rain as I was hopeful that the clearing of the clouds would create some beautiful light. Not only did we get a bit of clearing, but we also got a beautiful rainbow, and actually a hint of a double rainbow too!

On this evening of the Magic in the Tetons retreat, we arrived a little before sunset to rather cloudy skies. I found the intense blue clouds and yellow fall foliage to be a stunning contrast. Sunset itself was quite lackluster but we held on for aw… — On this evening of the Magic in the Tetons retreat, we arrived a little before sunset to rather cloudy skies. I found the intense blue clouds and yellow fall foliage to be a stunning contrast. Sunset itself was quite lackluster but we held on for awhile just waiting well past when the sun went below the horizon. Our patience paid off as about 20 minutes after ‘sunset’, this incredible pink appeared in the sky, enhanced by the long exposures we were shooting.

4) Get Out There!

Even when the forecast is questionable, get out there anyway! Yes, sometimes you may get skunked but quite often you’ll find unexpected beauty or the weather will break at just the perfect moment. There have been so many times I have gone out in rain, freezing rain, or overcast clouds wondering if the shoot would be a bust and come home with images I love. In some cases Mother Nature surprised me by bringing a well timed clearing or beautiful colors in the clouds. Other times I found beauty in unexpected ways.

On this day in Banff National Park, the clouds covered the mountains and the sky was dreary and overcast, but a brief window of light came along at the perfect time over Bow Lake. In the drive from Lake Louise to Bow Lake, the clouds left little hop… — On this day in Banff National Park, the clouds covered the mountains and the sky was dreary and overcast, but a brief window of light came along at the perfect time over Bow Lake. In the drive from Lake Louise to Bow Lake, the clouds left little hope of finding this beauty, but there it was. Worth the effort!

As my friends and I drove 20 minutes from Dana Point, CA to Crystal Cove, the rain came down on us. We knew our efforts may be in vain, but we were only there for one more night and we wanted to make an effort. This was also an outing to see this pl… — As my friends and I drove 20 minutes from Dana Point, CA to Crystal Cove, the rain came down on us. We knew our efforts may be in vain, but we were only there for one more night and we wanted to make an effort. This was also an outing to see this place that was so special to my friend, Brynn Schmidt. As we parked, the rain was beginning to let up and we could see the makings of incredible light. We practically sprinted to the beach and could barely set up our tripods fast enough. I don’t think we even spoke to each other for 30 minutes and we raced to capture the beauty in front of us. When we left our hotel earlier that afternoon, this sunset would never have been what we predicted. Go out anyway! It won’t pay off every time, but sometimes it will.

Lose your expectations, open your mind, practice patience and perseverance! Capture the beauty of Mother Nature’s atmosphere!

While at the moment, many places are off limit to us as we ‘social distance’ and ‘shelter in place’, I look forward to when I am able to travel again, both locally and across the world. In the meantime, I am traveling virtually through my image catalog and finding many images yet to be edited. I’m storing away my ideas and inspiration for the day I can travel again and hope you do too! In the meantime, reach out to me if you' have any topics you’d like to read about as we shelter in our homes. Stay healthy!

My online landscape photography workshop, The World Around You, is now open for registration! Sign up at Click Photo School.

6 Ideas for Creativity while Quarantined

March 18, 2020

Today’s blog post was meant to be some tips for getting the shot while embracing Mother Nature’s atmosphere as a follow up to last week’s post. But with the dramatic changes that have happened in the world since last week due to Covid-19, I’m postponing those tips to next week.

All of a sudden we find our schools and businesses closed and we’re all holed up in our houses. For some that may mean a lot of solitary time if you live alone or perhaps now your time will be more limited with the kids home and trying to juggle the new homeschool situation with your work & daily tasks. Regardless, it is a little daunting to feel the world shift on a dime. It is so unsettling and uncertain. Being home with the kids is not something I find difficult but the threat of loss & illness involved here strikes at the core of my anxiety.

If you live in the middle of nature or close to areas you can escape for a nature fix and still maintain your ‘social distance’, you are certainly fortunate. Right now, the Chicago suburbs are still pretty brown and blah. Travel was my avenue for photographic inspiration and that’s pretty much gone at the moment. That may be the same for many of you.

With the threat of serious illness for yourself or someone you care about, nature photography can seem insignificant in some ways, right? And maybe life right now does not leave extra time for this creative outlet. There are certainly other priorities unless photography is providing for your family. But if it’s not, it is still important to take care of our hearts, minds and bodies. Photography fills me up and in many ways it is a meditation for my whole body. We need our passions to channel our minds away from spiraling to negative places and to help us focus in on the beauty that still exists in this world. Photography helps us remind us of the beautiful moments & documents the way we see the world. This is important even at a time like this, and perhaps especially at a time like this..

As a couple of trips I looked forward to this month got cancelled, I am grateful for my recent travels and have been thinking of the ways I can fill up my need to photograph, create, learn, grow, and share with my friends who share this passion. If I’m honest, I know my ideas far exceed the time I will have even if this quarantine goes on far longer than currently set (& it seems it will) While these ideas aren’t all that different from my cooped up in winter ideas shared in early January, I feel they warrant reinforcing. Sometimes repetition is helpful and motivating. I know it helps me to have ideas of things I want to try or accomplish in these trying times.

1 ) Keep your camera out on the counter in an ‘easy to grab’ spot! - If you also have young kids, perhaps you want to keep your camera close for grabbing those family moments. But another idea is to keep your camera and telephoto lens close at hand to try some bird/wildlife photography in your yard. Our kitchen window overlooks a pond (surrounded by the neighborhood homes) and I have noticed that the birds are starting to fly around and land on the trees close to our house. After I missed a red cardinal the other day while I went to grab my camera, I decided to keep my camera with my Sigma 150-600 lens in the corner of the counter to grab quickly!

One of my nature captures with my Sigma 150-600mm lens

2) Work on a Printing Project - I recommend this often and honestly should do it more myself. Why not work on a series of images to print and hang on your wall or create a photo book. Bring all that beauty you have worked so hard on into your home during this challenging time.

3) Create a video/slideshow of your images and/or video clips from past vacations -This is something I want to do more of and so rarely can find the time to do it. Maybe this will be the time to get to this project! If you make one, share it with me and inspire me please :)

4) Explore a new indoor genre - Try some macro or still life photography. Explore video in additional to still photos.

5) Find an online class that interests you - That time you thought you didn’t have, perhaps you have it now. Even with landscape, there is so much you can learn and try in your local area to nail techniques for when those travel opportunities come again. If you don’t want spend money on a new class, pull out some old class materials and reread them. Surely you’ll find some tips that you missed the first time around.

6) Fine Tune your Post Processing - Post processing options are endless and building your creativity in editing can be just what you need to take your images to the next level. There are so many classes and free tutorials out there to learn about the many tools of Lightroom, Photoshop, Luminar, etc. Experiment and play, ask your friends or a mentor for their feedback. Dig into that backlog of travel images that you likely wouldn’t get to if you could still be out shooting! Lose yourself in the beauty on your screen.

First and foremost, take care of yourself & your family. The camera will always be there and if you need to put it down for awhile, there is nothing wrong with that!

My online landscape photography workshop, The World Around You, is now open for registration! Sign up at Click Photo School. This will likely be the only run of 2020 as my fall is filled with retreats.

Embracing Mother Nature's Atmosphere

March 11, 2020

Mother Nature is not always cooperative in providing beautiful sunrises, sunsets, and days with blue skies and white puffy clouds. Sometimes she sends us stormy and inclement conditions like rain, snow, and fog. While all of these things can provide challenging circumstances, they often create the most atmospheric and unique landscape imagery. So instead of hiding inside, grab the camera and embrace the atmosphere.

Three atmospheric conditions to capture:

1) Fog & Low clouds

Fog can be challenging as it creates low visibility, difficulty driving and may obscure the beautiful views you find in the mountains or along the coast, for example. On the positive side, fog can create a sense of mystery, enhance atmosphere and provide a soft, dreamy mood. In obscuring some details, fog enhances the beauty of other details and creates a stunning contrast to finer and rougher textures, such as the hard rock of mountain tops or the needles of pine trees. Fog may isolate foreground objects like trees, flowers or animals from the background, simplifying the scene.

Pond & Tree in the fog Kristen Ryan Photography-001.jpg

2) Snow & Frigid Temperatures

My guess is most won’t need a lot of encouragement to get out there on those beautiful winter days when big puffy snowflakes are falling. There is something truly magical about falling snow. Even in heavily falling snow, the views can be beautiful. The snow often comes with a drab white sky, but the foreground is enhanced by the atmosphere created with fresh snowflakes.

Many people shy away from the extremely frigid temperatures you that sometimes come after a beautiful snowfall. I encourage you to prepare for the cold with many layers and grab those hand and toe warmers because the icy temperatures often lead to unique ice formations and extra sparkly snow.

Frosty Vermilion Lakes Kristen Ryan Photography-001.jpg

3) Rain

A hard drenching downpour is not going to provide you with the most enjoyable shooting conditions nor create the most pleasing images. However, rain in many situations can create opportunities for stunning imagery. Storms coming in or clearing up can create extremely dramatic skies.

In many places where you can see miles in every direction, the distant rain is stunning to capture.

Rain comes down in the distance among the golden sunrise light off the coast of Turks & Caicos.

Even light rain as it splatters on the water of a lake or on puddles can create a beautiful story not typically captured.

And if you’re lucky, rain that is short lived may even reward you with a rainbow in the end!

After watching the rain come in, my husband and I ran for cover. As it lightened, I looked back and knew we’d see a rainbow! So worth getting a little wet!

In most situations, beauty can still be found when Mother Nature throws us some precipitation and inclement weather mixed with just a small breakthrough of the sun can create the most astounding images! Do you have a dramatic weather image you love? I’ve love to see them!

My 5 Favorite Weather Apps for Landscape Photography Planning

March 4, 2020

Weather has such a strong impact on landscape photography and getting out in ideal conditions can really take your imagery to the next level. There are a number of helpful weather apps that are helpful in predicting when Mother Nature will provide those ideal conditions. While no app or forecast is foolproof or perfect, here are 5 of my favorite apps I use in planning my photography adventures.

1 ) Sun Surveyor

I love Sun Surveyor because it gives so many different tidbits of information in one little app! Put in your location and date and Sun Surveyor tells you sunrise and sunset time, moonrise and moonset, golden hour, and blue hour. You can find out the phase of the moon and the time that the core of the milky way will be visible (if applicable). There is a map that will show the arc of the movement of the sun and moon across your location. The live view will also show you exactly where the sun, moon or milky way will be at any given time as you stand in your location.

2) Photopills

Photopills is my go-to app for planning my Milky Way shoots. Using the Photopills planner, I can plan my Milky Way shooting wherever I may traveling too. I can set the pin at a location and see how the Milky Way will line up at all hours of the night. This eliminates the guesswork involved with astrophotography. The Night AR view allows me to see exactly how the Milky Way will line up at a particular time as I stand in a location. I have planned many Milky Way shooting sessions for my retreats months in advance by using Photopills.

Milky Way over the Barn Kristen Ryan Photography.jpg

3) Astrospheric

Astrospheric is another awesome weather app that shows cloud cover by the hour and includes a radar that shows the clouds moving over your location. You can watch the radar or click on a particular hour to see the cloud cover prediction and location of the clouds. Great for predicting those clear nights for astrophotography.

4) Clear Outside

This app gives you hour by hour information on the cloud cover in your chosen location. Not only does it tell your overall cloud cover but it also tells you whether they are low, mid or high clouds. You can also see visibility, fog, chance of rain and temperature. The cloud cover numbers are so helpful for predicting clear nights for astrophotography as well as chance of clouds for enhancing sunrise and sunset.

Parting Clouds Kristen Ryan Photography-001.jpg

5) My Aurora Forecast Pro

This helpful app will give you the current KP index and show you the likelihood of seeing the Northern Lights in your chosen location. There is an Aurora Map that shows the best locations to see the Aurora and shows you the long term KP potential forecast. A forecast is always a forecast though, right?! The app also will alert you of high aurora activity.

Again, forecasts can be unpredictable and no app is perfect, but the combination of these apps can help to figure out when and where I can find the best opportunities for landscape and astrophotography. Do you have any favorite apps not listed here? I’d love to hear about them and add them to my tool list 😊

Just 3 spots left in my 2023 Ladies Landscape Retreats! 1 spot in the June Magic in the Tetons Retreat and 2 spots in Magic in Hilton Head!

Kristen Ryan is an award winning and published landscape and fine art photographer and educator residing in the Midwest suburbs of Chicago. All images are available for purchase in the Fine Art Store or by request. Kristen leads ladies landscape photography retreats in the Tetons, Chicago, Glacier, Hilton Head and the Canadian Rockies, and offers private mentoring.

One Piece of Gear that is a Game Changer

February 26, 2020

One thing we discover as we get into landscape photography is that it tends to encourage more and more gear accumulation. Tripods, filters, remotes, etc. It seems there is always something more to purchase and add to our ‘need’ or ‘want’ list! It can be hard to decide which gear is truly worth the expense.

If you are into long exposure photography or astrophotography, there is one piece of gear that is a total game changer. That item is an “L Bracket”. This little piece of metal is in the shape of an L and it screws onto the bottom of your camera where you would screw on the tripod plate. It replaces the plate and stays on your camera tightly unless you take it off. It adds a small amount of weight and bulk but minimally so and is well worth the benefit.

The L Bracket allows you to place your camera securely in either horizontal OR vertical orientation. In my experience, long exposures with a typical tripod plate are frequently lacking sharpness, especially with a heavy camera and lens combination. This is because when the ball head is turned to shoot vertically, the weight of the camera causes it to slip and even the slightest movement will create blurriness in our images. The L bracket allows the camera to sit securely on top of the tripod without moving during long exposures.

The ability to shoot portrait orientation long exposures is especially helpful in situations such as shooting tall waterfalls or astrophotography when you want to capture the height of the sky and Milky Way. It is also helpful in keeping the camera composition steady when utilizing focus stacking in a vertical orientation. As a bonus, I find my camera is more secure on my tripod with the L bracket than the tripod plate regardless of whether I’m shooting horizontally or vertically.

The L bracket also means you don’t have to worry about forgetting your tripod plate because it will always be ready to mount on the tripod. The little allen wrench fits in a space at the bottom of the L bracket so it is always there if an adjustment is needed. Be sure to purchase an L bracket specific to your camera model and make sure it works with the ball head on the tripod. Just check the details online when you purchase or ask the camera store you are purchasing from.

Milky Way capture in September 2019 using my D850 and Kirk L bracket

I hope you find using an L bracket to be helpful in your landscape and night photography!

The next run of ‘The World Around You’ beings April 20th! Registration opens in early March!

When, Why & How to Use a Circular Polarizer

February 17, 2020

One of the top filters used by landscape photographers is a circular polarizer. This filter screws on to the end of your lens and twists to create a polarizing effect. What does this mean exactly? Think about looking at a scene with your naked eye and then putting on a pair of sunglasses. Notice the way the glare is diminished and colors are enhanced? That is what the polarizing filter does for the view your camera will capture.

Image colors and sky enhanced by using a circular polarizer.

Why would you want to use a polarizer? Here are a few desirable ways the polarizer will impact your landscape imagery:

Enhance color and contrast in the sky - Using a polarizer will turn light blue skies to deep blue skies. It will add beautiful contrast to daytime skies and bring out the definition in the clouds against the blue sky.
Reduce unwanted glare & reflections -In reducing some of the rays of light, the polarizer reduces glare and reflections. This is extremely beneficial when working in scenes with water. Using a polarizer helps to bring a crispness and remove glare from foliage allowing the colors to shine.
Cuts through haze - In some cases, polarizers can help with hazy skies and scenes. Details and colors will be enhanced.

When purchasing a circular polarizer, it is important to buy one that fits the diameter of your lens. For example, many of my Nikon lenses are 77mm in diameter, so I have a 77mm circular polarizer that fits those lenses. If you have lenses of varying diameters you can purchase step up rings to use a bigger filter with lenses of smaller diameters. For example I have an 82mm filter that fits my Sony 16-35mm lens and I use a 67mm step up rings to use the same filter with my 24-70 lens.

How do you use a polarizing filter?

To use a polarizing filter, you screw the filter onto the end of the lens. There is a second ring on the filter that twists to create the polarizing effect. As you twist, you can see the change in your scene. Twist until you get the desired result. It is important to note that the polarizer works best facing 90 degrees from the sun. So sun at your left or right when you are shooting. Be careful with wide angle lenses too as the polarizing effect will be inconsistent through the frame and you can end up with a sky that is really dark in some areas and less so in others.

It’s also important to keep in mind that because the polarizer blocks some rays of the sun, it reduces the exposure by a stop or two. You will want to account for this exposure change by reducing the shutter speed, increasing ISO or opening up the aperture.

When might you want to use a circular polarizer?

Photographing Waterfalls - Polarizers are an invaluable tool for waterfall photography. The polarizer will help cut glare off the water and enhance the colors of the surrounding scenery. See the two examples of this small waterfall at Waterfall Glen in Illinois. You can see very clearly the way the polarizer helped cut the glare on the leaves in the foreground and allowed its autumn color to shine.

2. Daytime photography - Daytime photography is a perfect time to pull out the circular polarizer. Enhance the colors of the landscape and bring out the definition of white puffy clouds again the blue sky.

3. Shooting through glass - If for any reason you are shooting through glass, the polarizer will help to cut out the glare and reflections.

A circular polarizer is a great tool to have in your bag for landscape photography. I have used several different brands of polarizers over the years but my current go to polarizer is by Breakthrough Photography *.

Have any questions about polarizers or other filters, feel free to reach out!

*Affiliate Link

One Way to Handle a Photography Rut

January 29, 2020

In my last post, I offered 7 Tips for Finding Inspiration. Winter is often one of those times that inspiration feels lacking or photographers say they are feeling in a rut. What do you do when nothing you try is inspiring your creativity or motivating you to click the shutter? Sometimes I think the best thing to do when inspiration is lacking is actually to simply put the camera down. Not only put the camera down, but do it without the guilt. While it can sometimes be effective to “push through” and keep trying, sometimes taking a break is the best remedy for lack of inspiration. I don’t think we should feel like we need to be taking pictures if our hearts are not in it. Especially because when you think about it, we only have a limited about of time to spend editing our images and a limited about of wall space in our homes. Quality over quantity my friends.

Putting energy into other valuable activities can actually be just what we need for our inspiration to organically come back. Here are a few ways we can make the most of our time away from the camera:

Some simple beauty on a foggy winter’s day in the midwest

1 - Tackle that To-Do List - Sometimes the crazy activities of life, the mountain of chores piling up, or literally the clutter around your house can zap all our creative energy. Rather than fight through the negative energy to try to find your inspiration, spend time wading through the tasks that are weighing down on your mind and life. Once you’ve tackled some of those tasks, you may find a weight lifted and inspiration flowing.

2 - Spend Quality time with friends & family - Plan some adventures with your family, or set aside time for a cup of coffee or lunch with a friend. Curl up with a special person to watch a movie. Enjoy time with the important people in your life without the camera.

3 - Enjoy another creative hobby or activity you love - It’s no secret that photography can take a lot of our time. I know when I became so involved with photography, some of my other hobbies and activities got put aside. Rather than fight the camera, go back to some of those activities that have been neglected. So sit down at the piano, bake some cookies, knit that blanket, etc.

4 - Engage in Self Care - Sometimes we lose inspiration because we are feeling stress in our lives. Rather than beat ourselves up about lacking photographic inspiration, take that energy and do something that makes you feel good. Go for a run or hike, get a massage, curl up with a book or get some extra sleep. Fill yourself up!

5 - Process old images - If you want to keep working on your photography but aren’t feeling inspired to shoot, work on your processing and spend time digging into your backlog (if you have one like me!) This is a great time to learn new creative processing tools too. Maybe add a printing project in with the processing. As mentioned in another posts, this is a great way to find inspiration again!

So instead of feeling pressure to create or guilt because you aren’t creating, put your energy into something more productive and rejuvenating. The inspiration will come back!

Trees in the Clouds Kristen Ryan Photography-001.jpg

7 Tips for Finding Inspiration

January 17, 2020

As we begin a new year and new decade, what are you doing to find inspiration? Sometimes it can be hard to stay inspired in our craft day after day. Some people thrive on having a very focused project. Others like to shoot as inspiration comes to them. This can also vary with our stage of life or stage of photography too. I used to thrive on having a project and a “due date” in my first few years of learning. Now I prefer to shoot when I feel the inspiration and try not to feel pressure to create on any kind of timeline.

Whether you are feeling motivated or looking for inspiration, here are 7 tips for finding inspiration in the new year!

1) Go for an early morning walk. Morning walks have been somewhat thrust on me by my walk-loving golden retriever. However, I find that the routine of our 2 mile walk after the kids are off to school is more than just a good active and mind clearing way to start the day. Much of the year, our walk occurs within a couple hours after sunrise and as we walk, I am always noticing the way the light shines through the neighborhood. There is nothing unusually beautiful about our neighborhood, but just noticing the way it lights up the dew drops on the grasses or filters through the trees leaves my mind feeling inspired as I frame images in my mind. On a couple of occasions, I even grabbed my camera when we got home and went in search of the same beauty slightly closer to home. I wonder what you’d find in your neighborhood in the morning light.

The bokeh I envisioned among the grasses day after day while walking the dog in the morning light!

2) Take a field trip to a local park, arboretum, forest preserve, or city! Make an effort to plan a day or even a couple hours visiting a local area of beauty. Maybe you bring your camera or maybe you just leave it at home and spend the time observing with your mind. Sometimes when you go without your camera, your eyes will see even more opportunities to come back to at a later date. Occasionally, when we have our cameras, we can get stuck on the first opportunity we see and miss the other beauty we might have explored. Go alone for quiet thoughtfulness or grab a friend and make it a social outing! Do you have a place you haven’t visited lately?

One of my favorite local spots to visit when I need a creative fix!

3) Listen to inspiring music. The best photographs make us feel emotion. The best music does the same thing. For me, listening to certain music brings specific types visions to my mind and others take me back to past memories or stages of my life. Instrumental music will often bring visions of nature for me; such as waterfalls or rustling trees, etc. Listening to music that makes me FEEL something deep inside inspires me to want to capture images that also make me FEEL emotion. What kind of music inspires you?

4. Get out at night, sunrise or sunset! Getting outside to witness nature during sunrise or sunset when the light is dynamic and colors are golden is sure to help revive your inspiration. The quiet of sunrise always revives and calms my mind as well. Getting out to shoot at night, when everything looks different is a great way to find inspiration. Night is more unexpected and we can create some interesting images that have a stronger impact that the same scene might during the day. Our cameras often capture colors and scenes at night that we miss with the naked eye. Where is a place that you have never explored with your camera at night?

Chicago has a magic that comes alive at night!

5. Explore a different genre. Maybe the landscape is drab and dreary in the winter and is leaving you uninspired. Look for some details that are enhanced by beautiful light or atmospheric fog. Grab some flowers and experiment with macro photography inside or try food photography. Try some self portraits and experiment with light and composition. Sometimes just picking up the camera can yield inspiration. Is there a genre that intrigues you in which you might explore some more?

Macro flowers Kristen Ryan Photography-001.jpg

6. Learn or practice a new technique. Get those Neutral Density filters and tackle long exposures or try some panning on the water or trees. Spend some time learning new creative post processing techniques while you are uninspired to shoot. Post processing is one of my favorite things to do on the dreary winter days. In fact, sometimes I’m thankful for those dreary days because otherwise I might never get my editing done! What technique has been on your to-do list to master?

Merge of a long exposure for the clouds and quick shutter to freeze the foliage!

7. Plan a trip and/or Explore a new place. If nothing else works to inspire my creativity, traveling or exploring a new place always does. Certainly it is most desirable to travel somewhere exotic or extraordinarily beautiful but even less extraordinary places that are new to you can awake your mind to the beauty of the world. Even a day or weekend away in a new place can inspire creativity. And if you come back home to feel uninspired again, at least you have some images to experiment with in post processing!

Milky Way over the Barn Kristen Ryan Photography-001.jpg

My Top Goal Recommendation for 2020

January 10, 2020

Happy New Year! A new year and a new decade is exciting and can be a time of reflection over the past year and decade as a well as a time of new beginnings and resolutions for the year to come.

I have never been one for a lot of new year’s resolutions as I tend to do things as I decide them. But with my birthday and New Year’s Day within a few days of each other, it does tend to be a time of reflection for me. In addition, the downtime that comes with January in Chicago stimulates my motivation to organize, plan and tackle projects! Afterall, what else is there to do in the cold of Chicago winter?!

While there are many great projects and goals you could jot down on your list for 2020, there is one top recommendation I have to start your year. PRINT your work!

Three great reasons to print your work TODAY!

1) Raise Your Confidence! One of the best things you can do to raise your confidence in your work and increase your motivation and inspiration is to print your images. When the prints are delivered it is like Christmas when you open up an expected present! Seeing your images in print and being able to hold them and put them in frames or on your walls creates a feeling of pride.

2) Celebrate your work & nature! It can be so easy to get caught up in collecting our images on our hard drives and simply sharing on social media in those small tiny squares that don’t do justice to the scenes or creativity we have put into our art. It does not sufficiently celebrate our vision and talent or the beauty of the world we live in.

3) Cherish the Moments & Memories ~ Those images you hang on your wall are a daily reminder of those moments you spend immersed in nature creating your art. Print those images BIG and hang them on a prominent wall. Or create a collection and print them in a beautiful book or album to display in a frequently inhabited room of you house.

If you are like me, you press the shutter because the light, the scenery, and the moment is speaking to you in such a compelling way that you must take that moment with you forever. Your printed images will take you back time and time again. As I walk into my kitchen, I’m transported to the final and magical sunrise during my first hosted Magic in the Tetons retreat. And I remember the afternoon I watched a moose graze along Schwabacher’s Landng for a couple hours. The canvas of the Milky Way reminds me of a great night at String Lake with the ladies from my second retreat. And sunburst illuminating the golden meadow in my family room I feel elated by a magical autumn afternoon hiking out to the Snake River with my mom in the fall of 2012. These are just a few of the images that hang on my walls.

So as this new decade beings, I challenge you to choose at least one or more images to print!

And I’d love to see which image(s) you choose if you care to share :)

Magic in Chicago Ladies Retreat Opens for Registration next week!! Sign up on the email list for registration day & time!

Capturing Winter's Beauty Part 3

December 24, 2019

Have you been out capturing winter’s beauty yet this year? The last couple weeks I shared some tips on preparing your gear and some settings to think about when capturing snowy landscapes. This week I’m offering 5 more tips to consider for capturing winter’s beauty in a variety of creative ways.

Mount Moran peeks out of the clouds on a cold winter’s morning at sunrise.

Embrace Simplicity - Winter images do not need to be complex. You don’t need an expansive scene to capture winter’s beauty. Simple scenes can be just as compelling. A single subject amongst the snowy landscape or falling snow can tell a beautiful story to a viewer.

A lone tree stands among the snowy landscape in Grand Teton National Park

2. Emphasize Atmosphere - Embrace the atmosphere of the falling snow or steam rising from water on a winter’s day. This may be done by capturing the wider scene or by using a longer lens to isolate a smaller subject amongst the snow or simply the softness of light and fog mixing over a pond or river. Include winter’s details like hoarfrost or ice detail in the frame to help tell the story. Get close to these details to add depth and story.

Frosty formations cover the ice of Bow Lake in Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada

The snow comes down along the Snake River. Jackson Hole, Wyoming

3. Abstract - Winter tones can create stunning abstract images. In contrast to the greens of spring and summer, and the golden autumn tones, winter tones of blue, brown and white have a calming and peaceful quality. Slow down the shutter speed and experiment with panning or zoom blur.

4. Focus on Details - Winter temperatures and precipitation bring beautiful ice formations, hoarfrost and snowflakes. When the sun is out, these are often combined with beautiful sparkles. Focus on these details in a wider scene or use macro lens or telephoto to isolate them.

5. Add a Pop of Color - The winter landscape can be monotone with lots of white, blue, and brown. Adding in a pop of color from the landscape, such as sunset colors in the sky, a red barn, yellow sign, or a person with colorful clothing can be just the thing to grab a viewer’s attention and add impact to the scene.

Sunset glow adds a pop of color to the cool snowy mountain scene of the Tetons.

Hope these tips help give you creative ideas for capturing the winter beauty near you and in your travels!

6 Tips for Capturing Winter's Beauty Part 2

December 17, 2019

Last week I shared some tips for preparing your camera gear and clothing to survive the cold while shooting in the winter landscape. If you don’t prepare well enough, the shooting adventures are likely to be cut short due to cold and discomfort!

Now that you are well equipped to manage the cold and snow, I have some tips for photographing the winter beauty! There is the most magical feeling that comes with fresh fallen snow or beautiful hoar frost covering the trees and grasses. Winter landscapes are some of my most favorite scenes to photograph.

Falling snow in Grand Teton National Park

1 - Exposure - As always, I recommend watching your histogram to make sure not to blow out the highlights of the scene to keep texture and detail in the snow. I always look to expose snowy scenes a little bit brighter than my camera tells me to. Exposing at zero, your camera will make the snow look more gray instead of white. I always look to expose snow about +1 to +1 2/3 stops. You can do this manually or by using exposure compensation if you shoot in aperture mode. One easy way to ensure a great exposure is to bracket three exposures at 0, +1, and -1. Again, keep an eye on your histogram to expose to the right without letting it climb the right wall.

2- White Balance - While snow is white, it won’t always appear pure white in a photograph or in real life. Snow reflects the colors and light of a scene. In very low light, the shadows will be quite cool and the snow will have a bluish hue to it. However, in warm sunrise, sunset or golden hour light, the snow may reflect golden, orange, or pink tones. You may want to choose a white balance that enhances these colors or you may want to choose a white balance that neutralizes them somewhat. You’ll likely want to choose a white balance that is representative of the scene and helps to enhance the mood and atmosphere of that moment you clicked the shutter. Unless you are shooting a warm sunrise or sunset, a cooler white balance will typically bring out the cool mood of a winter scene. Using live view when adjusting your white balance can help you see whether you are capturing accurate colors and achieving the mood you envision.

3 - Take Advantage of Falling Snow - Even better than fresh fallen snow is snow that is FALLING!! There is something incredibly magical about a landscape captured with snowflakes falling all around. So grab all your protective gear to keep your camera weather proofed and head out to capture the atmosphere.

4- Get Out When the Snow is Fresh - Whenever possible, head out to capture a fresh fallen snow as early as possible. The earlier you get out, the fluffier the new snow and the less car tracks or footprints will have been made in the snow. Additionally, when you consider your composition, avoid walking around aimlessly as you may end up wanting a composition that includes all the tracks YOU just made!

5 - Avoid Condensation & Moisture in Your Gear - Whenever you can, try to avoid changing your lens out in the cold and wet weather. This will minimize any moisture or condensation getting inside the camera. If you have more than one camera body, you could consider choosing a wide angle lens for one body and a telephoto lens for the second. Additionally, while I have never had trouble with my camera having condensation coming in from the cold, placing it in a sealed ziplock bag as it comes to warmer temperatures is recommended.

6 - Pack a Towel - It’s a great idea to keep a towel in your camera bag in case any of your gear does get wet. Choose something soft like a microfiber towel to dry off your gear.

Hope these are helpful tips to add to your winter shooting! Part 3 coming next week! Do you have a favorite winter shooting tip? Tell me in the comments.

Happy Shooting!

Capturing Winter Beauty Part 1 - Preparation

December 10, 2019

In the northern part of the world, the leaves are gone, the air is crisp and snow may be falling! Winter is upon us! Wintry scenes can be some of the most beautiful of all, and some of my favorite. The sparkle of snow and ice can truly be magical but getting out in the freezing cold temperatures can make it uncomfortable to say the least. So for part 1, let’s first think about getting our gear ready so we are prepared for the cold.

When I say gear, I am not only referring to our cameras and lenses but also what we need for our physical comfort in these conditions. Before you head out locally or travel for winter photography, make sure you are prepared for it. I remember anticipating my first winter trip to the Tetons with so much excitement. I couldn’t wait to capture their snowy beauty, but I was very nervous about being able to handle the frigid conditions, my fingers in particular. In the end, my husband and I had prepared ourselves with the proper clothing necessary and the trip was a great success. Since then I have gathered various items of clothing and gear that I love as well as some general tips for surviving the cold & capturing the winter beauty.

1 - Layers! Layers are your very best friend in the winter. This is not only because lots of layers keep you warm, but because when you get warm, you can shed a layer. Getting too hot under all your layers can be dangerous because when you start sweating, you can get very chilled. A merino wool base layer top and bottom is a great place to start. On top of that I like to add a merino wool hoodie, lightweight down coat and then my heavy winter coat as my final layer. In extremely cold weather a fleece is a great additional extra layer. On top of my base layer on my legs, I add some leggings and then warm snow/ski pants.

2 - Warm insulated and waterproof boots plus wool socks! These are so very important to keeping your feet warm. Fingers and toes are really the first to get cold so finding a way to keep them warm goes so far! A nice tall waterproof snow boot is perfect for keeping your feet warm and dry and will keep snow from getting into the boot from the top.

3 - Warm gloves and mittens that allow you to operate your camera. My very favorite winter hand protection is from the Heat Company, the Heat 3 Smart gloves that have a thin warm glove perfect for controlling your camera with a nice warm mitten sewn together. My fingers generally get cold SO quickly and with these gloves I can photograph for long periods of time without discomfort. Absolutely worth the price!

4 - Hand & Toe Warmers - Invest in the chemical hand and feet warmers for those cold days! You can also get rechargeable hand warmers. A friend introduced me to them a year or so ago and I love them. These are the ones that I have by OCOOPA. They even come along in my pockets when I walk my dog on those very cold Chicago days! There are even heated insoles for your boots to keep your feet warm. For example, these by the Heat Company.

5 - Warm hat and scarf! Don’t forget to wear a warm hat since so much of our heat escapes from our head. A scarf goes a long way to not only add warmth to your neck but also your chin. I have trouble with my glasses fogging up if I pull mine over my mouth and nose but it can certainly be helpful for keeping the face warm! Pull up the hood of your coat over your hat in those very frigid temperatures!

6 - Thermos - I always love to bring along a thermos of hot coffee or hot chocolate. My very favorite thermos ever is by Zojirushi as it keeps drinks hot all day or will keep cold drinks super cold all day and it has a lock on the top that has never failed me unless the inside parts were not intact. Sometimes I bring 2 of these when I travel - one for hot coffee and one for my water. In fact every member of my family has one for travel to use for water. No worries about spilling on electronics with the lock!

7 - Microspikes - If you’ll be hiking or walking on ice or icy snow, these spikes that fit on your boots will make sure you keep upright! These ones by Kahtoola are the ones I have!

Johnston Canyon Waterfall Kristen Ryan Photography-001.jpg

8 - Snowshoes - If you’re planning to hike in deep snow, you might want to invest in or rent snowshoes! When my husband and I were in the Tetons, we hiked back to the river on my grandparents’ property and the snow was well past our knees. The snow shoes made it manageable!

9 - Rain/Weather Camera Cover - Bring along a cover to protect your camera from the elements. Something like this one or similar will work quite well!

10- Extra Batteries - Your camera batteries will drain more quickly in the cold temperatures. Be sure to carry extra and keep them close to your body to keep them warm. It is a good idea to have extra batteries for your remote/intervalometer as well.

11 - Lens Cloth - It is always a good idea to keep a lens cloth in your camera bag but in the frosty winter weather it can really be essential for wiping off any moisture drops that get on your lens!

12 - Sunglasses - On those sunny days, the glare off the bright snow can be blinding. Remember to bring those sunglasses to protect your eyes!

Lake Minnewanka Kristen Ryan Photography-001.jpg

Hope these tips help you get prepared for some winter photography and look for more winter shooting tips next time!

Exploring Vertical Panning

November 20, 2019

Vertical panning is a fun way to add a little creativity to your nature photography. It’s really pretty simple and fun because no two images will turn out exactly the same. Similar perhaps but not exactly the same. Just like horizontal panning, it can create a beautiful painterly effect.

Aspen Panning Kristen Ryan Photography-001.jpg

You can achieve this technique with a tripod or handheld. A tripod is often used to help you keep straight as you pan up, though it can work handheld as well.

First, you’ll want to set your settings in order to lower your shutter speed. In bright light, you’ll need to max out your aperture and your ISO. So ISO 100 and f/22 for example. If you have a Neutral Density filter you may not have to completely max out those settings however. Generally I am looking to get the shutter speed in the range of 1/30s to 1-2 seconds in exposure length. The panning effect changes depending on both the shutter speed and how fast you move the camera, the latter most significant. If you use an ND filter, I find it easiest with the 6 stop because this strength filter is great for getting the shutter speed down to about a 1 second or slightly faster. With the 6 stop, I am still able to focus with the filter on, so this makes things move quicker. With a 10 stop, focus and composition is challenging since you can’t see the scene through the filter.

Once I have my settings, I set the frame by choosing my focal length and where the bottom of the frame will be. I focus on the scene and then as I press the shutter I move the camera up. The faster the shutter, say 1/30, the quicker you need to move the camera to get the blur effect. The important thing is to try to stay steady and move the camera up straight. If handheld, keep your elbows close to your body to steady yourself. Faster movement will create more blur while slower will leave a little more detail in the scene.

Aspen Autumn Blur Kristen Ryan Photography.jpg

You can use a longer lens and focus in on the grass or trees, or you can use a wider focal length and get more of the scene.

Get out there and have some creative fun!

Visit Seascape Panning for trips on seascape and horizontal panning. To shop for a 6 stop ND filter to help you out with your vertical and horizontal panning, visit Breakthrough Photography Filters.*

*Affiliate Link

7 Tips for Shooting on Clear Days

November 15, 2019

In my last blog post, I shared tips for those overcast days when so many clouds come in that the sky becomes gray and blah. But what do you do when the sky is clear and there is not a cloud in sight? The sun is shining and it is a beautiful day but there are no clouds to add interest to the scenery in front of you. All is not lost. There are many approaches you can take to capture beauty on those bluebird sky days! Here are a few tips to take with you.

1) Minimize the sky ~ Make the land the story of your image by composing with the horizon higher in the frame. Use a longer lens and focus on a smaller segment of the scene rather than a wider angle. Get low and look for foreground interest to add depth to the frame.

2) Look for Reflections ~ Reflections captures can be a dynamic and interesting scene all on their own by creating layers in the foreground. Sunny days really bring out the colors and clarity of a reflection. Clear skies can allow mountain reflections to stand out. There is beauty in the simplicity.

3) Capture a Starburst ~ When the sun is in the scene, take advantage of those clear skies by closing down your aperture and adding a sunburst to the frame. See this blog post for 7 Tips for a Great Sunburst..

4) Focus on Color & Texture ~ Brilliant sunshine enhances the colors and textures of the scenery around us. The blue sky reflecting in water will bring out the beautiful blues of glacial waters. Colorful trees, foliage and flowers are enhanced by the sunlight. Textures of rocks, trees, and mountains are highlighted as well. Look for these features in the landscape. Capture the gorgeous blue of the sky in contrast with the colors or focus in on the details and eliminate the sky from the frame completely.

5) Play with Abstract Shooting ~ Grab your 6 stop Neutral Density filter and capture some abstract shots of trees or water. See this article for tips on Seascape Panning. Look for vertical panning tips to be shared on the blog soon!

6) Explore the Forest ~ Walking through the forest, our focus is on the trees, lines and details of the land. Look for the light shining down through the trees or capture a sunburst coming through.

7) Stay out for the Stars ~ While the clear blue skies of the day may not be as intriguing as a sky filled with dramatic clouds, a clear night sky is filled with magic. Don’t pack up with the sun, stay out and capture the incredible starry night! Head over here for 9 Tips for Astrophotography Part 1, and then scroll up the blog for Part 2.

Next time Mother Nature offers full sun and clear nights, I hope you find these tips helpful!!

5 Tips for Shooting in Overcast Weather

October 31, 2019

It’s no secret that I love clouds, as most landscape photographers do. Clouds make a sky far more interesting than a clear blue sky. They create mood and atmosphere. But sometimes the clouds are so thick that the sky becomes gray and overcast, which is not any more interesting than a clear blue sky. What do you do in those situations? I suppose if you are home, you can just sit that one out and spend your day editing or engaging in life outside of photography. But when it happens during a long awaited trip to a dream destination, you want to make the best of it. So here are a few ideas of how to embrace that overcast light.

1) Seek Out Waterfalls or Other Moving Water ~ Overcast light is the perfect time to shoot waterfalls, rivers, or streams. Grab your 6 stop Neutral Density Filter and play with shutter speed and long exposures . The soft, overcast light helps to shrink the dynamic range and eliminates the dappled light and harsh shadows that come with bright sunlight. Bonus in the autumn, overcast light lets you bring out the fall colors without the harsh highlights.

WaterFall Glen Kristen Ryan Photography.jpg

2) Experiment with Slow Shutter and Panning ~ Experimenting with tree panning is a perfect activity for an overcast day. Panning can be done in any light, but in softer light, it will be easier to get a slower shutter speed and avoid bright highlights that come in full sun.

3) Fill the Frame ~ Look for some beautiful details in the foreground and fill your frame with them. For example, maybe a mix of fall colors in the foliage or fog floating through the trees. I often use a longer focal length for this kind of shooting.

Trees & Fog Kristen Ryan Photography.jpg

4) Minimize the Sky in the Frame ~ If the sky is not adding interest to the scene, make the foreground the majority of the frame. Place the horizon or tops of trees, mountains or hills near the upper line of the Rule of Thirds or even higher. Typically in these situations I will use a mid focal length or longer focal length rather than my wide angle.

5) Underexpose the Sky ~ Sometimes the sky is a pure gray or white blanket over the scene, but other times you might be able to see some texture in the clouds. If you see texture, you can work with it in post processing. By underexposing, you capture more sky detail and can edit to create some moody atmosphere.

Cape Flattery Kristen Ryan Photography-001.jpg

So next time the clouds got you down, remember these tips and get creative. There is always some beauty to be found!

Tips for Bracketing

October 17, 2019

One of the challenges in landscape photography comes when we come upon a scene with a dynamic range wider than our cameras can capture. The scenes where exposing for the beautiful sky leaves the foreground land completely black but when you expose for the foreground, the sky is blown out and white. When I’m out shooting my goal is always to capture all the information I can so that when I upload to my computer I have all the options I need for post processing. And this means capturing details in the entire dynamic range of the scene.

These days our cameras are capturing a much wider dynamic range and quite often we can find a happy medium where we can expose at the edge too bright where we can pull down the highlights and bright enough that the shadows can be pulled up to bring out the darker details. But sometimes bringing up these shadows creates more noise than we want in our image. So in the field, I will generally bracket my exposures to capture full detail in my highlights AND in my shadows.

To do this, you can bracket automatically by setting your camera to shoot a certain numbers of exposures at a set number of stops apart or you can spot meter for various tones in your scene (i.e. shadows, midtones, highlights). For example, you can set your camera to take 3 exposures each 1 stop apart, or you could set it for 5 exposures .7 stops apart, etc. My Nikon D850 has a little button on the front left of the camera that opens my bracketing menu and makes this extremely easy. Check your own camera manual to find out how you can set your bracketing. Alternatively, you can capture several bracketed exposures manually by spot metering to take a shot exposed for the highlights, then the same for the midtones, and finally the shadows.

A couple tips:

1) Use a Tripod - While you can bracket handheld, and I do at times in brighter light, a tripod will ensure greater success when you go to merge them in post processing. The tripod will keep your exposures identically composed and focused and avoid problems with alignment.

2) Check your Histogram - After you have taken a series of bracketed exposures, check your histogram to see that you have captured the full dynamic range. Your brightest exposure should not have any clipped shadows (clipped shadows are shown by a histogram climbing the left wall) and your darkest exposure should not have any blown highlights (blown highlights shown by a histogram climbing the right wall). Look at both your overall histogram and the individual channels as well.

3) Turn on your Highlight Blinkies - If you turn on the highlight warning in your camera, any areas of blown out highlights will blink on your LCD screen in the correct preview setting. This is extremely helpful so that you know you have captured all the highlight detail of the scene

4) In post processing, you may not need ALL your bracketed exposures. Your goal in the field is to capture all the information you might need later. If you capture 5 bracketed exposures, you may find that you only need two or three of them to achieve your final edit. Learning what you need just takes experimenting and practice.

Below is an example of three bracketed exposures during sunset. The middle exposure of 2 seconds could be edited as a single file as the details of the shadows and highlights can be brought back despite the histogram showing these areas losing detail. I could choose to use this exposure for editing and disregard the other two. The darker exposure, however maintains nicer color in the sunset tones and the brightest exposure captures a lot more detail in the shadows. I am sharing my histograms with each exposure so you can see how they show my success in capturing detail in the shadows in the brightest exposure and full detail in the highlights in my darkest exposure.

Darkest Exposure at 1 second

String Lake 1 second dark exposure-001.jpg

Middle Exposure at 2 seconds

String Lake 2 second middle exposure-001.jpg

Brightest Exposure at 4 seconds

String Lake 4 second bright exposure-001.jpg

In the end, I chose to combine the brightest and darkest exposures in Photoshop by using luminosity masking. This technique using the TK Actions makes it really simple to combine exposures.