Take better travel photos

Achieving a misty effect in your shot can bring out the character of a place, says Dougie Cunningham – especially in those spots we all know a little too well

Snapper Dougie Cunningham on how to transform an ordinary water shot into a misty wonder

No view is ever the same twice, and sometimes returning to an old favourite on your travels can be more satisfying than venturing to newer pastures. There’s something about revisiting a location you have come to know well. It frees you up to attempt more interesting shots, and you soon stop worrying about missed opportunities or preconceptions; you just relax into the place, getting to know your environment and which angles work.

Buachaille Etive Mor ( pictured right) is one of those places for me. I have enjoyed endless days walking among the high ridges of the ‘Great Shepherd of Etive’, and many more appreciating it from below. This shot was taken at dusk with a tripod and using a long (a full second) shutter speed, so that anything moving would look blurred in the photo. The resulting water looks nice and soft, yet the background remains sharp, capturing the full grandeur of the scene. For me, it is an instant escape back to one of my favourite places.

Dougie Cunningham’s photography guidebook Photographing Scotland (fotovue Limited; £28) is out now. For details, visit www.leadinglines.net

1Composition

A good foreground connects you to the scene beyond, so where you place your camera makes all the difference. Adjust your height and position to control how the foreground and background relate, then move around to finesse the composition. It’s the difference between a snapshot and something you’ll cherish.

2 Depth of field

A good landscape shot allows the eye to wander. To aid that, everything from the foreground to the horizon needs to be sharp. Using a small aperture helps, but it also means selecting a high f-stop number when you set up your exposure. If you’re not sure about your settings, just use the camera’s automatic Landscape mode.

5 Use a tripod

A small aperture means you need to use a longer shutter speed to get a good exposure, but that can lead to the wrong kind of blur if the camera moves. A tripod makes it possible to shoot in low light and achieve the misty effect seen here, where the water is the only thing moving and the background remains sharp.

3Shoot in all weathers

There is a photograph to be found on any day, in any condition. Often inclement weather can make for a more atmospheric or dramatic shot. In practical terms, a lens hood will help keep rain off your lens, and a waterproof cover will also protect your camera. It needn’t be fancy – a plastic bag and a little imagination will do in a pinch.

4Choose your time

Being at a location early in the morning or late in the evening not only means that you have the benefit of having the sun lower in the sky, giving you a more pleasing light to shoot in, but it also makes it more likely that you’ll have the place to yourself. This can be a big advantage when shooting in popular travel locations.