Landscape photographers often use fog to help them create wonderful, moody images. You’ve likely seen one of those arresting photographs of a single tree shrouded by fog standing silently in a field.
We can use fog in our river and lake images to good effect as well. Under the right conditions heavy fog can look like it has melded with the surface of the water to create a surreal image where the shoreline, dock or a tree looks like it is in a suspended state.
Our eyes and minds usually try to interpret an image based on what we’ve seen in the past and when we have the opportunity to blur reality where water and fog form a seamless background it can produce some interesting effects.
Challenging a viewer with an altered sense of reality where the start and end of surfaces are unclear can create a unique kind of engagement.
The early spring and late fall are times of the year when nature gives us the best opportunities for these kinds of images since fog is most prevalent and the leaves are often off the trees. This helps create an eerie stillness in these types of images.
Using the ‘rule of thirds’ as in the above image can really accentuate the mood in these types of photographs.
All of the images in this article were taken with a Nikon D800 and the new Tamron 15-30mm f/2.8 VC wide angle zoom lens.
My initial impressions on this new 15-30mm f/2.8 VC lens from Tamron are very positive. I’m in the initial stages of preparing my hands-on review of this lens but so far I’ve really enjoyed shooting with it. Build quality appears quite good and the lens handles well. Auto-focusing is quick and accurate. Like the Nikkor 16-35mm f/4G VR the Tamron 15-30mm f/2.8 VC has image stabilization, which should extend the hand-holding range quite a bit. I think the Tamron 15-30mm f/2.8 VC will be of special interest to landscape and real estate photographers.
Article and images are Copyright Thomas Stirr. No use, duplication or adaptation is allowed without written permission.
Very beautiful images Thomas. Thank you.
Thanks for the positive comment Kafkiano, I’m glad you enjoyed them!
Tom
Tom: Another great article and experience. Your brief time with the Tamron 15-30mm f2.8 vc was very rewarding and I appreciate the time you take to post these articles. I always learn something of value from your posts. Please keep them coming, when time permits!
Hi Ray,
Thanks for the positive comment – always appreciated!
Tom
PS: it will soon be time to photograph some cormorants in flight
Very nice images and description to wake up to on Easter Sunday.
Thanks Monte – I’m glad you enjoyed them!
Tom
Interesting images, but it would have been helpful (for many) to know how you tackled exposure in these conditions. As you probably know, (but many don’t), the camera meter is not very good at indicating correct exposure in foggy or overcast conditions.
Betty, I happen to know that Thomas has the Tamron 15-30 for only a few days in order to review this new offering from Tamron. I’m thinking he is out making pictures in order to fulfill his obligation to the Canadian Tamron distributor. Perhaps once finished with his testing of the lens, we can get him to come back with another article on how he managed the different environments and what technique he used to accomplish his testing.
Hi Mike,
Yup…just out doing as many shots as I can in order to meet a very tight deadline in terms of my time with the Tamron 15-30.
Nothing special done to warrant a follow up article though …I just relied on the in-camera metering with my D800 as I did not have a light meter with me and I made whatever adjustments were required to the images in post. Actually that’s how I shoot all of my review images as it replicates how many amateur photographers use their gear.
Tom
Hello Tom, good point here.
Hi Betty,
There was nothing special done. I didn’t have a light meter with me and I had to rely on the in-camera metering with my D800 (which actually handled the scenes very well) and I made any necessary adjustments in post.
Tom
AutofocusRoss,
I’m with you on this one…Thomas’ images and commentary are always breathtaking!
….and what he can do with that 1 inch sensor in a Nikon 1 is phenomenal! There should be an army of birders transitioning to that system (or at least incorporating into their bag) based upon what he has demonstrated it is capable of.
I’m a little curious myself on how he does it, but I’m quite content to keep reading as well.
Good post!
KC
Hi Keith,
I’m glad you’ve been enjoying my posts and thank you for your positive comment!
I actually enjoy shooting with my Nikon 1 gear far more than with my D800 and FX lenses. I find the small size and ‘basic’ controls quite liberating and from my perspective the camera format allows me to just focus on what is in front of me rather than overthinking settings and such. Obviously there are a lot of limitations with Nikon 1 gear in terms of its capability e.g. dynamic range and colour depth, but I think that adds some ‘creative edge’ as I know I need to find ways to shoot around those limitations.
Tom
Hi Thomas, your images come so quickly, and with such high standards, and seemingly from very diverse places. Your last set, while using the 150-600 Tamron, were very inspiring, and you’ve done it again with the set on shooting in fog! Well done, very enjoyable, and living in the UK, very relebant, our weather is poor for much of the year, so sitting here on a sunny easter sunday morning makes quite a change.
You are incredibly prolific, and consistent in good quality, I have to ask, do you ever go home or do you live in a winibago constantly travelling? Would love the opportunities you seem able to take, but my wife hates photography, despite early signs to the contrary – she threw a D5100 and 18-140mm lens back in my face (christmas present) and thought me selfish in buying it (I have no idea why). She is also very ‘allergic’ to birds of any kind so despite living 6 miles away from a wetlands bird sanctuary / centre, she won’t come along.
I seem to spend an hour or so every two weeks, out with my camera, then its over until the next time…. what is your secret? how do you get out so much? I need to learn a few tricks :)
Seriously, great images as ever, glad to see you haven’t lost your excellent touch.
Hi Ross,
Thank you very much for your positive and supportive comments – I’m glad that you’ve been enjoying my images!
In terms of how much time I spend shooting, I imagine I spend far less time than you may think. Unless I’m working on a specific project, in this case putting together some quick images for a hands-on review of the Tamron 15-30 f/2.8 VC, I’m lucky to get out a couple of times a month to do some recreational shooting.
My wife and I have been very fortunate over the years to have been able to get away on holidays once or twice a year and I always take plenty of images when I’m away as I find it relaxing. She enjoys being outdoors with me and is a great help spotting bids in flight. She is very tolerant of my need to have a camera with me. A lot of this stems from the fact that I work extremely quickly and I can often capture a couple of hundred images in an hour’s shooting time. It is quite common for me to bring back 2,500+ images from a week long holiday. If I have some specific photographic goals associated with the holiday I’ll often have much more than that.
Working very quickly and accurately was ingrained in me 40 years ago back in my community newspaper days working in the ad department. We’d have to sell the ad, do the layout and take all of the pictures we needed right on the spot – then move on to our next sales call. There was no time for a ‘re-do’ of any images and time was money as I was on straight commission, so I never dawdled around. I guess I just learned to ‘see my shot’, take it, and move on immediately. That’s still how I work today. For example, all of the shots in this article came from a series of about 55 images I captured in less than a half-hour shooting time along the Niagara River.
Tom