What to photograph on a sunny day

By Ian Middleton

Story behind the photo

Disclosure:

This website and its articles contain links and adverts. The adverts and some links, but not all, are affiliate links. This means that if you click and buy something I will receive a small percentage of money, but at no extra cost to you. The price remains the same if you buy.

Clear blue skies are a landscape photographer's nightmare. It's hard to know what to photograph on a sunny day with just blue skies. But when you get them, you just have to work with it. More often than not, if you are patient and look hard enough, there is always something you can make out of it all.

In this photo, taken from Black Lake in Preddvor, I waited until the sun had dipped below the horizon and was captivated by how the last wisps of light were streaking down the side of Storzic mountain and the forested hillsides below. By using a 16:9 aspect ratio, I kept the boring blue sky to a minimum and came away with a great image.

That’s not to say I wouldn’t have preferred some nice wispy clouds over the peak, but you can’t have it all I suppose.

To see more about how I captured and processed this image, watch my latest YouTube video here:

The hanging gallows of Combe Gibbet, on Gallows Down near the village of Combe, West Berkshire / Hampshire border. Erected in 1676 for the purpose of displaying the bodies of George Broomham and Dorothy Newman after their execution for murdering his wife, but has only ever been used for them. The gibbet was placed in this prominent location as was meant as a warning, to others of what happens to criminals. I grew up near here and often visited this place, but only thought of photographing it now. As luck would have it, I arrived as a storm was blowing over at sunset, blessing this region with stunning light as the clouds cleared over from the west. This hill provides commanding views across Hampshire and West Berkshire.

Tutorials

How to correct wide angle lens distortion

In this article I explain all about wide angle lens distortion, why it happens and show how you can correct it using Adobe Camera RAW inside Photoshop.

Stories

I have a great camera!

“Beautiful photos, you must have a great camera!” This is the inevitable sentence that I, as a photographer, often hear. And it’s true; I do

View across Lake Bled to the island church and clifftop castle from Mala Osojnica in autumn, Slovenia.

Story behind the photo

Bled Lake always offers a unique moment

As I’m stuck in Ljubljana during the peak of the autumn colours and unable to get to Lake Bled, all I can do is reminisce on past autumn shots. Although Bled Lake is probably one of the most photographed locations in Slovenia, it never fails to provide a unique moment. Here I show you some from my Autumn in Slovenia Photography Workshop 2018.