Capture the Drama of the Summit: Balancing Green and Sky for Stunning Views | Focus #96

When photographing mountains, focus on their inherent beauty, strength, and changes. In places like the summit where the view is wide and the light is clear, try capturing the shape, color, and texture of the mountains.

Especially during the evening, the low sun creates long shadows on the ridges and slopes, adding depth to the scenery. When focusing on mountains, keep the following points in mind.

Place the ridge at the top of the frame to express the grandeur and impact of the mountain. This visually fills the frame with the mountain.

Highlight the diversity of the mountains by capturing different colors according to altitude. For example, at the end of autumn, the rust-red after the leaves have fallen is particularly impressive. Choose time periods that emphasize the seasonality. For instance, capture the transparent sunset in summer, the colored leaves in the afternoon sun in autumn, and the fresh snow in the early morning in winter to take beautiful photos unique to that season.

By darkening the shadow of the foreground mountain, the bright clouds in the background stand out even more. This creates visual contrast and gives depth to the photo.

When the sky is the subject, the movement of clouds and changes in light are key. Before dawn is an excellent opportunity to capture moments when the sky undergoes dramatic changes. The following techniques are effective in photos focusing on the sky.

The sky before sunrise has very beautiful light gradations, and utilizing this can add depth and emotion to the image. The way clouds reflect light and display various colors is far more attractive than a clear blue sky.

Frame the entire sky, placing the mountain as a silhouette to emphasize the vastness of the sky. This gives a wide and cool impression visually.

Utilizing mountain silhouettes enhances the colors and light gradation of the sky. The silhouette of the mountain also functions to balance the frame.

This time, we touched on capturing dramatic scenery by balancing the two elements of 'mountain' and 'sky'. Use these techniques to capture the beauty of nature from your unique perspective and preserve unforgettable memories of your mountain adventures in photos.

Currently, Cizucu is hosting a photo contest themed 'Mountain Mystery' from April 20, 2024 (Saturday) to May 19, 2024 (Sunday). If you want to climb mountains, express the inspiration you gained through this magazine in the contest!