How to photograph during windy conditions

Windy conditions always poses a challenge for landscape photography. Not only do your subject may move around, but so does your tripod and camera. During these times it becomes challenging to get sharp photo. So the question is:

Can you effectively photograph during windy conditions? Do you put your camera away when it gets windy? Or do you pull it out and let the windy conditions paint a picture for you?

I took the above shot on a stormy afternoon in Vestrahorn, Iceland. I wanted to capture the feel of the moment – not just the heavy storm clouds over that beautiful, black sand – but the biting wind, too. I put my camera on my tripod – made sure it was steady with the help of my camera bag – and used a long exposure to capture the movement of the grasses as they fluttered in the wind. In fact, I waited for a really strong gust so I could get the look I wanted. I believe in embracing the weather – as long as it’s safe to do so.

I took the above shot in Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada – once again, with the help of a tripod and a long exposure. The beautiful alpenglow on the mountain was awesome, but I wanted to tie it in to the foreground. So, I used the blowing thistle flowers in the foreground to add another touch of purple to the scene. The blurred color fills the foreground, and provides a sense of place for the viewer. You can almost feel the wind!

Here are some tips for working in very windy conditions:

1. Use a tripod to keep your camera steady. I sometimes hang my camera bag on the hook on the center column of my Induro tripod. It adds some weight and stability when I really need it. The trick is to make sure solid elements in the frame are nice and sharp – like the mountain in the above shot from Glacier National Park. Flowers, trees, and clouds should blur – but if that mountain is blurred, you risk producing an image that looks like a mistake, rather than a deliberate choice. Here is a video that show you how we do this:
2. Use the motion of your subject to get creative. I always see photographers putting their camera away when it gets really windy… but the wind is really just another opportunity to get creative. Play with it and see what you get! I love shooting flowers dancing in the wind because I can use a long exposure to make the colors blur. A small flower can make a big blur of color with a few seconds of exposure time and a steady tripod.
   

   A windy evening at Glacier National Park – Montana, USA

   Here is another example where Jay used windy conditions to capture some unique landscape photos. On this particular days strong winds create top of the waves to be blown away as they curled their way towards the shore.

   

   Waves crashing on the shore in windy conditions, Big Island, Hawaii

3. Try to avoid bracketing in windy conditions if you can. Blending a shot with moving elements is very difficult. You’ll get a “ghosting” effect when grasses, trees, and clouds sway in the wind.

I took the shot below with my tripod low to the ground – and my hat pulled down around my ears. ;) It was a chilly morning, and the wind was vicious… but with a sky like that, I wasn’t going to stay in the car! A long exposure captured the motion of the grass against the dark rocks behind, and provided a dynamic foreground that compliments a brilliant sunrise.

Of course, you can use these tips any time you are shooting a moving subject – whether it’s windy or not. I often use a tripod and a long exposure when I’m photographing waves, too. With a shutter speed of a second or two, I can capture the motion of the water as it moves, creating smooth patterns and flow lines.

Each shot of a moving subject will be completely unique. So get out there, and have fun with the wind!