Balancing Photography

Creating videos while out photographing can be a challenge, and it can sometimes cause me to not be as focussed (excuse the pun) on my photography as I’d otherwise be. However it can also be a useful tool for me to notice things about my photography that escape me whilst in the field.

Something I’ve noticed more than once when editing videos where I’ve been out on a hike, is I didn’t always spend the most time on my photography in the places that, in retrospect, I feel warranted it the most. 

An example of this was apparent to me when editing my video from our time in Snowdonia, in particular during the walk around Llyn Idwal. I spent some time with my tripod set up taking photos at the beginning of the walk, in particular the panorama below, but afterwards didn’t stop for long.

While it’s a serviceable image, I feel the perspective given from the photo I used for the thumbnail of the video is so much more interesting. However I only took 2 images from that location – the one shown below in the thumbnail with Danny in it, and a portrait orientation from the same spot minus Danny, which I show in the video. 

I wish I’d spent more time taking photos from this vantage point, as there were a lot of interesting rocks around, as well as a stream tumbling down the mountainside.

“Getting to the end” mindset

The issue I find when photographing on a hike is how to balance my time photographing with the time needed for the actual walk, and how to prioritise which places are worth spending more time at and which I can just take a photo in passing. 

I can easily get so caught up photographing things early on in walks we’d actually run out of time to complete them, so instead I have a tendency whilst hiking to only think about stopping for longer than a few moments when there’s some form of interrupt or external prompt to think about it.

In the case of Llyn Idwal, we stopped when we first reached the lake to take in the magnificent view, and that break made me get my tripod out. But then I felt we needed to get on with the walk, and in so doing I think I missed some great compositions near where Danny was sitting waiting, and also some opportunities while up the side of the mountain. I think because I’d not intended to go up there, I just wasn’t in a stopping mindset.

I need reminding!

It reminds me of a great walk Danny and I did in Bald Rock National Park last winter. I had no knowledge or expectations of what we’d find on the walk, and as we headed out to our final destination of a viewpoint, we came to this open, swampy area where there was some mist hanging around with light rain. I found it very appealing, yet it took Danny suggesting we stop for me to go, “Oh yeah, that’s a good idea!” I was just too caught up in “getting somewhere”.

I’m so glad we did, as it was such an enjoyable shoot, and I ended up taking some of my favourite photos of the year there, like The Billabong below, which featured in my 2024 calendar.

So something I’m going to work on when out walking, is when I stop to take a photo to ask myself, “Is this subject/area worth slowing down and spending more time with?”

Having your camera at hand

In saying all that, something I always do is carry my camera (and filters, for that matter) where I have it at hand. When your camera is in your bag there’s an effort involved to take an image, so it can be very easy to miss shots because you dismiss them as “not worth it”. All my favourite images from Llyn Idwal were taken “on the go”, and had my camera been in my bag instead of on a strap at my side, at least some of them may not have been taken at all. 

While it’s a fairly simple shot, the image below is actually my favourite from the walk – the simplicity, balance of mountains, moody clouds, hint of sun and rainbow, and basic colour palette really appeal to me. 

Blessings in disguise

Interestingly, the shot was taken from the lower path that Danny and I initially missed, then weren’t going to go back to except for the climb getting a little sketchy. 

So sometimes mistakes and obstacles can be blessings, as without going the wrong way I’d not have the photos of the view, and without turning back I’d not have the photo above!

If you’ve not seen the video from Snowdonia yet, you can check it out through the video thumbnail further up the page. Get yourself a tasty beverage and enjoy one of the most photogenic places I’ve ever been to!