Using pre-visualisation

Shooting at Sunset

On Location

Join me as I visit Belcombe Court, a magnificent landscaped garden in Wiltshire.

Belcombe Court

Set across 60 acres, Belcombe Court exhibits beautiful examples of 18th-century garden design and architecture. It's particularly wonderful to photograph, thanks to the different layers that make up the landscape.

Using Pre-visualisation

Having a strong idea in your mind of how you want your image to look is a good habit to get into. It will help you think ahead and plan for factors such as lighting and weather, which in turn will impact your chance of getting the shot right.

In this lesson you'll learn to:

• pre-visualise your shot, and recce accordingly
• consider and plan for the light before you actually take your shot

Choosing the Best Time for Your Shot

It pays to be prepared and know in advance what time the sun rises or sets and from where in any garden you are photographing, as this is sure to inform when the best time to shoot will be. Don't be afraid to take recce shots. The below is of our wide composition before the sun came down and gave us our backlight. It's really important to take these shots, and really work out your composition.

I like to use The Photographer's Ephemeris to do this; you can find out more by following the link below.

https://photoephemeris.com/

The Light is Part of Your Composition

As well as using architectural elements and planting details to inform and anchor your composition, don't forget to factor in how the light might sit as part of the arrangement.

This is especially true if you are planning to shoot into the sun, as this will take on a physical presence within your shot.