Sometimes we need the fog to remind ourselves that our life is not all black and white. Because mist doesn’t mean just cold and bitterness. Sometimes, the mist gives us a pure and holy feeling too. In fact, I think mist always represents a dreamy vibe. So gather round. Because right now? We’re going to learn about mist and fog photography.
Mist And Fog Photography:
I’m sure you’re wondering what to capture when it comes to fogs and mists. Well, one thing I can tell you about that. In nature, everything has job to do, no? But do you know the job of the fog? The job of the fog is to beautify things more than they already are. So, yeah, fog does make things beautiful and dreamy. Besides, when it comes to photography, haven’t you seen many photographers use flour for an artificial misty effect? This effect is widely used in photos for a dramatic effect.
Because if you want to capture fog and mists, you must go outside. Not to mention you’ll have to wait for the winter. But with the flour, you don’t have to wait for winter. Also, you can shoot indoors. And do you know the best part? Well, the best part is, you don’t have to worry about your camera and lenses.
Well, artificial mist and fog photography aside, there are many perks of natural mist and fog photography. You can capture beautiful nature photos, hard or soft drink photos, and product photos. Oh, fairytale photos are meant to be misty. I hope you catch my drift. So, when you go outside to capture the turn of the seasons with fogs and mists, or when you use the foggy vibe to make your shot magnificent, it’s mist and fog photography.
When It’s Not Cold:
Oh yeah? How do you do mist and fog photography when it’s not winter? Well, as for fog and mist, you can easily capture them without the winter. All you need to do is just to wake up very early so that you can capture the golden hour with a misty effect.
Besides, both fog and mists form because of water droplets and the temperature of the wind, no? If you pick out a location that’s full of trees and the temperature is a bit low, you can get easily the misty morning in your photos. And not just the morning, in those areas, you can capture foggy photos when the darkness falls. The hillside areas and the forests are some good places for fog and mist photography.
And if you don’t get to capture natural fogs and mists, there is always flour for artificial effect. Although it won’t give a natural vibe if you shoot outside. But you can spray water and capture the photos with a misty effect. Yes, you’ll need a second hand for that. And for the foggy effect? You can always use smoke bombs. Photographers use them wisely to make their shots stand out.
Fog And Mist Photography Tips:
I mean, there are some basics, yes? But let’s talk about the camera settings first.
Camera Settings You’ll Need:
The focus and exact exposure settings really matter in mist and fog photography. Because the mist always works as a diffuser when you go to capture a shot. So, there you may lack contrasts. Because it makes photo colors less vibrant. Which is a bad thing for photos.
Another thing that will trouble you the most during fog and mist photography. Do you know what that is? That’s the focus. Because the camera tries to focus on foggy surroundings. But it fails. The fog and mists always create a hazy and make your background very noisy. Which ruins the photos.
To fix the focus problem, all you need to do is to use manual focus instead of autofocus. At least using manual focus will give you full control over your focus settings.
Also, if you want to keep your photos naturally sharp, you better go for a greater depth of field. As for the basic exposure setting, 1/2EV to 1EV exposure compensation will do just fine. Of course, there are more about camera settings, yeah? We’ll get to that little by little. But these are the basics.
Why A Tripod:
Isn’t it obvious? I mean, fog and mists mean the weather will be colder. So your hands may shake during the photo session. Come on, it’s a very common thing. Besides, fog and mists mean you won’t get too much light too. Using a tripod with a lower ISO will let you capture the fogs and mists in a smoother way. Oh yes, why don’t you use an ND filter in this case? It will pull all the strings.
But if the location you’re shooting doesn’t have the luxury to use a tripod, then you can raise the ISO. Although you should keep in mind that, the higher the ISO is, the more noise you’ll get in your photos. In that case, use a faster shutter speed.
A Cover For The Camera:
Oh, come on! Don’t tell me that this skipped your mind. We all know that fog and mists come from dew. You’ll go outside to capture these dewy things. And guess what? Slowly the temperature will rise and that will melt the fog into dew drops. If your camera isn’t already waterproof, your camera can be ruined. The same goes for the lenses.
Even if your camera is waterproof, still you’ll need a camera canopy for your lenses. Oh, and don’t forget to get a microfiber cloth. You’ll need it to clean the front part of the camera and lenses. These two will help you not just with the fog but also with the rain. No matter how many cats and dogs the rain is, you don’t have to wait inside.
Talk About Contrast:
Well, you already know that photos that have fog or mists always lack color contrast. Because the fog and mist make the colors lighter. But the colors are keys that make a photo alive, right? I mean, the black and white photography aside, can you deny the colors? I guess not.
For starters, the difference between light and dark in a photo is called contrast. The only thing is the bigger the difference the brighter the light will be, and the darker the shadows will be. And that’s called a high contrast. If I’m being honest, this puts the cherry on top of any kind of photography. Because people always fall for high-contrasted photos.
The Time:
Well, if you don’t know how to take twilight photos, you better check it out. Because the golden hour is the best time to capture fog and mist. But the golden hour doesn’t stay a very long time. As the golden hour starts to fade, the fog starts to melt too. And yes, this makes mist and fog photography very very tricky.
So you see, you need to be very quick. Wake up before the sun unless you want to miss the fog. And a word of advice? Yes, your first-ever photo session will go in vain. Because it calls for many practices. But once your first photo session in the fog is done, you’ll naturally know what to do and when to do it.
Different Works Of Lenses:
I mean, it’s a pretty basic thing that every lens has its perks. For example, using a telephoto or zoom lens will make the fog look denser. A wide-angle lens, on the other hand, will make the fog look thinner. I personally use the wide-angle lens for photographing mists. Especially when I use a subject and I want my subject to stand out.
Mainly, it depends on you. Because which side of the fog you want to capture, or what the weather will let you capture is totally debatable. Is it not? Besides, what kind of photo you want to take matters too. In fact, it matters the most.
Don’t Forget To Edit:
Don’t be in a hurry to upload your photos to the web. Wait till you’re done taking the photos. Then, go back and edit your photos. You can add some special effects like vignettes, starbursts, and so on to save your ruined shots. It will make your photos look more professional and it will also help you get better results.
A big part of photography is editing if you ask me. So, of course, play with every feature that Photoshop is offering you. Hue and saturation, white balance, shadow, and so on. Most of all, photo manipulation is a must. As it is very creative and calls for a skilled hand, you may want to leave it to a professional like Clipping Amazon.
Why Clipping Amazon?
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