Fog…a moment in time when one cannot see what’s right in front of you.
Fog adds a dimension of ethereal beauty to our world. What was so obvious the day before is now enshrouded in mystery. For a photographer it is a wonderful opportunity to gaze upon a landscape that is out of focus, magical and vaporous.
One particular morning last week I got up early and photographed the fog lingering along the shoreline. As the sun rose the colours turned from dark grey to pink, then to orange then back to pink, then a purple blue.
Minimal imagery, which I love, is ideally suited to foggy days.The fog limits any background objects and adds a hazy, watery feel to the picture.
A few quotes about fog:
Fog stimulates your imagination into places where it may be afraid to go.
The fog always lifts.
You may not see clearly in the fog, but rest assured peace can be found simply enjoying its beauty.
Sometimes when you lose your way in the fog, you end up in a beautiful place.Dont be afraid of getting lost. (Author, Mehetmet Ildan)
Now for my points on how to take the best photograph on a foggy day.
1. If you dont want just one big haze you must put a relatively close and clearer object in the foreground. In the image below I placed the begining of the jetty in my foreground.
2. Chose a brighter object in the middle of the fog. This can really make the fog stand out. In the image below the sun started to rise and made a perfect scene.
3. Chose a darker object that is standing out in the fog.
4. Find a point of interest to include in your image. This yacht (below) just caught the morning sun and looked beautiful in the quiet of the morning.
5. Be patient and walk as far and wide as you can. The fog changes very quickly as it moves and then is absorbed by the sun. You can get some very interesting images. In my images below I watched and took photos of a fishing boat departing.
Minimal is probably the concept that comes to mind when photographing fog. Remember to adjust your settings to gather in a bit more light.
Below a few more pics as I meandered up and down the coast.
