Quote Originally Posted by ricktas View Post
It is really nice that the landscape doesn't just take off and fly to somewhere else, because that would just plain pi... annoy me.
The bit that gets me with landscapes is that the days where you get really nice light are the days when you have fluffy white clouds scooting about, The really good light days tend to have little squalls and showers to clear the air and provide that magical just-after-rain sunlight.

But you have to be quick! On a good-light-day I find landscaping more challenging, stressful and exciting than bird photography. I'm not kidding: long practice means that I can set up for pretty much any bird photograph in a few moments. Usually, I have anticipated the lens choice and exposure settings I'm going to need and have to make only the simplest adjustments before shooting. Then it's simply a matter of finding a bird in a suitable spot and putting it somewhere in the frame. Given a bird in a particular spot, there is generally only one best way to expose and frame the shot, and that way is obvious. You don't have to think about it, you just have to do it. (Yes, sure, the execution can be complex and tricky, but at least you know what you have to do.)

But there are so many variables when you landscape! Even if you don't have to think about the shot (and mostly you do), by the time you spot a photo opportunity, jump out of the car, sprint to where you want to be, set up the tripod (or even decide where to stand hand-holding), frame and expose .... the damn light has changed! Arrrargh!!!

So you wait, look over your shoulder, decide that the good light isn't coming back anytime soon, do the best you can with the light you've got (probably not very good), and move on.

Five minutes later, you are half a mile down the road and the light turns magic again ... but now there isn't a scene in front of you. So you carry on ... and on .. wasting all that magic light until you get to another good spot ... leap out in panic, rush to set up ... Damn! Light's gone.

On a windy day with a fair bit of scudding cloud and sunny breaks, you can lose the light in the time it takes to stop the car and open the door.

Fair dinkum, landscape photography is bad for my blood pressure.