Quick and Easy Tips for Photographing Clouds

I have always loved taking photographs. There are many times I wish I could capture a great photograph of the sky as I see many fun clouds and storms in the sky. Sometimes I can get a great picture of the sky, but it can be difficult to get that perfect picture. Here are tips on how to get great pictures of clouds.

Use a Polarizing Filter

A polarizing filter is going to make your picture darker than normal. However, this is perfect if you are only taking pictures of clouds. You want the cloud to be darker. It is also great if the only other thing in the picture is water. However, if you want pictures with other subject in them, a polarizing filter is not a good idea. Remember that when using a polarizing filter, the sun should be at your left or right, not at your back, like when taking most photographs. This will help get the perfect picture of clouds.

Reduce Shutter Speed

Reducing your camera's shutter speed by a few stops will also help capture a perfect picture of clouds. Both this and using a polarizing filter will make the cloud darker and give almost a silver outline of the cloud. Again, this is not an idea situation if you are trying to take a picture of anything else besides clouds and water as the subjects will be out of focus.

Zoom Out

When taking pictures of clouds, zoom out. Don't try to take a close up of one certain cloud. Instead, capture the entire horizon. This can almost tell a story or it can at least give you option for clouds that can be used in other pictures that you take later.

Use Clouds with Different Emotions

It sounds silly to say that clouds have emotions, but think about it. White fluffy clouds seem to be happy clouds. Gray, dreary clouds that come with rain seem to be sad clouds. Giant gray or black clouds that block the sky seem to be threatening or scary. Capture these different clouds in order to capture different feelings. They can be used to give other photos different feelings, too.

Use Clouds in Different Images

If you have images that need a good skyline, you can use the clouds in these images. These may be pictures of people, houses, or birds. If you know how to edit photographs on a computer, you can easily put a different skyline into a picture. The one thing that you definitely need to remember is to make sure the lighting is the same in both pictures. You don't want to mix a picture of clouds lit from the front with a picture of a house lit from the side.

Sources:

Personal Experience

Peterson, D. (n.d.). Cloud Photography Tips - Keep Your Eyes On The Skies by Digital Photo Secrets. Get Your Hands on Fantastic Pro-Photography Knowledge! by Digital Photo Secrets . Retrieved January 2, 2012, from http://www.digital-photo-secrets.com/tip/863/cloud-photography-tips-keep-your-eyes-on-the-skies/