Landscape photography in Bad Weather

When it comes to landscape photography, the mind instinctively turns to golden sunsets and brilliantly blue skies. But it is precisely in bad weather that nature reveals an entirely different side of itself, and often a fascinating one. Rain, wind and heavy clouds lend a landscape a depth and drama that sunshine can rarely match.

What emerges is a different kind of photography, one that in some ways reminds me of classic black-and-white photography: colour recedes into the background, while form, texture and contrast take centre stage. The eye is drawn to what matters. You won’t find shots like these in my calendars, but personally I hold them in much the same regard as the classic fair-weather images. Using a few photographs from Ireland, I’d like to show just how rewarding photography in gloomy weather can be.

One example is my shot of Ballydonegan Beach (also known as Allihies Beach) on the Beara Peninsula. On sunny days the beach shows its idyllic side, with crystal-clear water and white sand framed by green hills. In bad weather the place feels raw, with a hint of drama hanging in the air. You can almost feel the cold and the damp. And yet the sight holds you completely.

It is a similar story with my photograph of Culoo Rock on Valentia Island. The rocks are popular with anglers who fish for mackerel in the churning waters of the Atlantic. A sign warns visitors to avoid the cliffs in heavy swell and strong winds. I took my photograph in exactly those conditions. It was a constant battle to keep the camera and filters reasonably dry. But the result shows vividly just how wild and untamed the Atlantic coast of Ireland can be.

The weather was equally demanding when I photographed the Brandon Range on the Dingle Peninsula. Biblical rain, biting wind and barely any light are anything but ideal conditions for shooting outdoors. I called the resulting image “One Last Shot” – one last shot before making a dash for the car. That photograph was nominated in the Nature category at the 16th Annual International Color Awards in 2023. A fine example of why landscape photography in bad weather is always worth the effort.

In countries like Ireland and Scotland, where bad weather is simply part of the deal, I have learned to work with it. These days I actually enjoy shooting in those conditions. The weather I find truly worst for photography, as it happens, are the grey days. Those dull, flat days when there is no structure in the sky and neither light nor shadow in the landscape.