Landshape Photography

Look out below!

How many times have I been on a very steep slope with my camera in hand and thought "This wouldn't be so steep if I had skis on"? This funny little bit of truth came up this week when I was discussing photography with some friends online. We were taking about some of the things we do in order to get the shot. My friend mentioned that he had spent hours bushwacking to a remote location to shoot a waterfall in the pacific NW.  Seeing his shot I mentioned that I had crawled up a steep slope while at Bryce Canyon to get some shots of a couple of hoodoos and some little arches from an unusual angle. While standing there, I just about took the slide for life with a bunch of expensive gear in my hand and on my back.  I had to hand Scottie my tripod for her to use as a walking stick to get down.

While it's cool that so many of us will go the extra mile for our photography, I'll also stress safety. Have a plan on where to shoot. Let someone know where you are going and when you expect to return. Take extra food and water on hike. Don't count on your cell phone to get you out of danger. Basically, use common sense.

Now with that out of the way, I do love the excitement of pushing things right to the edge. It can make the difference from a shot we've seen 1,000 times and something else.  Just don't drop your camera...