Photography is often romanticized as a spontaneous art, a moment captured in the blink of an eye, guided by instinct and creativity. But behind every breathtaking landscape or seascape image lies something less glamorous, yet far more powerful: meticulous planning.
As a photographer, I’ve learned this lesson the hard way. There have been times I’ve ventured out without a plan, lured by the excitement of the unknown. And while spontaneity can be thrilling, I’ve found that my success rate under these conditions is abysmally low—perhaps one out of a hundred shots live up to the vision I hold in my mind.
That’s why I’ve evolved. Today, planning isn’t just a part of my workflow, it’s the foundation. From scouting locations and researching environmental conditions to visualising scenes and mastering composition, each step is deliberate and driven by a singular goal: capturing images that resonate, tell a story, and reflect a deeper connection with the subject.
Scouting: The First Step in the Art of Preparation
Every great photograph begins with a journey, often long before the shutter clicks. These days, scouting trips have become an essential part of my creative process. They are no longer just casual wanderings, but focused explorations with purpose.
Scouting helps me answer a crucial question: where is the best place to park, and what’s the optimal route to the location? Understanding the terrain is critical, not just for safety, but to anticipate how the environment will interact with light, weather, and perspective.
On these trips, I bring my gear just in case the scene aligns perfectly. While the main goal is reconnaissance, some of my most surprising and satisfying shots have come from scouting expeditions. That said, the true value lies in visualisation.
As I walk through a potential location, I mentally map it in different lighting and weather conditions. I ask myself: How will this look at dawn? What mood will mist add here? Where will the light fall at sunset? This mental rehearsal allows me to return fully prepared, equipped not just with my gear, but with intent.
Visualizing the Scene: Creating a Mental Blueprint
Visualization is an underrated skill in photography. It’s more than imagining a pretty picture, it’s about understanding the elements of a scene and anticipating how they’ll come together under specific conditions.
I often look at a scene and imagine it in various lights: the soft golden hues of morning, the moody blues of dusk, the ethereal glow of fog. What will be the focal point? What story am I trying to tell? These mental blueprints shape every decision I make, from composition to lens choice.
This step also includes thinking about what will bring the scene to life. Is there a natural leading line to draw the viewer in? Will a human figure add a sense of scale and emotion? How can I use empty space to evoke solitude or serenity?
The Research Phase: Turning Imagination into Execution
Once I’ve scouted a location and visualized its potential, I dive into detailed research. This is where planning becomes both art and science.
1. Sunlight and Timing
For landscape and seascape photography, the quality of light can make or break an image. I prefer shooting during the golden hour and the blue hour, those magical windows just after sunrise and before sunset. These periods offer soft, directional light that flatters natural subjects and enhances texture.
To capture this light effectively, I study sun direction using apps and online tools. Understanding where the sun will rise or set helps me position myself strategically. Will the light skim across the landscape, revealing textures and shadows? Or will it backlight a subject, creating a silhouette? These details are critical to getting the shot I envision.
2. Tides and Water Conditions
When shooting seascapes, tides become a key player. The difference between high tide and low tide can transform a scene entirely. Rocks may be submerged or exposed. Pools may form, reflecting the sky. Water movement varies dramatically, altering the mood of the shot.
I consult tide charts to determine the best timing for a shoot. Depending on the scene, I might prefer the calmness of low tide, the dynamic movement of incoming waves, or the drama of a crashing high tide. Each offers its own story and knowing which one suits your vision is essential.
3. Cloud Coverage and Atmosphere
Clouds play a pivotal role in setting the tone of a photograph. Clear skies can be beautiful, especially when aiming for minimalistic compositions. But more often than not, I’m looking for dynamic skies, high-altitude clouds that catch the sunlight and add drama.
Fog and mist, on the other hand, transform a scene into something surreal. They create mystery, depth, and mood. But capturing them requires precise timing and location awareness. Knowing when and where mist forms is part of the research and the reward can be spectacular.
Composition: Beyond the Rules
Composition is the language of photography. It’s how we guide the viewer’s eye, create balance, and convey emotion. While there are “rules” of composition—like the rule of thirds, leading lines, and the golden spiral, I see these more as tools than commandments.
Sometimes, breaking the rules leads to the most compelling images. But to break them effectively, you must first understand them. For example:
Rule of Thirds: Great for placing key elements off-centre, creating balance and visual interest.
Leading Lines: Roads, rivers, fences these draw the eye through the frame.
Golden Spiral: A powerful composition that mimics natural growth patterns.
Negative Space: Often underestimated, empty areas in a photo can add tension, calm, or focus.
Knowing when and how to use each of these allows for more intentional storytelling.
Light and Shadow: The Subtle Art of Contrast
Light doesn’t just illuminate, it sculpts, shapes, and defines. Understanding how light interacts with the landscape is a game-changer.
For instance, in deserts, the low-angle sunlight at dawn or dusk accentuates sand dunes and ripple textures. In forests, dappled light through the canopy adds depth and contrast. Dead ground the parts of terrain not directly lit often contributes dramatic shadows that enhance mood and realism.
Equally important is shadow quality. Hard shadows from midday sun can be harsh, while soft shadows during golden hour add depth and texture. Knowing how to use both types of shadow effectively can elevate your images from flat to dimensional.
Colour vs. Black and White: Choosing the Right Palette
Not every photo works in colour. Sometimes, the emotional weight of a scene is better conveyed in black and white.
Winter scenes, for instance, often have muted tones and stark contrasts, perfect for monochrome. Without the distraction of colour, textures, forms, and contrasts become the stars. In contrast, summer landscapes with lush greenery and vibrant skies often come alive in colour.
The choice between colour and black and white should serve the story you're trying to tell. If colour doesn’t enhance the mood, try stripping it away. You might be surprised at what you find.
Perspective and Scale: Adding Context to the Scene
Sometimes a photo needs a sense of scale to convey its grandeur. A person standing at the base of a cliff, a car parked beneath towering trees, these elements anchor the viewer and make the vast feel vast.
Other times, removing scale creates ambiguity, inviting curiosity. Is that a hill or a mountain? A puddle or a lake? The choice is yours, but being deliberate about it makes all the difference.
Putting It All Together: Planning as a Creative Practice
At its core, planning is not about restriction, it’s about empowerment. It enables you to be at the right place, at the right time, with the right mindset. It turns guesswork into confidence, chaos into clarity.
When you understand the light, the weather, the tide, the terrain you gain control over your creative process. And that control frees you to focus on the artistic side: composition, emotion, storytelling.
Planning doesn’t guarantee perfection. Nature is unpredictable, and surprises, good or bad will happen. But it stacks the odds in your favour. And when everything aligns, you’ll be ready.
Conclusion: Planning as a Superpower in Photography
The phrase “Fail to plan, plan to fail” may sound cliché, but in the world of photography, it’s gospel truth. A great image doesn’t happen by accident, it’s crafted through observation, understanding, and preparation.
Scouting, researching, visualising, and composing with intention allows you to create more than just pretty pictures. It allows you to tell stories. Stories of place, time, emotion, and connection.
So next time you head out with your camera, take a moment to plan. Embrace the process. Let the preparation fuel your creativity. Because when you align passion with planning, you unlock the true potential of your photography.
Example these two photos. Old Tenby Lifeboat Station from scouting to this shot took two year. Corfe Castle in the cloud took seven years from scouting to this shot.
