Landscape photography is often a delicate dance between planning, patience, and the whims of nature. You are, quite literally, at the mercy of the elements, and no matter how much you plan ahead, in the end, if the weather isn’t cooperating, you may not get the shot that you want.
But this is all part of the allure of landscape photography. It makes those times that we do get the shot all the more sweeter for the majority of times that we don’t. In this video, landscape photographer Andy Mumford shares his experiences and valuable reflections when shooting Mount Fitzroy in Los Glaciares National Park in Patagonia.
The expectation
Andy’s goal was to capture a perfect shot of Mount Fitzroy, one of the most iconic peaks in the Argentine landscape. The plan was to arrive early in Patagonia, trek into position, and be ready at dawn to capture the stunning scenery in the perfect light.
But the weather in Patagonia is unpredictable. The morning Andy and his team set out Mount Fitzroy was entirely hidden by heavy clouds, and rain was falling steadily. As soon as the sun began to rise it was evident that there would be no dramatic peaks bathed in golden light for them that day.
The disappointment is palpable in the video. This is a very well-photographed part of Patagonia, and Andy says he had imagined capturing a scene that would rival the stunning images he’d seen before. However, with the mountain fully obscured and visibility low, options were limited. However, instead of giving up, they decided to adapt, use the moment, and embrace a different kind of photographic opportunity.
Instead, they spent the morning exploring the valley, focusing on the incredible fall colours and the lovely river flowing through the landscape. Andy scouted compositions using his phone rather than risking a soaked camera, looking for areas where the river’s white water could add interest to the foreground. It wasn’t what they had originally planned, but this ability to improvise and pivot is essential for any photographer.
Reality
When you go on a photography trip, even just for a day, you often carry a picture in your mind—a kind of idealized, perfect shot of what you want to come home with. That’s where expectation becomes both a motivator and a burden. Seeing other people’s work can leave you hoping for similarly stunning outcomes, but the reality, especially in landscape photography, is far less predictable.
The forecast for the next few days of Andy’s trip was bleak, with solid cloud coverage over Fitzroy expected. So, instead of making another predawn hike in vain, he chose locations more suited to overcast conditions. They photographed a nearby waterfall, which benefited from the soft, diffused light, and captured telephoto images of the Fitzroy peak where it poked out between the clouds. These shots, however, still weren’t the majestic wide-angle scene Andy had imagined and had set out to shoot.
Disappointment is common in landscape photography. You miss far more shots than you get, and the idealized image in your head rarely comes to life exactly as planned. Yet, given time, expectations fade. If you can put a little space between the shoot and viewing the images and see them with fresh eyes, you might find they hold more value than you initially thought. Often, it’s the images we don’t expect—the unplanned ones—that resonate most deeply.
Embracing acceptance
Andy tried to capture the shot one last time, setting out again on the fourth morning. They woke up early, hiking through the dark to arrive at a spot along the river. This was a composition he had scouted previously, and this time, he hoped the mountain would be lit by the early morning light.
But again, Fitzroy refused to fully reveal itself. They caught glimpses of its ridges, parts of the peaks at various points, but the heavy cloud remained, stubbornly clinging to the mountain’s summit. The wind shifted the clouds around, giving brief hope that a full clearing might be imminent, but the reality was that the mountain itself was generating the clouds as the air condensed over its peaks. This is fairly common with tall peaks, again adding to the amount of luck needed to capture a clear photo.
However, even though Andy didn’t get the exact shot he wanted, he didn’t feel as though it was a waste of time. The experience of watching the mountain in the shifting light, seeing the landscape change moment by moment, was a reminder of why landscape photograph is so enjoyable. Instead, he captured some telephoto shots of the peaks through the clouds, and while they may not have been the majestic Fitzroy in all its splendour, he still counts them as worthwhile.
The takeaway
This is such a familiar story when it comes to landscape photography. The shots you painstakingly plan often don’t happen, and not through any fault of your own. It’s important to plan as much as you can but still keep an open mind and look around for alternative images that you can create.
The shot you get is often not the one you initially envisioned, but that doesn’t make it any less valuable. Nature is unpredictable, and as photographers, we have to work with what it gives us rather than forcing our expectations upon it.
In landscape photography, the key is learning to appreciate the shots you do get rather than fixating on the ones you missed. Sometimes, those unplanned moments bring us closer to the true spirit of a place.
If you’re facing similar challenges in your own photography, remember that the true reward often lies not in getting the shot but in embracing the entire experience, with all its surprises and imperfections. And who knows? The images you least expect to love might end up being the ones that stay with you the longest.
