This was quite a simple one – I knew I wanted to take the couple up this small hill which has impressive views from the top. So, I just told them to walk ahead of me to the top of the hill. There was quite a cool breeze as the mist was starting to roll in, so I told them to hug each other tightly.
Okay, guys, I want you to walk to the top of the hill here and hug in tightly when you get there – Hunter, it’s getting a little chilly, so just hold Chelsea nice and tightly to warm her up
Calm
I chose to frame the hill in the lower third of the frame, with the couple dead center, meaning the sky took up the majority of the frame. Images with lots of negative space like this simplify an image and ensure there’s nothing to distract the viewer’s eye from the main subject – the couple.
With such a minimal image, finding elements that have a bit of texture helps add depth, so the grassy hill added that element here. In terms of perspective, I was beneath the hill, which meant the couple was framed against the sky. I tried the same shot when I was up on another hill, but it didn’t have the same impact. The goal was to create an intimate portrait that evoked a sense of peace and adventure.
Lower Thirds
This was nice and easy – I always shoot in aperture priority with auto ISO and continuous autofocus. Once I had focussed on the couple, I took the shot.
Continuous Autofocus
Single Point
The couple
The way the EXIF is written out follows the common photographic method (with the inclusion of White Balance at the end). Here it is broken down:
Shutter Speed @ Aperture ISO White Balance.
The blanket of grey clouds in the sky helped to diffuse the light, but the sky was still quite bright. So, I needed to underexpose the image a bit. If I could have decided when to shoot this for the best light, I would have taken it nearer sunset so the sky wasn’t as bright. I’ll definitely return to this location and try this shot in different lighting conditions again. The Isle of Skye is known for dramatic weather conditions and moody skies, so the image I see in my mind is of a dark sky, with lots of textured clouds and the couple lit softly.
Natural Light
Afternoon
Cloudy
I shot this image underexposed because the sky was quite bright. Once I added the preset, I increased the exposure slightly and cropped it just a tiny bit to make the sure couple were completely centred. Then, once I had found the natural white balance, I added a little more warmth.
The main challenge here was making sure the sky wasn’t blown out and that the couple were centred on the hill.
I underexposed the image to help with the bright sky. For the couple to be in the perfect position, I moved around quite a bit and tried a few positions, but this was the one I ended up using. I also tried using my 35mm lens, but it didn’t work because of too many distracting elements beneath the hill.
The Fairy Glen
Fairy Glen Car Park, IV51 9XX, UK.
Hill
United Kingdom
The main lesson I learned from this was to try the same shot with multiple angles and lenses so you’ve got options in post-production. I tried the same technique on a couple of other hills in the area, but it just didn’t look right. Don’t be afraid to explore with different perspectives because the best image might end up being the one you didn’t expect.
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