Photo advice

Some constraints for photos in the mountains

Access. The mountain does not only go on foot, snowshoe or ski. It is essential to have a minimum of notions of mountaineering and a good physical condition.

Hours of beautiful lights. In general, the most beautiful lights come for about 30 minutes after sunrise and 30 minutes before bedtime. In the high mountains, it is difficult to be at the best places at these times.

Friends waiting. Friends accompanying us are not necessarily photographers and time spent waiting for the light or find a satisfactory framework for them is very long, especially if it's cold.

The escalation. Difficult to have a camera handy when you have to climb the ice or rock, but easier than to trade binary options. We need to give priority to our climbing partner. Moreover, in a long path, we must keep a schedule. And framing the possibilities are very limited, we can not take back or change the foreground.

Weight of camera equipment limited. The reflex is not suitable for technical mountain races (as too heavy and bulky). For hikes of several days, if you want to carry a DSLR, it will also force a choice on equipment to reduce weight.

And then there's also the cold, fatigue, isolation, fear, emptiness, falling rocks, the ultraviolet radiation, the unpredictable weather and sudden avalanche risk, lack of oxygen, required to keep a schedule and time goes by so fast.

Let's remember some fundamental principles which are not optional. The aperture determines the amount of light that will pass through the lens enough to impress the film. The shutter determines how long the film will be exposed, ie the exposure time or exposure time.

Using the f-stops and shutter speeds, it will be possible as an option to give the film a perfect exposure or by opening/closing the aperture or increasing/decreasing speed, or playing on the two parameters to the times to get a shutter speed and game aperture correctly. The depth of field is the distance of clarity that exists before and after the subject on which there is development. It increases when the diaphragm closes.

On the other hand, it is even larger when the distance of focus is farther away. It is more important behind the plane of focus than before. It is more important with the objectives of short focal length. It also depends on the sensor size digital cameras: a compact camera with small sensor will give a very good depth of field.

A large depth of field will be useful to take stock in many ways apart from each other. In contrast, a shallow depth of field can provide a blur a background or foreground of a subject to be photographed. This blurring will be useful if the plans in front and behind the subject is to delete the photo. The digital compact deliver the maximum pitching with their biggest opening or closing of a diaphragm. For slower photography speeds, you should use a stable tripod, so heavy. What is difficult to envisage in a mountain race. We can still put the unit on a rock. DIYers can build a system for attaching the device to the tool or on a ski pole.

You can check this article about backpacking in Ireland to get ideas of where to get the best pictures when you travel on a budget.