Photography in the Wilderness


What is a wilderness?

A dictionary defines wilderness as: “a wild, uninhabited, and
uncultivated region ”.
“A place, in which the spirit feels desolate”, adds another.

The definition doesn’t give you the desire to pack your gear and go - and yet that is exactly what many photographers are doing - going into wild places to photograph. Why do they do it? Is it because their subjects are more interesting than those photographed from the road? Not necessarily!

The dictionary doesn’t reveal the emotions, the sense of accomplishment and satisfaction that a photographic session in a mountainous environment can achieve.

It’s common to find trekkers and hikers that visit high level mountain scenes, being in ecstasy at the beauty in front of them. It’s difficult to put into words the sense of wonder that engulfs you. However, there’s another reality you must face, not all of it joyous.

When I started to photograph nature, the wish to shoot pictures from the tops of mountains became irresistible. The books I read about hiking the Scottish Mountains advised great caution - in Scotland the mountains are all below 4500 ft but the changeable weather can transform them into some of the most dangerous places to visit. This is the other reality that I hinted at above - danger!

With this advice ringing in my ears, I took a mountaineering course and qualified as a mountain leader. During the course, it became clear how a dangerous situations can quickly develop -- high level mountain backpacking anywhere in the world is a serious project requiring some expertise. The unprepared backpacker photographer enters a door of beautiful scenery, but that
entry can quickly lead you into a ferocious, unforgiving life-threatening situation.

We were a group of six with an instructor in the Cairngorms Mountains, Scotland. The weather had deteriorated, the forecast warned of strong winds at the tops. During the day, the wind began to pick up in strength. We started to make our way to lower ground. Suddenly, a gust of wind picked up one of our party and threw her off the mountain in what would have been a 1000-ft drop. While being carried downhill by the wind, she had the sense to strike the ground with an ice axe -- it held firmly, saving her life.
 

Photography in the Wilderness - Why do it?

The main advantages of backpacking are not only to get away from the crowds, but also to see rare or unique scenery one can't find near the road. Everyone has seen and photographed the common sights near the road.

Unless you take your mini house along with you in a rucksack, it’s unlikely that you’ll be present when the best light enters the scene - early morning, late afternoon. Sometimes the good light occurs during the day but you cannot count on that. Spending two, or more days walking and camping on the hills will give you greater opportunities to be in the right place at the right time.

On the other hand, you have to lower your expectations and not expect an optimum shot, as you often won't have all day to wait around for most favourable lighting. Who wants to be tent bound for one or more  days with the hope of getting one shot off once the downpours stop? You can easily go to the highlands of Scotland for a weeklong trip and see nothing but low cloud and rain.

There are two types of mountain backpacking - a day hike, or stay a night or more in the wilderness. Will you go for a low or high level route? Basic knowledge will suffice for a low level hike, depending on the time of the year and weather conditions.

High level in the summer requires good equipment, a good map and compass skills, and the ability to walk on pathless rocky ground with a heavy backpack. GPS is a useful tool but it’s a mistake to depend solely on it. What happens if the weather changes and the GPS breaks down, batteries fail, or you drop it into a pond or crashes on the ground? You’re in trouble! Nothing replaces a good map and compass.


What Do You Need to Take?

The first thing to do is to think through what equipment you’ll need. Go through all the camera gear, consider what clothing you are going to take, then make some hard decisions.

It's a question of choice and compromise, but whatever decision you make, never compromise on your personal safety in respect of clothing.

To see some images that illustrate this article:
Click here -  WildPics