Mountains are a special world with magnificent landscapes that any photographer or artist would like to capture. There's no doubt that the mountains provide the most unique conditions for photography and video shooting. But, at the same time, shooting on a hike poses many tasks which can be quite difficult for enthusiasts to solve.
In order to make your shooting-on-a-hike experience smoother, we want to share some tips with you. So keep reading this post to know about all the pitfalls and tasks associated with this type of shooting.
#1 - Be Ready for the Changing Weather
The weather in the mountains is very unstable. It can change within a very short period of time. Such a rapid change in the state of nature has both its advantages and certain disadvantages for a photographer. The good thing is that you will be able to capture rain, fog, bright blue sky with beautiful clouds over impressive mountain peaks, and even snow in just one shooting day.
In order to capture some interesting state of nature, you need to act very fast. Sometimes you have to be quick off the mark with decisions not to miss out on a single shot. This is actually the main difficulty of shooting on a hike. It may happen that you have to run headlong with a tripod to the target point and on the go think about the filter to put on the best lens for landscape so that your shot looks impressive. Besides that, in terms of everyday life and comfort, changeable weather in the mountains forces you to think about protection from rain and cold. This refers to both your comfort and safety of your shooting equipment.
#2 - Have a Shooting Plan and Stick to It
Mountains are a special place. It is not so easy for an ordinary city dweller to get into the mountains or even US National Parks. This is not at all like running into the store on the way from work. You need to go to the mountains prepared and properly equipped. Yes, in this case, you will also need to take care of the camera and your hiking route.
#3 - Set Specific Goals Before You Start Filming/ Shooting
Before you start shooting, we recommend that you clearly define the genre you will shoot in and the type of shots you will be interested in. First of all, you will need to choose the route of the mountain travel. It will also define the equipment that you will need to bring on a hike. There are a lot of options for you to choose from. After all, you can shoot not only landscapes but also portraits in the mountains. You can do reports, create ethnographic photo projects, do macro photography, and many more. Therefore, it is critically important to plan your shooting agenda in advance.
#4 - Think About the Hiking Route
A clear route plan is one of hiking must-haves no matter how you are going to travel. On the route, you must clearly mark the staging ground and all the key points for shooting. For the latter, you can pick just anything you like - be it a beautiful landscape or any natural object that looks appealing to you. When it comes to the staging ground, make sure that it has a water source and that there is a place to pitch the tent.
#5 - Prepare a Shooting Equipment to Take on a Hike
It goes without saying that you will not only have to take your best vlog camera with you on a hike. You will need different kinds of equipment. On special tourist sites, you can read about hiking gear, clothes and shoes, the quantity and quality of food and water. So we will not focus on this right now. Let's keep our radar specifically on photographic and video equipment as well as accessories that you will need to have at hand on a mountain hike.
The camera - it is your main tool. For a professional photographer, a mirror chamber is the best choice. With its solid weight, it allows you to get a fairly high-quality image, has manual settings, and interchangeable optics;
The camera lens - it is just as important as a camera since it allows you to get a sharp picture with the desired viewing angle. If you are going to shoot landscapes, then the angle of view is extremely important for you;
Tripod - an experienced photographer knows that it is impossible to imagine nature photography without a tripod. It is the tripod that will allow you to take sharp and high-quality pictures at sunrise, at sunset, and even at night. The main thing is to set the appropriate parameters on the camera;
Batteries - remember that without a battery, your camera will turn into a useless thing. Therefore, when planning a shoot in the mountains, think about the approximate number of batteries that you will need;
Photo bag - along with a camera chest holster, this is a very important piece of equipment for a photographer. The main task of a photo bag is to ensure the reliable safety of your photographic equipment. We doubt that you want your camera damaged or broken simply because you didn’t think about its protection.
#6 - Use Special Software
In order to create quality and impressive shots, you sometimes need to use special software, like video editor online. Professionals prefer DaVinci Resolve 17 or Lumen5, but you can use some more user-friendly software for beginners. The tools will help you polish your video fragments and create high-end movies out of multiple video clips shot from different locations or spots. Whether you need to stabilize shaky footage, overlay effects, or remove background noise, the above free video editing software solutions will help you cope with the tasks like a pro.
Final Say!
Shooting on a hike provides you with a lot of opportunities. If you have all the necessary equipment at hand and plan your hiking-shooting agenda in detail, then you will definitely make outstanding shots. Follow our tips to shoot on a hike like a pro!
