Creating Mood

I was at the Booth Museum of Western Art outside Atlanta, Georgia. One painting completely captivated me. It invoked memories and emotions of my wilderness travel and spawned imaginary stories about this traveler’s journey.

Bill Hughes oil on canvas painting Canyon Passage at the Booth Museum

The dictionary defines mood as a temporary state of mind or feeling. An image can create mood when it places the viewer in the moment or causes the viewer to remember a moment that kindles an emotional reaction.

Photographers use a variety of techniques to set the mood in their images. The interplay of light and shadows, color versus black and white, composition, and perspective all play a role. Atmospheric conditions such as rain, mist, and fog also create mood.

I hope for “photography weather” when I travel. That means colorful clouds at sunrise and sunset, a powerful driver of mood. Landscape photographers dislike days that are "severely clear."

But the weather rarely cooperates. Great skies are the exception rather than the rule. So, I need to adjust because I can’t stay in a location for days, weeks, or even months until the skies are favorable. Such was the case during my October trip to Norway.

The Shot

The North Atlantic Current carries warm waters to the Norwegian coast, moderating the climate. The coastal winters are milder, and the summers are cooler compared to other regions at similar latitudes. It prevents the extreme cold temperatures typically found in the inland areas of Scandinavia.

The Current provides a source of moisture as well, contributing to frequent precipitation along the coast. This effect supports the region’s lush landscapes and diverse ecosystems.

Throughout my week in October there, “frequent precipitation” manifested as persistent low cloud cover, dense fog, and continuous rainfall. Adjusting to the conditions meant looking beyond my usual colorful skies to create mood.

On October 14, we were near Lovatnet Lake. We hoped to photograph the spectacular 2,684-foot tall, tiered horsetail waterfall Ramnefjellsfossen that flows into the lake. However, thick clouds and dense fog made it impossible to photograph.

So, we redirected our drones to other parts of the scene. This view of the lake taken from above and behind a tree appealed to me. It seemed to capture a mysterious mood.

Thanks for looking,

Chuck Derus Zenfolio | Chuck Derus