Fog Photography Tips

Fog photography isn’t very common among photographers. However, there are many examples of wonderful photographs captured when this natural phenomenon occurs. We as photographers tend to think too much about the importance of natural light for outdoor photography and sometimes miss the fact that we can obtain some great shots in difficult weather conditions too. If you haven’t tried photographing in fog yet, you will find the tips in this article useful to get started in fog photography. Also, make sure to check the examples at the end of the article for some inspiration.


morning fog by stlasidylko

Fog will add a special effect to your photographs and you should use it to your advantage whenever it occurs. It is a great way to add an interesting atmosphere to your images.

The conditions for fog photography are very different than the conditions in clear daylight. So before you start  photographing the fog you should know the following:

–   Fog reflects light towards the camera and this can fool the light meter. You will then get underexposed images. You can overcome this by using the camera’s built-in exposure compensation with a value of +1 or +2. Remember to experiment until you get the proper value. Another way to overcome this issue is to use manual exposure, but you should keep in mind that a longer exposure can result in a blurry image, because the fog is very likely to move while you are taking the shot. Fast shutter speeds will give you a clearer, more realistic image, while longer shutter speeds will give you slightly blurry images, useful if you want to create a more mysterious fog photography effect.

–    Photographing fog can have the effect of reducing the contrast and color saturation, resulting in washed out images. This can be useful if you want to create an isolated scenery with a special mood or feeling. However, if you want to add contrast to your image, you can try to include subjects that are closer to you and also a source of bright light.

Fog makes light rays stand out while passing through it. It can be a great idea to include them in your image, to add a special artistic effect to the final result of your fog photography. To emphasize the light rays that enter the camera, you should try to stand slightly off angle from the light source and not directly in front of it. This perspective makes the light rays brighter which will ensure that they will stand out better.

Fog shine-sprayed trees by Vonawes

–    Fog photography can be used to emphasize the shape of the subject. You can easily obtain an interesting exaggerated silhouette if you take advantage of a bright fog background. Exposing according to the fog background can help you reduce your subject to a simple silhouette if that is the effect you desire.

Photographing in fog can be a great way to experiment with techniques that are less usual in photography but that can be a great asset for an image with a special atmospheric feel. Below are some great examples of fog photography:

Shrouded in Fog VIII by ComprehensiveOne

The Fog Consumes by sneakazz

Flying Into the Fog by Babyc8kes

Fog by porbital

Bridge in fog by oriontrail

Lights in the fog by RitterRunkel

Fog One by Skybase