A figure in a landscape is a tried-and-tested method for anchoring a sprawling vista with a clear subject. But we tend to think of a human figure in this instance, not a sheep... When Gary Davies (AKA @justgaz) visited the beautiful landscape surrounding Wastwater – England's deepest lake – with his Nikon Z8 and Z 24-120mm f/4 S, it was never his intention to capture a Herdwick 'photobomber' in the process.
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He told me: "My intention that day was landscape photography. The opportunity to take this shot arose, while I was considering a landscape composition." Gary didn't have much time to think so he captured the image. But what makes this image work so well as a figure in a landscape is that it isn't a photograph of a sheep. It's a landscape with a sheep in it.
"My intention that day was landscape photography. The opportunity to take this shot arose, while I was considering a landscape composition..."
The temptation could have been to zoom or crop into the animal, but Gary chose to frame his woolly sitter within the environment. "The Herdwick ewe was in the right place at the right time," he admits. And so was the light. If the animal's position wasn't enough, the thin avenue of light, breaking through the clouds is highlighting the sheep perfectly, pulling it from its dark and moody surroundings.
Gary's top tip for capturing a figure in a landscape…
Landscape photography is usually about careful planning and coming up with the perfect composition. But when an instance like this presents itself, you've little choice but to be reactive. As Gary puts it: "The only advice I would give is not to worry about bad lighting, just take a chance and take the shot." Once you've got a shot in the bag, so long as the moment hasn't passed, you can always stick around to see if the conditions become more favorable.
Check out previous Photo of the Day images, and the stories behind them. If you have an image you'd like us to consider for Photo of the Day, email it to us at digitalcameraworld@futurenet.com
Interested in landscapes? Check out the best cameras for landscape photography and the best tripods.
