How do you expose correctly for foggy landscapes?

1 Use a tripod

Fog can reduce the amount of light and contrast in your scene, which means you may need to use slower shutter speeds to get a proper exposure. A tripod will help you avoid camera shake and blur, especially if you want to use a low ISO and a small aperture for maximum sharpness and depth of field. A tripod will also allow you to use a remote shutter release or a self-timer to minimize any vibrations.

2 Check your histogram

Your camera's meter may not be accurate in foggy conditions, as it can be fooled by the bright or dark areas of the fog. To avoid overexposing or underexposing your image, check your histogram frequently and adjust your exposure accordingly. A histogram is a graph that shows the distribution of tones in your image, from dark to light. Ideally, you want to avoid clipping the highlights or the shadows, which means losing details in those areas. You can use the exposure compensation feature on your camera to increase or decrease your exposure by a certain amount of stops, depending on whether your histogram is skewed to the left or the right.

3 Shoot in RAW

Shooting in RAW will give you more flexibility and control over your exposure in post-processing. RAW files contain more information and dynamic range than JPEG files, which means you can recover more details in the highlights and the shadows, as well as adjust the white balance, contrast, and color of your image. You can use a software like Lightroom or Photoshop to edit your RAW files and fine-tune your exposure to your liking.

4 Use filters

Filters can help you enhance the mood and the drama of your foggy landscapes, as well as balance your exposure. A polarizing filter can reduce the glare and the reflections from the fog, as well as increase the saturation and the contrast of your image. A graduated neutral density filter can help you darken the sky and the bright areas of the fog, while keeping the foreground and the dark areas of the fog properly exposed. A solid neutral density filter can help you create long exposures and smooth out the movement of the fog, creating a dreamy and ethereal effect.

5 Experiment with different settings

Foggy landscapes can offer a variety of creative opportunities, so don't be afraid to experiment with different settings and compositions. You can try different focal lengths, angles, perspectives, and foreground elements to create interest and depth in your image. You can also try different white balance settings, from cool to warm, to change the mood and the color of the fog. You can also try different exposure modes, from manual to aperture priority, to see how they affect your image.

6 Review your images

One of the most important steps in exposing correctly for foggy landscapes is to review your images on your camera's LCD screen or on your computer. This will help you see if you need to make any adjustments to your exposure, as well as identify any problems or mistakes. You can zoom in on your images to check for sharpness, noise, and focus, as well as look for any dust spots, lens flare, or chromatic aberration. You can also compare your images with different settings and filters to see which ones work best for your scene.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?