Photographing American Fork Canyon

For the landscape photographer, shooting in a mountain canyon can be a beautiful experience. In this video, pro photographer Adam Barker takes you to American Fork Canyon in the Wasatch Mountains of Utah for tips and techniques on capturing the exquisite scenery.

He arrives at his destination before dawn to prepare for a landscape photograph in the Alpine Loop. He explains, “I always get to my sunrise and sunset locations a half hour early to be in position for that one best shot.” He chooses a long lens for his image. For his shooting location, he has Cascade Peak in the background overlooking a foggy valley with the foreground a stunning stand of aspen trees.

Adam sets his shutter speed at eight seconds, and f-stop at f/11, with a 4-stop, Soft Step, Grad ND filter hand-held up next to the lens. For coverage, he shoots a vertical and a horizontal composition. When the fog moves in, he changes positions, and, using a warming polarizer, photographs a golden aspen tree surrounded by natural greenery. He will show you how to use mirror lockup when shooting at low shutter speeds, why using different f-stops gives you variety in capturing the best image, why to always check the histogram, and how experimenting with different lens filters affects the colors.

“To get a few optional images,” Adam explains, “it’s important to take note of your surroundings.” However, it’s also a good idea to stay within a small radius because lighting conditions change so fast at sunrise. He waits for the fog to clear and is rewarded with a few minutes of optimum light, allowing him to capture what he calls “the five-star photo:” a yellow aspen, the mountain peak rising out of the misty background.

Hike along on a photo excursion to American Fork Canyon with professional shooter Adam Barker for tips on shooting landscapes in a variety of weather conditions.

MORE IN THIS COURSE:

Completing Your Outdoor Photography with Landscape Filters—Course Preview
Shooting with Filters at Bells Canyon
Photographing American Fork Canyon
Photographing in the Early Morning Light
Photographing Cascade Peak
How to Focus on Compositional Elements in Photography
Shooting with a Grad ND Filter
Fall Foliage Photography Tips and Techniques
Photographing Wildlife: Strategies and Techniques
How to Photograph Reflections
Landscape Photography: Shooting Grass
Capturing Photos at Dusk
Tips for Photographing Moonrise
Fly Fishing Photography Tips and Techniques
Shooting with Filters in the Late Dawn Light
Tips for Shooting an Iconic Sunrise
Photographing Outdoor Stock Shots