Clouds

Most of my favorite landscape photos include clouds, mainly because they add drama and draw attention through the scene. Here in New Mexico we are known for predominately cloudless skies; but when the clouds appear, they are usually spectacular.

I seldom take pictures only of clouds, preferring to find an interesting foreground to add balance to an image. Typically, on a hot summer day when the monsoon clouds are building, I will start looking for locations with good foregrounds to build composition. I have scouted a few areas in anticipation of a time when good clouds may appear, and have had some luck at this.

Maybe I will start simplifying my foregrounds and make them more abstract, in keeping with the cloud shapes themselves. That will save me much searching for impressive foregrounds, but it will require creating compositions that are less like landscape photos, and more like abstract paintings.