Finding Joy in the Murk: Woodland Photography in Mist, Fog, and Rain

There’s a particular kind of morning that puts most people off woodland photography entirely. The sort where the fog hangs low, the drizzle never quite commits to rain, and everything smells faintly of damp earth and slow decay. The kind of morning where your boots never really dry and your fingers question every life decision that led you here.

Naturally, these are the mornings I enjoy the most.

Recently, I found myself wandering into a woodland local to me for the first time, camera in hand, exploring woodland photography in fog, mist, and drizzle. Visibility was poor, the light was flat, and nothing was immediately shouting to be photographed. From a technical point of view, it was all a bit… inconvenient. And yet, within a few minutes, that familiar calm set in. The sort that only seems to arrive when conditions are objectively miserable and expectations quietly disappear.

Photographing woodland in murk, fog, and drizzle forces you to slow down — a key mindset in creative woodland and forest photography. You stop hunting for grand scenes and start noticing smaller moments — the way fog softens the background, how shapes emerge and disappear, how mood replaces drama. It becomes less about chasing perfect light and more about responding to what’s actually in front of you.

And that’s really the point.

So much of photography, especially landscape photography, is sold to us as golden light and epic views. But some of the most rewarding experiences happen when none of that turns up. When it’s just you, a camera, and a woodland quietly existing exactly as it is — damp, murky, and unapologetically itself.

This way of working is at the heart of my Walk in the Woods Photography Experience, a guided woodland photography workshop designed to help you work confidently in challenging conditions.

Taking place on January 30th and 31st, these woodland photography workshops are slow, relaxed, and very much about learning to see rather than rushing to shoot. We’ll walk through woodland together, talk about composition, light (or the lack of it), mood, and how to work creatively in less-than-ideal conditions. There’s no pressure, no racing between locations — just time to observe, photograph, and enjoy being out there.

These woodland photography experiences are suitable for all levels, whether you’re just starting out or looking to reconnect with your photography in a quieter, more thoughtful way.

Spaces are very limited, with only a few places remaining for both woodland photography walks. If you’re interested in joining me for one of these walks, I’d recommend getting in touch soon to avoid missing out.

Sometimes the best photographs — and the best mornings — happen when everything’s a bit damp, unclear, and wonderfully understated.

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