Atmospheric April: Photography Tips & Inspiration for the Month
While March was about the first signs of emergence, April is a month of dramatic shifts. We move from heavy rain showers to piercing sunlight in the space of minutes—a photographer's playground if you know how to work with it! Whether you’re deep in a wildflower wood or dodging showers in the city, here are four themes to inspire your lens this month.
Chasing Rainbows: The Beauty of Changeable Weather
1/4000 f8 ISO 400
April weather is famously fickle, but for photographers, "bad" weather often makes for the best shots. The key to capturing dramatic landscapes or urban scenes this month is staying ready for the transition.
Pro Tip: Look for the "back edge" of a storm. When the sun breaks through heavy, dark clouds, the contrast is spectacular. And as another front passes infront of the sun, look for the rainbows!
Dark & Stormy: Try underexposing your scene slightly (dial your exposure compensation to -0.7 or -1.0). This deepens the moody blues of the sky and prevents the fleeting highlights of a rainbow or a sun-drenched building from "blowing out," adding a cinematic drama to the frame.
Woodland Floors: From Whites to Yellow and Blues
1/200 f2.8 ISO 100 (+1 Exposure Comp.)
The woodland is transforming into a lush carpet of white and yellow and those iconic bluebells aren’t far off either! Those well manicured, curated woodlands can be few and far between. But with the right approach, any patch of woodland can present stunning photo opportunities.
Get Low: Use a low angle—level with the flower heads—to create a sense of intimacy. I know this can be more difficult for others, and gardening mats can be a useful aid. When you start looking carefully, you may also be surprised at how many slopes and features offer up a better angle without the need for sore knees!
Play with Light:
Soft Light - Overcast days are perfect for revealing the subtle palettes and textures of Wood Anemones.
Spotlight - On sunny days, look for "light leaks" through the trees that act like a natural stage spotlight on a single flower.
Backlighting - Position yourself so the sun is behind the flower to make the translucent petals burst in vibrant life.
Spring Festivities: Traditions and the Overlooked
Whitby Goth Festival, held every April. 1/500 f9 ISO 640
From Easter parades and village fetes to the rhythmic clatter of Morris dancers, April is full of community life including the world famous Whitby Goth Fest.
Context is everything, look to include clues that describe the location and story around the event
Think long term - avoid trends in style and approach, think what the photo will look like in 10,20, 100 years time. Often it’s the ordinary things that everyone else misses.
Nesting Behaviour: Architects of the Air
1/1250 f6.3 ISO 2000
Nesting season is now in full swing, and it is a frantic, fascinating time for bird photography. One of the highlights for me is the Long-tailed Tit—a master architect that uses moss, lichen, and spider webs to create a flexible "sock" nest, lined with up to 2,000 feathers!
Watch for Action: Look for birds carrying "cargo"—twigs, wool, or feathers. This is the best time to capture purposeful, dynamic behaviour.
The Golden Rule: Always prioritise the welfare of the birds. Disturbing nesting birds is against the law— so keep a good distance, look for behaviour away from the nest, use a long lens, and avoid lingering near a nest sites.
Inspiration of the Month: Galen Rowell – The Light Chaser
If you want to master dramatic April weather, look no further than Galen Rowell (1940–2002). Rowell wasn’t just a photographer for the likes of National Geographic; he was an adventurer who coined the term "participatory photography." He didn’t just wait for the light; he chased it, often climbing and/or running miles through rugged terrain to find the perfect angle.
His most iconic image, Rainbow over Potala Palace, is a masterclass in April-style drama. While leading a workshop in Tibet, he saw a rainbow forming and realized it wasn't aligned with the palace. Instead of staying put, he sprinted across the landscape to "force" the perspective, making the rainbow appear as if it were erupting directly from the sacred site.
