Moody weather changes everything. When you learn how to handle it, you can walk out the door with your camera no matter what the sky looks like, and come home with something powerful.
Coming to you from Mads Peter Iversen, this detailed video gives you a step-by-step plan for making the most of moody conditions. Iversen shares how returning from two weeks in Tuscany, he faced not just beautiful calm mornings, but days full of heavy clouds, rain, and storms. These weren’t setbacks—they were chances to expand what you shoot and how you shoot it. You’ll hear about how moving beyond perfect sunsets or sunrises lets you work in a broader range of weather, so you’re not sitting at home just because the forecast looks grim. Moody scenes give you tools for more emotional, introspective photos. You get depth, atmosphere, and a different type of drama you can’t get in bright sunlight.
Iversen breaks down how moody landscapes allow you to bring out emotions and stories that clear skies often flatten. Heavy clouds, diffused light, and rain all work together to create separation and dimension. Moody days become your studio, not just obstacles to work around. If you’ve ever wondered how to build stronger compositions in these conditions, you’ll see why subjects like cypress trees or rainfronts themselves can anchor a shot. Aligning your foreground and sky, thinking about balance, and using negative space all change the mood. Distractions—like background clutter or brightly colored signs—pull you out of the scene, so controlling those elements is critical. You’ll see how minimalism and choosing the right focal point help set the tone.
Getting the shot in these conditions depends on tracking the weather. Iversen uses apps like Windy.com for international forecasts and local meteorological tools for real-time radar. The radar isn’t just about rain—it's for knowing when and where the light might break through. Safety comes up as a real concern when storms and lightning are in play. It’s not just about being in the right place for the light, but knowing when to back off. It's always better safe than sorry. Finding days with both showers and breaks in the clouds is a chance to catch sunbeams, rainbows, and dramatic transitions in your photos.
Once you’ve scouted your spot and set up your composition, patience pays off. Moody light moves fast and unpredictably. Waiting for the exact moment when a shaft of light illuminates your subject can mean standing around for 20 minutes, but it’s usually worth it. Flat clouds don’t always ruin a shot, either. With the right composition, sometimes you leave the sky out altogether, especially in mountains or with a telephoto lens. Overcast rain and sleet can actually build atmosphere and give your photo depth. If you’re flexible with your approach, there’s almost always a shot to be found.
Settings matter, but they’re never one-size-fits-all. Low ISO for less noise, tripods for sharpness, and sometimes higher apertures for depth of field. Moody conditions push you to work with slower shutter speeds, longer exposures, and sometimes focus stacking. Neutral density filters can make water scenes feel calm or ethereal even when the weather isn’t. Managing contrast and exposure is a big part of this process—blown highlights or muddy shadows will spoil the mood you’re after.
Editing pulls it all together. Raw files are flat compared to what you see with your eyes, so you have to shape the final image in post-processing. Emphasizing details, bringing out the right contrast, and darkening parts of the sky or edges can all help guide the viewer’s eye to the story you want to tell. Photoshop’s newest remove tool, masking features, and other advanced tricks are demonstrated, but it’s about being careful not to overdo it. Subtlety matters. As a bonus, Iversen shares a simple vignette trick in Lightroom and Camera Raw to help direct attention. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Iversen.
And if you really want to dive into landscape photography, check out our latest tutorial, "Photographing the World: Japan II - Discovering Hidden Gems with Elia Locardi!”
Winter is my favourite time for landscape photography. I love the Moody light.