Clouds
Cloud photography represents one of the most accessible yet profoundly expressive forms of photography available to enthusiasts at all skill levels. The sky offers an ever-changing canvas of shapes, textures, and light that can transform ordinary scenes into extraordinary photographs. This week, we are going to explore the history, artistic significance, and practical techniques that will help you create awesome cloud images.
The Historical Development of Cloud Photography
The history of cloud photography is fundamentally linked to the evolution of photographic technology itself—photographers faced significant challenges due to the limitations of early processes. In the earliest days of photography (circa 1839), capturing clouds presented nearly insurmountable technical hurdles. Photographic processes required exceptionally long exposures, making it virtually impossible to freeze the ever-shifting forms of clouds.
In the nineteenth century, photographic plates were more sensitive to violet and blue wavelengths of light and less sensitive to warm greens, yellows, oranges, and reds. This created a fundamental problem: exposing correctly for the landscape would leave the sky overexposed, while exposing for the sky would underexpose the landscape.
Even with proper exposure, clouds often disappeared because blue sky and white clouds registered the same tonal value on early photographic plates. These technical limitations led to creative solutions. Some photographers used combination printing, as Gustave Le Gray did with his seascapes. Others, like Henry Peach Robinson, advocated for painted clouds, hand-drawn clouds, or combination prints with cloud negatives made from life.
By the mid-1880s, the introduction of orthochromatic plates made capturing clouds and landscapes in a single exposure more feasible, as demonstrated in the work of Adam Clark Vroman. Later photographers like Alfred Stieglitz embraced photography's technical limitations, using them to create abstract images that transcended mere documentation.
Early Pioneers
William James Day (1854-1939) was a 19th-century British photographer based in Bournemouth known for his cloud studies. His work "Cloud study, Seascape" is in the Victoria and Albert Museum collection. Day's approach involved careful composition that balanced the expanse of the sky with the minimal presence of sea, creating studies that were both scientifically observational and artistically composed. His work on photographic paper captured the subtle gradations of light and shadow in cloud formations during an era when technical limitations made such photography challenging.
The first aerial photograph was taken by French photographer Gaspard-Félix Tournachon, known as "Nadar," in 1858 from a hot air balloon over Paris. While these weren't exclusively sky photographs, they represented early efforts to document the sky from different perspectives.
Cloud photography became more sophisticated through the innovations of photographers like Gustave Le Gray (1820-1884), who developed innovative techniques for capturing sky and sea in a single image. His 1856 work "Solar Effect in the Clouds—Ocean" demonstrated remarkable mastery by combining clouds, ocean and sun in a striking image that overcame the technical limitations of early photography.
Le Gray pioneered a double printing process that allowed him to combine a sky from one negative with an ocean scene from another, creating dramatic seascapes that would have been impossible to capture in a single exposure due to the vast difference in brightness between sky and sea.
Alfred Stieglitz and the "Equivalents"
Perhaps the most influential figure in the history of cloud photography is Alfred Stieglitz (1864-1946). His fascination with photographing clouds began in the summer of 1887 when he took his first pictures over Lake Como in Italy. However, it wasn't until the summer of 1922 that Stieglitz began his most famous cloud series, tilting his hand camera towards the sky to produce abstract images of ethereal cloud forms.
Between 1925 and 1934, Stieglitz created at least 220 photographs of clouds, which he called "Equivalents". These images are generally recognised as the first photographs intended to free the subject matter from literal interpretation and are considered among the first completely abstract photographic works of art. Most of these photographs show only the sky without any horizon, buildings, or other objects in the frame.
Stieglitz printed these images very darkly, often making the sky appear black or nearly black, creating a striking contrast with the much lighter clouds. Through this work, he aimed to demonstrate that his photographs were not dependent on specific subject matter but could express pure emotion, paralleling his own inner state.
Other Pioneers in Cloud Photography
Several other photographers made significant early contributions to the development of cloud photography, particularly notable among them were:
Léonard Misonne (1870-1943): A Belgian photographer noted for his black and white photographs of heavy skies and dark clouds.
Eadweard Muybridge (1830-1904): Known primarily for his motion studies, Muybridge created cloud photographs and developed techniques for combining cloud and landscape negatives.
Henry Peach Robinson (1830-1901): An influential advocate for the artistic potential of clouds in photography. Though more widely known for his composite allegorical images, Robinson wrote extensively about the importance of the sky in landscape photography.
By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, improvements in photographic technology made cloud photography more accessible, leading to its broader exploration as both a scientific and artistic pursuit.
Some critics have explicitly cited 19th-century cloudscapes and seascapes as precursors of abstract expressionist art. The complex cloudscapes in works by J.M.W. Turner have been described as almost abstract paintings within paintings, "nearly obliterating the realistic setting with a grand display of gestural force."
Artistic Theories and Significance of Cloud Photography
Cloud photography exists at a fascinating intersection of technical skill, artistic expression, and metaphysical contemplation. The artistic significance extends far beyond mere documentation of atmospheric conditions.
Stieglitz's Theory of Equivalence
Stieglitz's "Equivalents" series represents a watershed moment in photography's development as an art form. Through these images, Stieglitz articulated his belief that photographs could transcend their subject matter to express abstract emotions and ideas. In his own words, "Through clouds [I wanted] to put down my philosophy of life—to show that my photographs were not due to subject matter—not to special trees, or faces, or interiors, to special privileges, clouds were there for everyone—no tax as yet on them—free".
This approach positioned photography alongside other fine arts, particularly music, in its ability to convey nonrepresentational, emotionally evocative qualities1. Stieglitz, along with many artists in his circle, argued that visual art could achieve the same abstract expressiveness as music, which is reflected in early titles he gave to his cloud photographs: "Music: A Sequence of Ten Cloud Photographs" (1922) and "Songs of the Sky" (1923).
The Metaphorical Relationship Between Clouds and Photography
Clouds and photography have a longstanding metaphorical relationship. Conceptions of both depend on oppositions such as transience versus fixity, reflection versus projection, and nature versus culture. This relationship creates a rich conceptual framework that extends beyond aesthetic considerations.
Art critic Roberta Smith noted that complex cloudscapes—such as those in works by J.M.W. Turner—within otherwise conventional landscape paintings can appear like abstract paintings within paintings, nearly obliterating the realistic setting with gestural force. This observation highlights how cloud photography often straddles the boundary between representation and abstraction.
Cultural and Psychological Significance
Clouds carry deep symbolic meanings across various cultures and traditions. From ancient mythology to modern psychology, clouds symbolise a wide range of concepts:
In Greek mythology, clouds were seen as the abode of the gods, particularly Zeus
In Christian symbolism, clouds often represent the presence of God
In Eastern philosophies, clouds symbolise transition and the ephemeral nature of life
In psychological interpretations, clouds can represent:
Transience and change (reflecting the constantly shifting nature of thoughts and emotions)
Mystery and obscurity (symbolising confusion or hidden truths)
Revelation and inspiration (as when clouds part to reveal the sun)
These rich cultural associations give cloud photography a depth of meaning that few other photographic subjects can match.
Basic Cloud Types and Their Photographic Potential
Cloud photography encompasses diverse approaches and subjects, from serene fair-weather clouds to dramatic storm systems. Understanding the different types of cloud formations and photography opportunities they present can help expand your creative possibilities. Meteorologists classify clouds into various kinds based on their altitude and formation. For photographers, each type offers distinct visual characteristics:
Low-Level Clouds (below 2,000 metres)
Cumulus: The classic fluffy white clouds often seen on sunny days. These provide excellent photographic subjects with their well-defined shapes and dramatic shadows.
Stratocumulus: Bands of low-level white or grey clouds that can be observed in various weather conditions.
Stratus: Low-lying, grey, and fuzzy clouds without much definition, often associated with rain or storms.
Nimbostratus: Thick, dark rain clouds that create dramatic, moody scenes.
Cumulonimbus: Towering thunderstorm clouds that can produce spectacular images, especially when illuminated by sunset light or lightning.
Mid-Level Clouds (2,000-6,000 metres)
Altocumulus: White or grey patches that often appear in groups, creating a "mackerel sky" pattern.
Altostratus: Grey or blue-grey sheets covering the entire sky, often creating diffused light ideal for certain types of photography.
High-Level Clouds (above 6,000 metres)
Cirrus: Thin, wispy clouds that create delicate patterns against blue skies.
Cirrostratus: Transparent, whitish cloud veils that can create halos around the sun or moon.
Cirrocumulus: Small white patches or ripples forming "mackerel sky" patterns at high altitudes.
Fair-Weather Cloud Photography
On clear or partly cloudy days, cumulus clouds against blue skies create classic photographic opportunities. These conditions are ideal for landscape photography, where clouds add interest to the sky without dominating the scene.
Nature often rewards photographers with incredible opportunities to capture sunrises, sunsets, and sun rays piercing through scattered clouds, creating stunning views. Without clouds, however, sunrises and sunsets often look considerably less dramatic, forcing photographers to cut out the sky and focus on foreground elements instead.
Dramatic Weather and Storm Photography
Stormy conditions offer compelling opportunities for photographers seeking more dramatic images. Partly cloudy and stormy days make photographs appear more dramatic and vivid. Clouds can become so beautiful that they become the central element of a composition.
Storm photography captures the raw power of nature through dramatic cloud formations, lightning strikes, and unusual light conditions. This challenging genre requires careful planning, appropriate equipment, and attention to safety. When photographing storms:
Track weather using specialised apps or websites
Scout locations with clear views and safe exit routes
Time your shoot to capture the approach or aftermath of a storm
Specialised Cloud Phenomena
Beyond everyday cloud formations, several specialised cloud phenomena offer unique photographic opportunities:
Cloud Inversions: Cloud inversions occur when temperature increases with altitude (rather than decreases), trapping cooler air and clouds in valleys while mountain tops remain clear. These create spectacular views where clouds appear below the photographer, often resembling an ocean of clouds with mountain peaks emerging like islands.
Noctilucent Clouds: Noctilucent or "night-shining" clouds appear in the upper atmosphere during summer months at high latitudes. These rare clouds become visible after sunset when they catch sunlight from below the horizon while the viewer is in darkness. Modern smartphones with good low-light capabilities can capture these ethereal formations.
Lenticular Clouds: These lens-shaped clouds form when stable, moist air flows over a mountain or range of mountains. Their distinctive UFO-like appearance makes them popular photographic subjects.
Composition Techniques for Cloud Photography
Strong composition transforms good cloud photos into great ones. Several compositional approaches work particularly well for cloud photography:
The Sky as the Main Subject: When clouds themselves are the primary subject, consider these approaches:
Minimal Composition: Sometimes, a simple frame filled mostly or entirely with clouds creates the strongest impact. This approach, exemplified by Stieglitz's "Equivalents," treats clouds as abstract forms.
Rule of Thirds: To create balanced compositions, place interesting cloud formations along the third lines or at their intersections.
Patterns and Textures: Look for repeating patterns or contrasting textures within cloud formations.
Integrating Clouds into Landscape Photography: Clouds can dramatically enhance landscape photographs.
Sky-to-Land Ratio: Adjust the proportion of sky to land based on which element has more visual interest. Consider giving the sky two-thirds or more of the frame on days with dramatic clouds.
Reflections: When photographing near water, capture cloud reflections to create symmetry and double the impact of interesting cloud formations.
Framing Elements: Use foreground elements like trees, buildings, or geological features to frame cloud formations and provide scale.
Light Quality and Clouds: Clouds significantly affect the quality of light in photographs.
Clouds as Natural Reflectors: Clouds act as natural reflectors, softening and filling in shadows. At either end of the day, clouds bounce warm light back onto the landscape.
Dramatic Light Rays: Look for crepuscular rays (sunbeams or god rays) breaking through clouds, which add drama and dimension to photographs.
Silhouettes: Contrast dark foreground elements against bright, cloudy skies to create striking silhouettes.
Weather Transitions: Some of the most compelling cloud photographs capture transitions in weather.
Storm Approaches: The leading edge of an approaching storm often creates dramatic cloud formations and light conditions.
Clearing Storms: The period immediately after a storm passes frequently offers extraordinary light and atmospheric conditions.
Weather Boundaries: Unusual and photogenic cloud formations often develop where different air masses meet.
Practical Approach to Cloud Photography with Smartphones
Modern smartphones have evolved into capable tools for cloud photography. Their portability means they're always available when interesting cloud formations appear, and recent technological improvements have enhanced their capabilities for this type of photography.
Weather Apps and Planning: While you might be lucky and encounter an amazing sky through chance alone, a little research and planning will dramatically improve the odds. Several apps can help plan cloud photography sessions:
Weather Forecasting Apps: Met Office, AccuWeather, and other weather apps provide detailed forecasts that can help predict interesting cloud conditions
Satellite Imagery: Apps that show satellite views can help track approaching weather systems that might create photogenic clouds
Sun Position Apps: Tools like The Photographer's Ephemeris or Photopills show sun position throughout the day, helping you plan where the light will interact with clouds
Smartphone Camera Capabilities and Limitations: Understanding your smartphone's capabilities helps maximise its potential for cloud photography:
Recent Advances: Smartphones' low-light imaging capabilities have significantly improved over recent years, making sky photography more accessible.
Lens Options: Most contemporary smartphones feature multiple lenses, typically including a wide-angle option that's excellent for capturing expansive cloudscapes.
Dynamic Range Challenges: Smartphones may still struggle with scenes containing both bright clouds and darker foregrounds, but techniques like HDR (High Dynamic Range) go a long way to help address this limitation, and most phones do a good job of applying this automatically.
Camera Settings for Cloud Photography: Most modern smartphones offer "Pro" or manual camera modes that provide greater control:
Exposure Control: Clouds tend to be bright white, which often causes camera meters to underexpose them. Deliberately overexpose by one to two stops to capture cloud detail and brightness.
Focus Challenges: Camera autofocus systems often struggle with clouds due to low contrast. Seek out areas of contrast between clouds or tap to focus on cloud edges.
HDR Mode: Enable HDR mode when photographing scenes with both bright clouds and darker foregrounds to capture detail across the full range of brightness.
RAW Format: If your smartphone supports it, shoot in RAW format for greater flexibility when editing cloud detail and colour.
Accessories and Equipment: Simple accessories can significantly improve smartphone cloud photography.
Tripod and Mount: An inexpensive phone mount lets you attach your smartphone to a standard tripod for longer exposures without camera shake.
Polarising Filter Attachments: Clip-on polarising filters can darken blue skies and increase cloud contrast.
External Lenses: Wide-angle lens attachments can expand your field of view for more dramatic cloudscapes.
Infrared Filters: Most digital cameras, including those on phones, are capable of capturing infrared wavelengths. You can use an infrared filter, such as the Hoya R72, to produce dramatic effects that naturally darken blue skies and accentuate even subtle clouds.
Specialised Techniques for Different Conditions: Different weather conditions require adapted techniques:
Fair-Weather Clouds: Use a polarising filter or effect to darken blue skies and make white clouds stand out. Shoot in the early morning or late afternoon when low-angle light creates more dramatic shadows and textures in clouds.
Storm Photography: Focus on safety first—never put yourself in danger for a photograph. Use burst mode to capture lightning strikes. Use your phone's night mode for dramatic dusk storm scenes if available.
Sunrise and Sunset Clouds: Arrive early and stay late—the best colours often appear before the sun rises or after it sets. Experiment with silhouettes of landscapes or objects against colourful clouds. Use the AE/AF lock feature (by holding your finger on the screen) to maintain consistent exposure as light changes rapidly.
Noctilucent Clouds: Use night mode if your phone has one. Stabilise your phone on a solid surface or tripod. Take multiple images and later select the sharpest one.
Post-Processing for Cloud Photography
Most smartphones include basic editing tools that can enhance cloud photographs:
Contrast Adjustments: Increase contrast slightly to make cloud textures more apparent
Clarity/Texture: These settings specifically enhance textural details in clouds
Graduated Filters: Apply digital graduated filters to balance bright skies with darker foregrounds
Selective Editing: Use selective adjustment tools to enhance specific areas of clouds without affecting the entire image
Famous Photographers Known for Their Cloud Photography Throughout History
Cloud photography has captivated practitioners since the earliest days of the medium, challenging photographers both technically and aesthetically. From Victorian pioneers who developed novel solutions to exposure problems to contemporary artists exploring the ephemeral nature of atmospheric phenomena, clouds have offered rich artistic possibilities. This comprehensive survey examines the most notable photographers whose work with clouds has shaped photography's evolution.
Early Pioneers of Cloud Photography
Léonard Misonne (1870-1943)
Belgian photographer Léonard Misonne is particularly noted for his atmospheric black and white photographs featuring heavy skies and dark clouds. Born in Gilly, Belgium, Misonne originally studied mining engineering but devoted himself exclusively to photography from 1896.
Misonne famously remarked, "The sky is the key to the landscape"—a philosophy evident throughout his work. His images frequently feature billowing clouds, early morning fog, or striking rays of sunlight cutting through atmospheric conditions. His mastery of light and atmosphere makes Misonne's approach particularly effective. He excelled at capturing subjects in dramatic, directional light, often creating a halo effect by illuminating figures from behind.
Rather than avoiding inclement weather, Misonne actively sought out stormy conditions, photographing subjects navigating streets under umbrellas or facing winter blizzards. His technical expertise with various printing processes allowed him to achieve a delicate balance in his images, establishing his reputation within the Pictorialist movement.
Gustave Le Gray (1820-1884)
French photographer Gustave Le Gray created some of the most technically innovative and visually striking cloud photographs of the 19th century. His marine views with dramatic cloudscapes created an international sensation when first exhibited in London and Paris.
Le Gray's most remarkable achievement was his ability to capture both dramatic skies and detailed seascapes in a single image—a technical feat that astonished his contemporaries. At a time when camera exposures often lasted for several seconds, viewers were amazed by Le Gray's capacity to freeze the motion of breaking waves while simultaneously capturing perfectly backlit clouds.
Le Gray's secret remained during his lifetime: these images were created from two separate negatives—one for the sea and another for the clouds—combined during printing. This innovative solution addressed one of photography's early limitations: the inability of a single exposure to capture both the bright sky and the darker landscape.
His work "Étude de nuages" (Cloud Study) exemplifies this approach, featuring dramatic cloud formations floating above different beaches—one in Normandy, others along France's Mediterranean coast—yet appearing as unified compositions.
Henry Peach Robinson (1830-1901)
British photographer Henry Peach Robinson was an influential advocate for the artistic potential of clouds in photography. Though more widely known for his composite allegorical images, Robinson wrote extensively about the importance of the sky in landscape photography.
In his 1896 book "The Elements of a Pictorial Photograph," Robinson emphasised: "We have the sky always before us, therefore we do not recognise how beautiful it is. It is very rare to see anybody go into raptures over the wonders of the sky, yet of all that goes on in the whole world, there is nothing to approach it for variety, beauty, grandeur, and serenity".
Robinson noted that "the artistic possibilities of clouds are infinite," encouraging photographers to consider the sky an essential element of their compositions. His advocacy helped establish clouds as worthy photographic subjects.
Adam Clark Vroman (1856-1916)
American photographer Adam Clark Vroman took a different approach to cloud photography than many of his contemporaries. Unlike those who employed combination printing techniques, Vroman captured both cloudscapes and landscapes on orthochromatic plates and made prints from a single negative.
Vroman's work in the American Southwest yielded particularly striking cloudscapes. His approach was marked by patience and technical skill, waiting for the perfect alignment of landscape and atmospheric conditions. By the mid-1880s, orthochromatic plates had become available, making the photography of clouds and landscape in a single exposure more feasible—an opportunity Vroman fully utilised.
His enthusiasm for the distinctive clouds of the Southwest is evident in his writing: "All day long these fleecy rolls of cotton-like vapour have tempted you, until you are in danger of using up all your… plates the first day out. You think there never can be such clouds again—but keep a few for tomorrow, they are a regular thing in this land of surprises".
Southworth & Hawes (Active 1843-1863)
Albert Sands Southworth and Josiah Johnson Hawes were preeminent American daguerreotypists whose studio produced some of the most technically accomplished and aesthetically refined photographs of their era. Though not exclusively cloud photographers, their expertise in photographic lighting and chemistry allowed them to capture atmospheric effects with unprecedented clarity.
Their technical innovations—including electroplating another layer of silver onto commercially available silvered plates—resulted in daguerreotypes with exceptional tonal range, clarity, and depth. This technique was particularly effective in capturing the luminous quality of skies.
Their work is distinguished by the three-dimensionality achieved through expert manipulation of sunlight directed through their studio skylight (the first such skylight in Boston). In many ways, Southworth & Hawes pioneered photographic lighting techniques that would later be essential for effective cloud photography.
Early-Mid 20th Century Cloud Photographers
Alfred Stieglitz (1864-1946)
American photographer Alfred Stieglitz made perhaps the most significant and influential contribution to cloud photography with his series "Equivalents" (1922-1934). This groundbreaking body of work is considered among the first completely abstract photographic series in the medium's history.
Stieglitz began photographing clouds in the summer of 1922, tilting his hand camera toward the sky to create abstract images of ethereal forms. Over approximately eight years, he produced around 350 cloud studies, primarily as contact prints on gelatin silver postcard stock.
What makes Stieglitz's approach revolutionary was his explicit rejection of clouds as mere subject matter. Instead, he conceived these images as visual equivalents of his emotions and inner states. In 1923, Stieglitz explained: "Through clouds [I wanted] to put down my philosophy of life—to show that my photographs were not due to subject matter—not to special trees, or faces, or interiors, to special privileges, clouds were there for everyone—no tax as yet on them—free".
Stieglitz's early titles for these works—such as "Music: A Sequence of Ten Cloud Photographs" (1922) and "Songs of the Sky" (1923)—reflect his belief that photography could achieve the same non-representational, emotionally evocative qualities as music. By eliminating the horizon line and any reference to scale, Stieglitz created images that functioned as pure abstractions while still being straightforward photographs of actual clouds.
The "Equivalents" series profoundly influenced subsequent generations of photographers and helped establish photography's potential as a medium of abstract expression.
Alvin Langdon Coburn (1882-1966)
British-American photographer Alvin Langdon Coburn incorporated clouds as significant elements in his pictorialist and modernist images. His 1912 photograph "The Cloud" exemplifies his approach to cloud photography7.
"The Cloud" presents a striking cloud formation centred in the frame, with a mountainous landscape stretching beneath it. The image demonstrates Coburn's ability to capture the interplay between light, shadow, and natural forms. By positioning a dominant cloud against the backdrop of a serene landscape, Coburn created a composition emphasising scale and the transient nature of atmospheric phenomena.
Coburn's approach was particularly effective in conveying the monumental quality of clouds while maintaining a sense of their ephemeral character. His careful attention to tonal relationships and how light interacted with cloud forms produced images of remarkable depth and dimensionality.
Anne Brigman (1869-1950)
American photographer Anne Brigman combined her photography, poetry, and mountaineering interests to create distinctive cloud-infused images. While primarily known for her figurative landscapes made in the Sierra Nevada in the early 1900s, Brigman's work often featured dramatic cloudscapes as essential compositional elements.
As a member of the Photo-Secession promoted by Alfred Stieglitz, Brigman was recognised as an important modernist photographer. Her approach to clouds was frequently poetic and metaphorical, as suggested in her writing: "Close as the indrawn and outgoing breath are these songs / Woven of faraway mountains … and the planes of the sea … / Gleaned from the heights and the depths that a human must know / As the glories of rainbows are spun from the tears of the storm".
Brigman's images effectively integrated natural elements, including clouds, creating works that suggested spiritual connection and transcendence. Her photographs were distinguished by their emotional resonance and mythic quality, with clouds often functioning as symbols of the sublime.
Ralph Steiner (1899-1986)
American photographer and filmmaker Ralph Steiner created a notable series of untitled cloud photographs demonstrating a minimalist, formally elegant approach to the subject.
Steiner's "Cloud Series" consists of monochrome photographs of various cloud formations without reference points, such as horizon lines or landscape elements. By isolating clouds against the sky, Steiner drew attention to their intrinsic formal qualities—shapes, textures, and tonal gradations.
What makes Steiner's approach particularly interesting is his deliberate decision to leave these photographs untitled, thereby keeping them "open to interpretation" and allowing viewers to bring their own associations to the images. This strategy emphasises the abstract, pattern-like qualities of clouds while acknowledging their capacity to evoke subjective responses.
Steiner's cloud photographs exemplify a modernist aesthetic that values formal clarity and visual directness. By reducing his compositions to essential elements—clouds set against the emptiness of the sky—he created images of remarkable purity and contemplative power.
Peter Henry Emerson (1856-1936)
British photographer Peter Henry Emerson approached cloud photography as part of his naturalistic documentation of rural life, particularly in the Norfolk Broads. Emerson advocated "naturalistic photography," arguing against excessive manipulation and artificial pictorial effects.
In the winter of 1890-91, Emerson sent a series of literary dispatches from his houseboat, The Maid of the Mist, to the Fishing Gazette. These writings reveal his close observation of natural phenomena, including clouds and atmospheric conditions. Emerson experienced what he described as "Arctic" conditions—England's coldest December on record in 350 years—providing opportunities to observe dramatic skies.
Emerson's approach to cloud photography was grounded in his naturalist background and belief that photography should represent nature truthfully. His images effectively capture the relationship between land, water, and sky in the flat Norfolk landscape, where clouds play a particularly dominant role in the visual experience of the environment.
Contemporary Cloud Photographers
Tzeli Hadjidimitriou
Contemporary photographer Tzeli Hadjidimitriou takes a poetic approach to cloud photography, drawing inspiration from Renaissance painting and the work of El Greco. Her 2003 book "Time Fading into Clouds" showcases her distinctive cloud imagery.
Hadjidimitriou's approach involves capturing clouds "solitary and silent, on their odd journeys." Her work has been described in lyrical terms: "She flies over towns, seas, villages and wastes. Like a bird she flies, like a gull, an eagle. When she stops to rest, she sees the waves, the sky mirrored in the saline waters".
The effectiveness of Hadjidimitriou's cloud photographs stems from their poetic quality and their engagement with artistic traditions beyond photography. By approaching clouds with sensibilities informed by painting and poetry, she creates images that resonate on multiple levels—visually, emotionally, and metaphorically.
Her work demonstrates how contemporary cloud photography can incorporate cultural and historical references while remaining visually distinctive and personally expressive.
Claire Droppert
Dutch landscape photographer Claire Droppert has created a recent series titled "Cloudscapes," which demonstrates a contemporary approach to the genre. The series comprises ten photographs taken during a single storm over just ten minutes.
Droppert's approach combines technical precision with an appreciation for the dynamic, rapidly changing nature of cloud formations. Using a zoom telephoto lens, she captures details "that were the most interesting and appealing to the eye" as clouds billowed and burst. Her method involves positioning herself in the flat landscapes of the Netherlands, which "allow you to see for many miles, all around," providing optimal vantage points for cloud observation.
What makes Droppert's approach particularly effective is her ability to isolate compelling compositions from the constantly shifting cloudscape. Rather than attempting to document clouds comprehensively, she focuses on their most visually striking aspects—the patterns, textures, and dramatic lighting effects that emerge during a storm.
Droppert's work exemplifies how contemporary cloud photography can combine traditional landscape approaches with a heightened awareness of transient atmospheric events. Her images capture the "shape-shifting spontaneity of storm clouds" while maintaining compositional strength and visual impact.
George Muncey
British photographer George Muncey offers a different perspective on cloud photography through his series "Lonely Cloud." While not exclusively focused on clouds, this work uses the cloud as a recurring motif in a comprehensive overview of life in modern-day Britain.
Muncey developed this project after realising that he had been overlooking subject matter available in his home country while romanticising distant landscapes. His approach transfers the tradition of American road trip photography to British contexts, creating a unique hybrid that explores contemporary British identity.
What makes Muncey's approach interesting is his integration of clouds into a broader documentary project. Rather than isolating clouds as abstract forms, he includes them as elements in a larger visual narrative about place and cultural identity.
From the early experimental work of 19th-century photographers like Misonne and Le Gray to Alfred Stieglitz's revolutionary "Equivalents" series and contemporary explorations by photographers such as Claire Droppert and Tzeli Hadjidimitriou, cloud photography has evolved into a rich and diverse genre.
What unites these diverse photographers across time is their recognition of the visual and emotional power of clouds—their formal beauty, their metaphorical potential, and their central role in our experience of the landscape. As Henry Peach Robinson observed, the artistic possibilities of clouds are infinite, and photographers continue to explore these possibilities in ever-evolving ways.
The photographers mentioned here represent only a selection of those who have made significant contributions to cloud photography. Many others have incorporated clouds as essential elements in their work, recognising, as Misonne stated, that "the sky is the key to the landscape". As photographic technology advances, cloud photography will undoubtedly develop in new directions, building upon its rich historical foundation.
Give It a Try!
Throughout its history, cloud photography has addressed fundamental questions about photography itself—its capacity to capture the ephemeral, its relationship to abstraction, and its balance of documentation and expression. The technical challenges of photographing clouds have inspired innovations in photographic processes and approaches, from combination printing to modern digital techniques.
Cloud photography offers endless opportunities for creative expression, from documenting dramatic weather events to creating abstract artistic studies. The rich history of this photographic tradition, from Stieglitz's groundbreaking "Equivalents" to contemporary smartphone photography, demonstrates how clouds continue to captivate photographers across generations and technologies.
What makes cloud photography particularly rewarding is its accessibility—the subject matter is available to everyone, requires no special access, and can be practised with equipment as simple as a smartphone. At the same time, the technical and artistic challenges of capturing the nuance, detail, and emotional impact of clouds provide room for continual growth and development as a photographer.
Resources
Here’s an interesting video from Kim Grant, who is out shooting cloudscapes in the Scottish islands: “Join me at Cantick Head Lighthouse in Orkney as I photograph some stunning cloud formations. I also show you some of the beautiful sites on Hoy, including a cliff top walk, an ancient tomb and a secluded bay.”
Here’s an excellent explanation of how to find and photograph cloud inversions, from Scott Walker of Walks on the Wild Side: “In this video I photograph the weather phenomenon of a cloud inversion. I'll let you know how cloud inversions are formed, how to predict them and give examples of how to photograph them. These pictures were all taken from Winnats Pass in the Derbyshire Peak District.”
Here’s a fantastic video from Danish photographer Mads Peter Iversen about the rare but fascinating phenomenon of noctilucent clouds: “Noctilucent clouds, also known as night-shining clouds, or NLCs for short, are fairly easy to photograph, but they only occur during the summer weeks around the summer solstice. In this video, I do some night landscape photography in four different locations, photographing the noctilucent clouds in four different ways, and share how I do it. I share footage from both 2020 and 2021, which includes some mesmerising time-lapses. This video has been years underway, all the material (besides the music) is my own. Enjoy!”
This week’s assignments…
For this week’s daily photos, your brief is to capture the skies in all their glory. Experiment with the weather apps mentioned in the tutorial and see if you can anticipate the changing conditions. Try photos that include some of the landscape, as well as those that take a more abstract approach, removing the clouds from any other context. If you do go chasing tornadoes, I’m told it’s best to stay away from the pointy-down bit.
Let’s see photographs that showcase a wide variety of clouds, weather permitting, as well as a range of different approaches to capturing them.
