In photography, time is a very important factor, not just the shutter speed, but the weather. Being able to predict the weather will do, when pursuing a particular photo, you can be the difference between getting the picture, or take the tour and return with empty hands. However, the predictions that we offer the media can be too general and vague, failing to detail every place and every hour we would need. The solution is to be able to make our own predictions based on isobaric maps and satellite images.

Recently, I attended a course on map reading isobaric oriented mountain activities, which has proved very useful, not only to know if I can go to scale, but also to predict what will be the conditions I found for a photo. My first attempt to apply the acquired knowledge was the sixth day of December, that he intended to take some pictures at dawn Valmayor reservoir . The maps tell me that would not rain and cloudy, so that any harbinger of a good morning. But told not a factor: just above the anticyclone, and the prevailing low temperatures were a breeding ground for the fog. At the end I did not lose tomorrow, I adapted to the conditions he had, and I brought some interesting photo, although not those that wanted.

When it began to snow, I set the objective to get a good picture of just Peñalara dawn. Needed a clear day to give sunlight directly into the summit, but the weather was very unstable. I have followed closely the evolution of time to detect the right time. On several occasions there were windows of good weather, but not at dawn. On 20 conditions were seeking, but under 13 degrees below zero, made me give up.

Finally, last Sunday (27/12) thought it was the day. My first expectation was that on Saturday hiciese good time, but the storm turned closer than expected and the dawn of Saturday would be rain, so I gave up and during the day, I learned that I was right. But Sunday came another window of good weather. A front approaching from the west and enter the middle of Madrid on Sunday, so that morning I could even brighten the sky with some clouds. I got up at 6 am and the first thing I did was to confirm the situation. The front moved faster than expected and the clouds were almost on Madrid. So my goal was almost two hours by road, so I was not sure of arriving on time, but in the case of a warm front, the clouds could be interesting, photographically speaking. I took the stuff and started running.

Having been doubting me spending too much time, and I arrived before sunrise (calculated with The Photographer's Ephemeris ) as I wanted, but when the sun was at the peak. But I was wrong: it was cloudy and a few clouds began to hover behind the peak. I started making some shots and just half an hour later the sky was flooded with fleecy clouds that foretell the coming of the warm front.

With the sun already too high, but his photo.

Once the sun rose a little more I went to look for other targets and I was able to pan, the bottom Peñalara again in the clouds from the southwest began to cover the sky. (Clicking on the picture you to the gallery from where you get to the pyramid version photo to enlarge and see all the details. There are 33 pictures in three rows.)

Then the stained dense clouds the sky a leaden gray, and only two hours later, Peñalara summit was completely lost in them. The forecasts on television the previous day spoke of clear weather in the morning that would cover over the day, but only careful interpretation can determine how it will be time at a specified time, which can be the difference between a picture and photo.

Of course I have much to learn about the subject, but I think it's time well spent that will allow me to save on travel time bucket and find the best conditions. I'm thinking of going telling here a few things about how to interpret maps, clouds and, ultimately, how to make our own weather forecast for a specific area, in order to be able to predict when we have the best conditions to take the picture we seek. You think it's interesting? Did you find this helpful?