You have an idea, the shot you want to get, you have just one chance - how can you maximise your chances of success? Here is my story for the one shot that I just had to get for the the fourth edition of the Super Alpine magazine.
It's August, high season in the Swiss Alps. Everyone is on vacation, the roads are busy, parking spots are elusive and restaurants tables are highly sought after. We needed a shot of an abandoned hotel on a busy Swiss Alpine pass. It was a wide shot, on a corner but we wanted it with no cars or other people in it. A tall order.
The plan
We consulted with fellow alpine photographer, Alex Belotti, to find out where the sun might be on the morning or evening to help plan the shot. Normal sun path predictions weren’t of any help to us as the hotel is cut into the side of the mountain and the location casts its own shadows over the hotel. Alex suggested the morning was the best time. We had the beginnings of a plan!
The Furka pass was far enough away from our base that we needed to stay overnight nearby. So we waiting for a weather slot - the alps are a volatile place at the best of times but especially in August when summer storms can pop up at any time.
En route
Once we had a forecast of two clear days, we quickly booked the hotel and packed up the camera gear. We had to drive over the pass to get to the overnight hotel and it was busy. There were sports cars, camper vans and the ever present post bus. In the spot where we wanted to take the photo from the following morning, it looked like half of Switzerland had moved in. It didn’t look promising.
Overnight
We stayed at the Radisson Blu hotel in Andermatt and it was gorgeous. After having a wander around the beautiful old town and photographing one of the iconic locations from James Bond's Goldfinger movie for the magazine, we retired to the room ready for an early morning shoot.
Show time
We woke up before the sun had risen, the stars were out which was a good sign. It took us longer than planned to get to the location even with all the preparations we had already done (I blame the beautiful surroundings and 'having' to stop to take photos). The hotel seemed to take forever to get to, from Andermatt it's over the peak of the Furka pass and a little down the other side.
Arriving at the location
Eventually, we negotiated the last hairpin and we could see it. We couldn’t believe our luck, the parking area was empty, meaning we could get a clear wide shot. And the sun was just starting to hit the hotel. We had to get moving though because it wouldn’t stay this way for long.
Because I have a fixed lens Leica Q and don’t work with tripods or filters, I could jump out of the car and start shooting. No time to find the perfect angle, I had to bag that safety shot - you know, the one you get straight away in case you can’t get any other.
The shot
With the safety shot done, I could start to look for the composition that I really wanted. There was a camper van on a hairpin in the background that limited my choices. So angling myself so that the van was just blotted out by the hotel and with the sun cooperating - I pressed the shutter button and had the shot!
Within a minute of bagging the shot, a group of three sports cars arrived, arranged themselves right in front of the hotel and blocked off the view. Told you it was popular!
I could then look up a little and get some different angles and compositions that we also used in the Super Alpine magazine. You can see the camper van in this shot but I think it helps to set the vastness of the scene.
This view is from the side of the hotel looking down the Furka pass. The sun was just kissing the hairpin bends and this is one of my favourite shots from the day which made the cut into the magazine.
So my advice for getting the shot is:
- Decide on what the idea conditions are based on the locations. Don’t be afraid to ask for advice. Most photographers are really happy to share their tips and tricks.
- Plan. How long will it take you to get to the location? Do you need to book a hotel? What equipment do you need?
- Execute. Go for it. Try to stick to the plan but be prepared to adapt. You’ll need a healthy dose of luck to pull it off. Cross those fingers and remember that you’re making memories as well as photos. There is always next time eh!