Mountain View pictures are necessarily small so dramatic slopes, interesting shadows, strong contrasting silhouette
or colours will all help. Or a strong story.
Bright sun or very slight overcast light will bring out the colour, texture and shape of the land. Unless there
is no choice, don't take pictures without strong light. Evening or morning sun angles bring out the shape of the
mountains.
Circumstances such as light snow covering or a view of mountains peeking above clouds can make a picture great.
Posed pictures generally don't work, but pictures with people doing something can be great.
Cropping a picture to concentrate attention on the interesting parts of a view often transforms a picture.
Learn how to get the exposure for the main area of the picture correct. Remember an area of sky in Ireland is
usually 10 times as bright as the same area of ground. Camera exposure meters will often react to this by underexposing
for the ground so it comes out dark with little discernible detail. Learn how to avoid this for your camera with whatever you have. If you can afford it get a camera which supports filters. The two most useful filters with a digital camera are "Graduated Neutral Gray" and "Polarising Filter" - both help to control contrast.
All the other basics of camera work are needed. Don't shake the camera, don't point it into the sun, make sure
it focuses on what you are interested in. Flash is rarely appropriate on hills.
Realise that at least 95% of your pictures are rubbish and you won't look at them again more than once leave aside anyone else.
Make it easy to take pictures as you are out walking. Opportunism is everything in mountain photography, where
the light can change in seconds.

Walkers on Muckish see their route to Errigal - the Glover Walk 2002.
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