Cloud Photos

[Chad]

I'm looking for assistance/advice on taking photos of clouds. I've got an
AF 35mm SLR and a 28-200mm (3.8-5.6) Tamron lens. The only filter I
currently have is a haze filter, primarily for protection. I'm planning on
buying a circular polarizer in the near future.
I live in a province that is known for it's clouds (Newfoundland, Canada).
I live very close to the ocean and therefore frequently see impressive cloud
formations. I want to know what people have found to be best for capturing
images of clouds. I need tips on film (speed, brand, colour or BW),
filters, and composition. I currently don't do my own processing, but I'm
planning on getting an enlarger and other darkroom equipment. I'm planning
on buying the Ansel Adams series of books (Camera, Negative, Print).

What would people suggest for me to take impressive photos of clouds?

[Jack]

You might be able to get both a 50/1.7 ish lens and 49mm cir. polarizer
for it for less than you'd pay for a 72mm cir. polarizer for the tamron
and the combination may be better for clouds than the tamron. The 50
would be sharper and combined with a polarizer should really make the
clouds pop. I have and like the tamron but the cost of a 72mm polarizer
may be rather prohibitive.

[Sepia]

For B&W try a red or a green filter, both pull out different parts of the clouds, I use them all the time to make a plain sky dramatic.

[Richard Knight]

Unless you plan on printing your own negatives or have a friend in a custom lab, don't use negative film. Most labs have automated machines which will generally expose the print for the ground area. The contrast between the sky and the ground is too high to be printed in an "averaging" situation. I have had to add as much as 4x the light (2 stops of "burning") to get any definition in the sky/clouds and still keep the ground in a proper exposure.
Use slide film for clouds. Thay way, if you're exposing for the clouds, there is no "interpretation" a lab can make. A polarizing filter may help, depending on what focal length you use and the position of the sun in relation to your composition.
If you want to include both the clouds and ground, you may have to use a graduated neutral density filter of 2 stops. An ND filter is used to decrease the exposure. A graduated filter goes from the ND area to clear in a gentle sucession. The ND part of the filter would be used on the area above the horizon.
If you want the clouds to be the focal point of the image, give the area below the horizon 1/3 of the image and the sky 2/3 of the composition. The opposite is true if emphasizing the landscape below the horizon.
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"It has taken me a lifetime to recognize when I should NOT feel obligated to make a photograph." Ansel Adams

[Dan]

In terms of slide vs print film, what do you want to do with the finished image? That will give you an initial guide to which to use. You may want to use both. With either, I would suggest trying several films to see which gives you the results you want. I shoot mostly scenics and have settled on Agfa Optima 100. I like the color saturation, tonal range and the grain is tight enough for an 11 x 14 print (from a custom lab).
True, most labs won't give you a decent machine print. But you give up exposure range with slide film. Plus, it is less forgiving of exposure errors - but then you can really see them of course. Machine prints hide lots of mistakes. One approach is to have a CD made at the same time the film is processed. This does not add too much to the cost. True, you probably won't get the best scan, but when you display the image, it is direct from the negative without manipulation.

Are you focusing on the clouds/sky or do you include landscape. Which you include in your image will influence your film choice because the land is frequently several stops darker than the sky, thus requiring a film that will handle a wider tonal range.

As to the lens/filter issue, check some of the on-line suppliers for the polarizer. I think a decent lens + polarizer will be much more than the filter alone. I recently bought a 62 mm polarizer for, I think, about $60 at a camera store. The zoom lens gives you a lot more control of composition, especially since you can't really walk far enough to change it much.

There is much generalization in the above, which I hope my fellow photographers realize before they excoriate me. I think the primary point is -- You are the photographer. What do you want to present in your image?

Have fun!