Category: Photography

24 Dynamic and Dramatic Backlit Images

Light is key in photography and the direction of light an important factor in creating dramatic photos. When the subject is backlit, or the light is coming from behind it towards the camera, it can make for very dynamic and interesting images.

Like these:

By jason

By Rylee Isitt

By Randy Robertson

By Daniel Oines

By Matteo

By Ignacio Abé

By Kohei314

By Jørgen Schyberg

By Brynn Tweeddale

By Stavros Markopoulos

By Dave Gough

By Victor Camilo

By markus spiske

By Myles Tan

By Keith Davenport

By M.G.N. – Marcel

By Steve Corey

By Bill Gracey

By Oiluj Samall Zeid

By Tambako The Jaguar

By Natalie Barletta

By Jorge Dalmau

By Jim Staley

By Anne Worner

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The post 24 Dynamic and Dramatic Backlit Images by Darlene Hildebrandt appeared first on Digital Photography School.

Digital Photography School

September 12, 2015
5 Tactics to Make Your Photography Clients a Wellspring of Repeat Business

Have you ever wondered why some photographers have their doorbell ringing all day long while others are struggling week to week in order to sell their work? The secret is simple – successful photographers are also successful psychologists who invest most of their time and effort in developing long-lasting relationships with their clients. Building bonds with people may get rather Continue Reading

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Photodoto

September 11, 2015
How to Improve Your Photography Without Buying New Gear

It’s not the camera that makes good photography; it’s the photographer. How many times have you heard that? Probably a lot more times than you can count. It has become a bit of a cliché than anything, but it’s one that still rings true. You don’t need to spend thousands of dollars on brand new, state of the art camera systems and lenses, to be able to create great photos. You know that by now. There’s just one problem. All of those lenses and cameras are so, so shiny.

Most of that shininess is just a product of the camera manufacturers’ marketing departments churning out a constant onslaught of, “Buy me! Buy me! I’m so shiny! Buy me now!”

Shiny new lenses are great, but are they the best investment for your photography right now?

The best advice? Ignore it as much as possible.

A bad photo made with a $ 5000 camera, is no better than a bad photo made with a $ 700 camera. It may be sharper and it may have a higher dynamic range, but it’s still a bad photo.

It’s okay to want new and better things, and depending on how fast you progress in your photography and what you want to achieve with it, you will eventually have to upgrade and buy new pieces of kit. There may be a few exceptions in genres like macro and wildlife photography; however, the chances are that you don’t need that several thousand dollar lens right now.

Grow out of your equipment

If you take the time to really learn and put into practice all of the various skill sets, you will eventually come to a wall you can’t pass with modest equipment. That’s when it’s time to upgrade. Take your time getting there though, and enjoy the experience. With well rounded skills, you will know that moment the instant it arrives.

Other ways to invest in your photography

However, there are places where you can invest your money that will not only help your photography, but also speed up the process quite a lot. These are education and experiences. Really, they’re both the same thing, but it’s easier to describe them in terms of two sub-categories.

Education

Everybody needs to learn. Constantly. Never stop learning; otherwise you’ll get left behind.

The Internet is full of free resources, and you should absolutely use every bit of it to your full advantage. To quickly rise to the top of the learning curve, however, you should consider adding things like books, online courses, and workshops to your shopping list.

Workshops can be great value for money and provide a boost to your skills as well as introduce you to new locations.

Photography books tend to be focused on a particular subject. They also tend to go much further in depth than other resources. Most importantly, they’re relatively cheap. Try to avoid books that try to encompass everything about photography, and stick to specific topics like lighting, portraits or food.

How big of a library can you put together for the cost a lens that you’ve been after?

In the same vein, workshops and seminars can deliver a huge amount of information in a very short period of time for a reasonable cost. They also have the benefit of giving you face to face tuition with someone who’s experienced in the field that they are teaching. This is often invaluable, particularly if you learn better with a hands-on approach.

When considering workshops, please do your research and be sure of what you’re buying. Just think, would you buy something from eBay without first checking a seller’s feedback?

Personally, I feel one of the most overlooked, yet one of the most valuable tools, to learn photography is monographs and coffee table books. Studying the work of accomplished photographers will show you all of the things you’ve learned in theory, put into practice. It can also help you discern your likes and dislikes and give you ideas on what to try for your own portfolios. Don’t just stick with the old masters like Edward Weston and Imogen Cunningham; include contemporary photographers like Martin Parr and Mario Testino for a more thorough reference.

Experiences

Spending money on travel can help to force you use the gear you have.

If education is learning, then experience is the actual doing. Do you want to be a travel photographer? Then don’t upgrade your lenses, buy a plane ticket instead. Do you want to be a fashion photographer? Hire experienced models and make-up artists. Wildlife photographer? Go photograph wolves on a workshop and rent the lens you need, rather than buying it.

If that’s a bit too expensive, then consider buying things to photograph. Food, toys, flowers, whatever fits in-line with your interests, and gets you up and using the camera you have now.

Purchasing things to photograph will help you build a portfolio which is far more important in the long run.

You can read all the theory in the world, but if you don’t put it into practice it just stays theory. The bonus here is that by actually working toward your goal, you will probably wind up earning a bit of money to put towards that fancy kit when you do need it.

It all comes back to the “grow out of your equipment” idea discussed earlier in this article.

You already have what you need. If you have read this article through, then the chances are that you already have everything you need to go out and make photos and develop your skills.

Now, I don’t presume to know every situation out there, and my experiences are only mine. I cannot, and will not, tell you what to do, but if you’re yearning for a new piece of gear I can only encourage you to honestly answer the question, “Do I really need this for my photography to progress or do I just want it?”

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The post How to Improve Your Photography Without Buying New Gear by John McIntire appeared first on Digital Photography School.

Digital Photography School

September 11, 2015
How to Create Better Photos by Adding a Sense of Motion

Photographing subjects in motion can be kind of tricky because of the very nature of photography as an art form: cameras capture still images, not moving pictures (unless you are Harry Potter and like to read the Daily Prophet).

Of course, one solution is to record a movie with your camera or phone, but even a movie is in itself a series of still images projected quickly, that only give the illusion of motion. Each individual frame is not moving, but put together it appears as though everything you see is changing. Another solution, and one I generally prefer, is to use some knowledge of composition to create a sense of motion in a single photograph. It’s not all that difficult, but these techniques do require a bit of knowledge, a lot of practice, and in the end your photos will be much more dynamic and interesting as a result.

One of the most basic elements of composition is called the Rule of Thirds. It has to do with putting your subjects off-center in order to add more visual impact to your photos. It’s not a hard-and-fast rule, and some people swear by it while others reject it altogether, but understanding how it affects motion photography can go a long way towards giving your pictures an extra boost. To offer an example, take a look at the following image of my niece on her bike.

My niece on her bike. There’s clearly a sense of motion, but putting her in the center is not the best use of photographic compositional space.

This image involves a technique called panning, which helps create the illusion of motion by tracking a moving subject with your camera, while the shutter is open. But, take a look at how the girl is framed – she in the center of the image, and you can see her surroundings on all sides. It seems like a good picture at first, but take a look at how a simple compositional change can have a dramatic impact on the sense of motion created by the image.

Putting the subject off-center shows not just that the girl is biking, but the space into which she is traveling.

I took this second picture using spot focus on my camera which allowed me to select which focusing point to use, and selected a point on the left side of the frame. Doing this placed my niece right along one of the vertical gridlines, if we look at this image as it relates to the classic Rule of Thirds:

Both the girl, and her bicycle, line-up with the one-third dividing lines, which helps create a more pleasing and dynamic composition.

Aligning my subject on the left third of the image (and the horizontal center of the bike along the bottom third) has done a couple of things. First, it makes for a more pleasing image due to the off-center placement of my subject. It allows us to see more context overall, since she is on one side and not dominating the entire image. Second, the other goal this placement accomplishes has to do with motion – we see her not only biking, but biking to somewhere. By showing us where she is going, our minds essentially create a greater sense of movement because we can see more context.

This works almost any time you have an object in motion, whether you employ the panning technique or not. Simply placing your subject on one side of the image (often along one of the dividers according to the Rule of Thirds) such that it is moving in the direction of the rest of the image (put more space in front of the subject than behind), will help your photos will seem much more dynamic and interesting. It helps your viewers to get a sense that they were actually there with you at the moment of the picture.

If panning isn’t quite your thing, you can still employ some compositional techniques to create a greater sense of motion. Here’s a picture of my other niece riding her bike that I took from a standing position. I see pictures like this posted online quite a bit, and while they are not bad photos, a change to how they are composed can dramatically alter the visual impact.

My other niece biking, taken from a standing position without much thought put into overall composition.

Again you see that she is in the center of the image (above), and while this picture is perfectly serviceable, there is a lot that can be done to create a greater sense of motion. Here’s another picture of the same scenario, but taken from ground level as she approached me down the alley.

Altering my angle to be low to the ground, and putting the girl on the right-hand side, creates a much more dynamic photo. This was shot with a DSLR but could have easily been taken with any camera or even a mobile phone.

I had to lie on the ground to get this shot, but the results were well worth it. The low angle helps make the shot much more interesting, and the open space on the left side shows us the empty street that she will soon be riding on. This general framing is used all the time in photos of moving objects, and is a favorite of the advertising industry as well: you will often see pictures of sports cars not from the top and side (as in the first of these two bike photos) but from a low angle, and the front wheels turned away from the viewer, much more akin to the second photo. And sure enough, this image also conforms quite well to the good old-fashioned Rule of Thirds.

There are other ways to play with composition to create a sense of motion in photos; the Rule of Thirds is just the beginning. This photo of a man walking past a fountain violates the first rule about showing the subject on one side moving towards the rest of the image, but it works because we’re not so much interested in where he is going but what the entire scene is about.

Putting the subject on the left side of this photo creates a different mood and tone than if the man were on the right-hand side.

By using a longer shutter speed, and holding my camera still I was able to capture motion, not only in the man walking, but the water rolling off the fountain. If the position of the man and the fountain were reversed it might look as though he is walking into it. But as it is, the motion of my human subject is one part of the picture as a whole, and the falling water adds another dynamic layer to the image.

The placement of the man creates a bit of tension as well; he is clearly carrying something, and from the words on the wall it’s obvious that he is walking past a library. Is he a student that’s late for class? Is he walking fast to catch up to some friends who are out of the frame? Putting him on the right-hand side would make the image seem a bit more casual and informal. But, intentionally composing this shot so that he is about to walk out of the frame, imparts a different feeling on the viewer that can be very effective when used properly. Also note that both the fountain and the man line up roughly with the traditional Rule of Thirds grid, which helps create a more pleasing composition all around.

I should note that the reliance on the Rule of Thirds can become a crutch, and there are many creative ways to take motion-based images without it. What about you? What are some compositional tricks you have found to help create a sense of motion in your photographs? Do you have any favorite motion images to share? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

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The post How to Create Better Photos by Adding a Sense of Motion by Simon Ringsmuth appeared first on Digital Photography School.

Digital Photography School

September 10, 2015
6 Tips for Taking Better Natural Light Classic Portraits
On now until September 22nd (2015) over on Snapndeals – 20% OFF Wayne’s eBooK – Portrait Tips and Techniques: Natural Light Black & White Portraiture. Grab it before the deal expires.

RETHINKING NATURAL LIGHT

Many photographers choose to use natural light as their chosen style, almost as a badge of honour. Natural light is a wonderful source, providing ease of use and flattering light to your subjects, but you should be using it the same way as you would studio lights. You need to create light and shade that will add emotion or mood, not flat lighting that gives no shape, texture or mood. Hopefully these tips will help you on a path to refining your natural light classic portraits.

#1 – FINDING QUALITY LIGHT AND SHADOWS

First, find good quality light – preferably open shade, as this offers soft flattering light and is lower in contrast. Avoid the sun as your main light as it will cause harsh shadows and squinting, which is undesirable for quality portraits.

Open shade can be found under awnings, the edge of trees or buildings, and inside doorways or windows, for example. In these images the girls are positioned approximately 1.5 metres (5 feet) inside the doorway of an old timber shed.

Look for the shadows; they are equally important. Shadows subtract the light and create shape and mood.

After you have established your location, check the background. Even if you have found the perfect, open shaded location, make sure the background isn’t too contrasty with sunlit areas. These can be visually distracting, so try and select uncluttered backgrounds that are lower in contrast and darker than the subject’s face. This will allow the face to project forward by being the lightest tone against the background (all the images in this article demonstrate this).

#2 – FIND THE DIRECTION OF LIGHT

Once you have found good quality of light, check its direction. You want the light to come across your subject’s face at approximately 45 degrees to the nose, and from a higher angle. That height should also be at around 45 degrees, as a basic starting point.

You can check the catchlight positioning by looking at the eyes; there should be one in both eyes at around 10-11 or 1-2 o’clock. (This depends on the side of the face that is being lit and the structure of the eye sockets). Deep-set eyes will need a slightly lower light source. You should also notice the nose shadow to be at around 45 degrees.

To lower the catchlights you need to change the angle of your subject’s head by tilting more or less. Even moving the subject further away from the edge of an overhang will lower the angle of the light. It’s the opposite of being in a studio where you can move the lights. Natural light is fixed and requires you to move the subject and/or camera to achieve good lighting.

#4 – EYES ARE WINDOWS TO THE SOUL

Catchlights are very important in portraiture. They not only guide you where the light is coming from, but also create a sense of depth. TIP: no catchlights = NO photo. When there are no catchlights, there will be minimal, if any, texture and colour in the eyes. Always study the eyes for guidance.

#5 – SIMPLE POSING

The portraits here are the basic classic style, looking into the camera. It’s usually more flattering to angle the shoulders away from the camera, again 45 degrees is a handy starting point. Leaning the bodies and heads toward each other gives an emotional connection. Upright or leaning away would show detachment from each other.

It’s also a good practice to have the noses turned slightly away from the camera, particularly with adults. Noses that point directly at the camera will look broader in many cases, particularly when combined with flat lighting. With kids, it’s not as critical and good lighting will create better shape.

Arms and hands need to be posed simply so as not to draw attention. In images #1 and #2 above (top of article), the lower arms are bent downwards and the hands clasped softly. Things you should avoid are open fingers, particularly draped over a shoulder, as this can make a portrait busy and untidy. Elbows bent at 90 degrees should also be avoided. Here’s a simple mantra to remember when it comes to posing people’s heads, arms, legs, hands, hips, shoulders, etc:

IF IT BENDS – BEND IT. IF IT CURVES – CURVE IT. IF IT TWISTS – TWIST IT.

Applying this will help you avoid static poses.

#6 – EXPRESSION

Above all else, expression is the most important element in a portrait. In most cases, a poorly lit and posed portrait with a beautiful expression will trump a technically perfect portrait with an average expression in most cases, but this is no reason to pursue a path of mediocrity.

Expression is a personal thing. A moody, soulful style is my preference, but your sessions should always include various expressions such as laughing, smiling, pensive, etc. To achieve this soulful style you can’t be jumping around in a hyperactive mood expecting soulful looks. The best approach is a more Zen-like style, quietly giving direction. These classic style portraits produce beautiful open eyes, relaxed facial muscles, and true shape to the lips. Truly timeless, heart and soul portraits, but it all takes PRACTICE.

SUMMARY
- Treat natural light photography the same as studio lighting.
- Find quality soft light.
- Look for shadows to create shape and mood.
- Place your subject at 45 degrees to the light as a starting point.
- The light source is fixed, so move your subject and camera to reduce the height of the light in the eyes.
- Check for catchlights in the eyes.
- Simplify your posing.
- Soft expressions work best for classic low-key portraits.
SPECIAL NOTES

With each of these images, other angles of the face (2/3 face and profile) can be achieved by simply moving the camera position. Although the pose and light would remain the same, you may have to adjust the head tilts slightly and check your backgrounds.

Clothing colours also play a big part with quality portraits. Darker clothing works best for low-key portraits. Your eyes should be drawn to the brightest tone in the portrait, therefore, light-coloured clothing would be visually distracting.

On now until September 22nd (2015) over on Snapndeals – 20% OFF Wayne’s eBooK – Portrait Tips and Techniques: Natural Light Black & White Portraiture. Grab it before the deal expires.

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The post 6 Tips for Taking Better Natural Light Classic Portraits by Wayne Radford appeared first on Digital Photography School.

Digital Photography School
September 10, 2015
5 Tips for Newbie Landscape Photographers
2-for-1 special

As part of Landscape Photography Week here on dPS, we’re offering TWO for the price of ONE on our best-selling Living & Loving Landscape Photography ebooks!

Click here to take advantage of this offer.

I don’t specialize in Landscape photography but I wanted to go out and see what I could learn so that I could impart some useful tips for beginners who are new to shooting landscapes.

Gear for landscape photography

What gear did I bring with me? I brought two cameras, one lens and a tripod. A wide angle is generally the go-to lens for landscape shooting. I brought my 24-120mm f/4G.

The Dublin mountains

A tripod is essential for landscape photography for two reasons. First, you will will want to shoot with a small aperture like f/16, that means also using a slower shutter speed. It is better to keep ISO down low to 100 or 200 for less noise. Secondly, by having your camera on a tripod also helps you frame your shot, I’ll cover this more below. If you are going to do long exposures, I would recommend a cable or remote trigger release too. You could also use the built-in self-timer.

Note: I didn’t mention any kind of filters as in Neutral Density (ND), polarizers and so forth. I don’t have any, but I also feel that they are best used when your skills are more advanced and you want to capture movement to produce soft, blurry clouds and misty waterfalls. Plus they are not cheap to buy.

1 – Where do you start?

Start in your own locality. I know for me, I can get so used to my surroundings, that I don’t bother to actually see what’s there. I suppose it’s just familiarity. But when you travel to a new country you have fresh eyes, and everything around you is new and exciting.

So as I live at the foot of some wonderful mountains, I knew where to begin. By car, it only takes me 20 minutes (approximately) to arrive at some breathtaking scenery. My first port of call was this spot, see photo above.

Scoping an area beforehand is an important aspect in landscape photography. This gives you a lay of the land, a chance to look for the best vantage points, see where the sun sets, and so on.

2 – Time of day

The time of day is crucial, as most landscape photographers shoot in the golden hour or at dawn. This doesn’t mean that you can’t shoot at any other time of the day.

Tibradden forest in the Dublin Mountains. I know it’s not taken at the golden hour but I do like the blue sky and white clouds peaking through the trees.

3 – Shoot Raw

I am not going to debate the merits of RAW versus jpeg here. Simply put, RAW offers the most detail, which is essential if you want to get the best out of your images for landscape photography. You can also use the graduated filter in Adobe Camera Raw (ACR) to retrieve details that may have been lost, such as blown out skies, or underexposed areas in mountain regions where shadow detail needs to be brought out. See more about using the Graduated filter in ACR.

The reason Graduated Neutral Density filters (not to be confused with regular Neutral Density filters) are used by landscape photographers is because the land and the sky need different exposure readings – so if you expose for the sky, the land can be too dark and if you expose for the land, the sky gets washed out. This is where a graduated filter comes in handy. The top part is dark, fading to transparent at the bottom.

4 – Where to focus?

For landscapes, you are usually aiming to have the foreground, as well as the background, in clear focus. So, you need a small aperture such as f/16. This means that the depth of field (DOF) is bigger, and more of the image is in sharp focus. As a general rule of thumb, you should focus roughly one-third up from the bottom of the frame.

Focus on an element in your scene using autofocus then switch back to manual focus on the lens to lock it. This ensures that you achieve maximum sharpness and depth of field throughout. If you have Live View, you can zoom the view in to full magnification to manually focus. For more in-depth knowledge on focusing for landscapes, especially how to use hyperfocal focusing, I’d recommend that you read Getting Landscapes Sharp: Hyperfocal Distances and Aperture Selection.

5 – Composition

Composition is essential when framing a landscape shot. I really had to change my style of shooting. I spent more time looking around before even pressing the shutter button. I needed to see what I was going to frame in my shot. The landscape around me was fantastic and expansive.

This is where the rule-of-thirds is a useful guide. Think of your photo with imaginary lines that are drawn dividing the image into thirds both horizontally and vertically. Place important elements of your composition where those lines intersect.

I really like this tree and the way it’s branches were leaning in so far to the left of the photo. I thought one of the branches seemed to hover over the gap in trees in the background which seemed to say what-is-through-there? Maybe I have watched too many Hobbit movies!

Don’t be afraid to experiment. The next shot maybe not classified as a typical landscape shot but I just loved the lighting on the ferns. I opened the aperture to f/4.5 because I wanted a shallower depth of field, so that the background was a little blurred, giving the ferns some separation from the background.

Close-up of some ferns in Tibradden forest in the Dublin Mountains using a wider aperture of f/4.5

You don’t have to shoot just using landscape (horizontal) mode, try shooting in portrait mode (vertical) as well. I shot the next two images using the portrait style. I wanted the rope bridge to be the focus of attention amongst all the tall trees.

A rope bridge forms part of an activity centre in Tribadden forest.

The shadow of the rope bridge suspended 13 metres up in the trees made an interesting viewpoint leading into the base of the tree.

Tip: Trees like buildings can converge when using wide angle lens. This can be corrected in post-processing, using the lens correction filter in Photoshop or Lightroom. Also try not to have the body of trees touching the side of your frame, crop them out. It will only make your shot close in on itself, give your image room to breathe.

Conclusion

All in all, this exercise was a great excuse to get outdoors and get fresh air. If you don’t shoot landscapes, I would certainly recommend going out and giving it a go. It makes for a great day out plus you are honing your photography skills, just don’t forget the sandwiches!

Are you a landscape photographer? What techniques did you use? If so please share in the comments below.

Here on dPS this is landscape week – here is list of what we’ve covered so far. Watch for a new article (or two) on landscape photography daily for the next day or so.
- 6 Tips for Better Low-Light Landscape Photography
- Landscape Photography and the Human Element
- 5 Ways a Telephoto Lens Can Improve Your Landscape Photography
- Landscape Photography from the Side of the Road
- 32 Majestic Landscape Photos to Inspire Your Wanderlust
- Weekly Photography Challenge – Landscape
- Landscape Photography – Shooting the Same Location Through the Seasons
- How to Solve 5 Composition Conundrums Faced by Landscape Photographers
- 6 Tips for Creating More Captivating Landscape Photographs
- Tips for Getting Started with Urban Landscape Photography
- 3 Simple Steps to Make Your Skies Pop in Lightroom
- Equipment Tips for Landscape Photography
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The post 5 Tips for Newbie Landscape Photographers by Sarah Hipwell appeared first on Digital Photography School.

Digital Photography School
September 10, 2015
Equipment Tips for Landscape Photography
2-for-1 special

As part of Landscape Photography Week here on dPS, we’re offering TWO for the price of ONE on our best-selling Living & Loving Landscape Photography ebooks!

Click here to take advantage of this offer.

“The best camera is the one you have with you” someone said. Is it true? Almost.

The point is that if you are a landscape photographer and you want to pursue the perfect sunset shot, it’s unlikely that you will achieve that goal with your iPhone.

Here’s some advice on the gear you should have in your backpack, both for what I call primary gear (camera, tripod, and lenses) and for all other accessories. Without further ado, let’s start!

Camera

Don’t focus on the brand, focus on technical features. Given that all cameras today have all the basic functions, for landscape photography you need a camera with a good (please read “great”) dynamic range and weather resistant body – that’s all.

Dynamic range is essential, because it defines the ability of the camera to capture shadow and highlight details at the same time. Its unit is the Exposure Value (EV), and a value of 14 EV or above identifies an excellent camera.

Weather resistant means that the camera is weatherproof to a certain extent (note: weatherproof does not mean waterproof!). Remember that you will not take shots comfortably seated in a studio, so you should be prepared for humidity, rain and snow.

A Full Frame or an APS-C DSLR camera is up to you and to your budget.

In the last few months I noticed an incredible hype for mirrorless cameras and I must confess that I was tempted too. They probably will be the future, but not today, at least for landscape photography. The point is that the only real advantage of those camera is the weight, and in a 10kg backpack, saving 0.5kg is quite useless. Also, do not be duped by megapixels: you need a 42.2MP camera ONLY if you are going to print larger than 24×16″, and there’re still great cameras with a lot of megapixels in the DSLR market.

Nikon D810 – image courtesy of Nikon

Lenses

Landscape photography, fortunately, doesn’t require a lot of lenses, just a few good ones.

Focus on wide angle lenses: for a full frame camera, lenses with a range from 14-35mm are a great choice, from 10-22mm if you have an APS-C sensor camera. Zoom lenses are okay, but obviously prime lenses are best for sharpness and overall quality.

Another point for DSLR cameras is that there are really few wide angle lenses for mirrorless cameras. If you are thinking of using your DLSR lenses on a mirrorless camera using an adaptor, say goodbye to quality.

As with the camera body, I recommend weather resistant lenses: rain, humidity and snow could be a serious problem.
Finally, don’t focus on useless features: as you are going to shoot between f/8 and f/11 in the 95% of the times, you don’t need a fast f/2.8 lens (and for this choice your wallet will be extremely happy!). Also a stabilized lens is useless, because as you are going to use a tripod, you’ll turn if off every time anyway.

Zeiss Distagon T* wide angle lenses – image courtesy of Zeiss.

Tripod

No, you can’t use a table or a flat surface, you need a real tripod. They could be really expensive, but as for other gear, focus just on some key features. Truth be told, there is just one feature that you need – sturdiness.

The aim of a tripod is to let you take shots avoiding any vibration, so you need something that can resist the wind. If you can, choose one with independent legs as they could make the difference if you’re on a rock in front of the sea or on any other irregular surface. Aluminium or carbon fibre is up to you (and your budget). Just remember that a carbon fiber tripod is not just lighter, but it will also not be affected by the galvanic corrosion of water, so if you’re a seascape photographer this could make the difference on its life expectancy. Finally, remember that the danger of using a carbon fiber tripod during a thunderstorm with lighting, is just an urban legend.

Induro tripods – image courtesy of B&H Photo Video.

Remote shutter

To further reduce the possibility of introducing any vibration, I really recommend the use a remote shutter. There are many different type of remote shutters and it can be hard to decide which one is best for you. In my opinion, avoid wireless/infrared remotes and go for the more reliable cabled solution. If you love time-lapse or long exposure photography, choose a programmable one.

Avoid smartphones applications too: they will drain the battery of your phone very quickly and your phone is not weatherproof.

Genuine or compatibles? Of course, genuine remotes are probably more reliable, but they are quite expensive, especially the programmable ones. That said, I’ve been using a compatible programmable remote for three years, and it’s still working perfectly.

Nikon MC-36 programmable remote shutter – Image courtesy of Nikon.

Filters and filter bag

You camera could have the sensor with the best dynamic range available, but unfortunately it’s far from the dynamic range of human eye. You can overcome this limit in one of two ways: post-production or using filters on camera. For a cleaner result, as I love to spend my time in the field and not behind the monitor of my computer, I suggest you use filters. Also because there are some filters, like Neutral Density and Polarizing filters that are not possible to simulate in post-production. There are many different kinds of filters and hundreds of different uses of them. We could speak for hours about this topic, so for now let’s just consider them as something that cannot be missing from our backpack.

Finally, if you are a filter user, don’t forget to bring with you a filter bag: handling filters on the top of a cliff or with your feet in the ocean is always a challenge: just one misstep and your precious glass is gone. Look for a dedicated filter bag and hook it to your belt, around your shoulder, or fixed to your tripod. I’ve tried many solutions, but actually I really believe that the Terrascape bags are the best, and most reliable solution on the market.

Terrascape filter bag – image courtesy Terrascape.

Tablet/Smartphone

Even you are an old-school photographer, you should consider the incredible advantages provided by the use of a tablet (or a smartphone) in the field. Here are just few:

1) Cartography: Download the awesome, free app Maps.me and you’ll never get lost. You will not be only able to download the needed maps for offline use, but you can also import .kmz files, and this means that you’ll have always with you all the spots you found on Google Earth to reach them easily!

2) Weather: A good landscape photographer should continuously monitor the weather evolution. For that reason, the daily weather forecast is not enough. Download an application that lets you see the actual satellite/radar situation and you’ll be able to select between two or more spots according to the short term forecast. A wise choice is AccuWeather.

3) Planning: If you want to take a great sunset shot, you must know exactly where the sun will be, in the location where you’ll stand with your tripod. Once you know that, you’;; need a tool that allows you to calculate, quickly and accurately, all the needed exposure parameters to properly set your camera. There are many different applications that do theses task, but just one that let you do everything all in one app: PhotoPills

Image courtesy PhotoPills

4) Food: Is there something better than having the perfect breakfast after a cold sunrise session, or a warm and delicious soup after a rainy sunset? An application like Tripadvisor will let you quickly find the best restaurant or coffee near your your location.

Cleaning cloths and a rain cover

A landscape photographer is at the mercy of the weather and Mother Nature, so you must consider that a sunny day can become a rainy nightmare in a few hours, so you must be prepared.

First of all, be ready to protect your camera and your lens. Even if they are weatherproof, it’s not a good idea to test the quality control system of the camera manufacturer. You can buy an expensive rain cover from a photography website, or for just few dollars you can go to a local market to buy some refrigerators bag for vegetables…they work perfectly!

Also remember that the overall quality of your shoot is affected by how clean your lens is – bring with you as many microfiber cloths as you can.

Extra tip: if you are using slot-in filters, to protect them from rain while you are not shooting, use a shower cap.

ThinkTank Rain cover – image courtesy of ThinkTank

Torches (flashlight)

If you are out with your camera to capture a marvellous sunrise, it’s quite easy to remember to bring with you a torch or flashlight to reach the desired location. Do the same for sunset! After sunset the light fades out very quickly, and you may find yourself losing orientation in the darkness.

If an hand torch is fine, the best solution is a head torch (head lamp – get one at a camping supply store) is the best solution as it will let you both hands free. Remember – safety first.

Petzl Tikka RXP Headlamp – image courtesy of Petzl.

Spares

Do you know what could be worse than having a dead battery or a full memory card? Nothing. Believe me, if you’re in front of the perfect sunset just with your iPhone it’s a pity, but if you’re there with your camera and a dead battery, you’ll blame yourself for the rest of your life. Remember that the intense use of Live View mode or extreme cold weather may compromise the charge level more quickly than expected.

Also bring always with you a spare memory card, even if your primary one has a lot of space and you want to take just few shots – it may break or crash. If your camera has two card slots, use them simultaneously, because having a live backup is always a great idea.

Loupe

It’s difficult to review images on your LCD display when it’s sunny, so I always use a Loupe. They are also useful for a more accurate manual focus as they can reach a 2x magnification.

Kinotehnik Loupe – image courtesty of Kinotehnik.

Bubble level

Every time you straighten the horizon line in post-production, automatically you crop a small amount of the image. So, why not to take your shoot correectly with a straight horizon line?

If you are like me, it’s impossible without help from outside. If you own a modern camera, you may have a built-in virtual horizon function. But if your camera is older, or simply don’t have this function, consider buying a hot shoe bubble level (also useful to protect the hot shoe of your camera against oxidation).

Hot shoe bubble level

Clothing

Don’t underestimate the importance of your clothing; it is as essential as your camera. If you are suffering from heat or cold, you’ll definitely focus on yourself, and not on photography. You are dressed properly when weather conditions do not affect your activity. In summer, don’t forget to bring with you a water bottle and a cap; in winter, never forget gloves, a neck warmer and a wool hat. Always bring with you a rain cover and an umbrella (that you can also use to protect your filters and tripod from rain and wind).

The North Face gloves – image courtesy The North Face.

First Aid Kit

It’s not that difficult to peel the skin from one knee on a cliff, or get a small wound on a finger, and when it happens a bandage and a disinfectant are worth a thousand sunsets. Again – safety first.

But don’t think just for yourself, think also for your gear. Always bring with you a swiss multitool knife and some duct tape. If they are able to fix the wing of a plane, they will be able to fix the leg of your tripod too.

First Aid kit – image courtesy Care Plus.

Bonus tip: music!

To take a great landscape picture, you should be in the right mood, and for me there is nothing like hearing my beloved Ludovico Einaudi, while wandering deep in nature, with my tripod on my shoulder. Remember that you can have thousands of dollars of equipment in your backpack, but they are completely useless if your soul doesn’t want to use it.

What gear do you use for landscape photography?

Here on dPS this is landscape week – here is list of what we’ve covered so far. Watch for a new article (or two) on landscape photography daily for the next day or so.
- 6 Tips for Better Low-Light Landscape Photography
- Landscape Photography and the Human Element
- 5 Ways a Telephoto Lens Can Improve Your Landscape Photography
- Landscape Photography from the Side of the Road
- 32 Majestic Landscape Photos to Inspire Your Wanderlust
- Weekly Photography Challenge – Landscape
- Landscape Photography – Shooting the Same Location Through the Seasons
- How to Solve 5 Composition Conundrums Faced by Landscape Photographers
- 6 Tips for Creating More Captivating Landscape Photographs
- Tips for Getting Started with Urban Landscape Photography
- 3 Simple Steps to Make Your Skies Pop in Lightroom
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The post Equipment Tips for Landscape Photography by Francesco Gola appeared first on Digital Photography School.

Digital Photography School
September 9, 2015
3 Simple Steps to Make Your Skies Pop in Lightroom
2-for-1 special

As part of Landscape Photography Week here on dPS, we’re offering TWO for the price of ONE on our best-selling Living & Loving Landscape Photography ebooks!

Click here to take advantage of this offer.

You take a photograph of a scene that includes a beautiful blue sky with puffy white clouds. You look at your LCD after taking the photo only to see that the sky your camera captured is not what you see in front of you. Instead, your camera captured a washed-out-looking sky with little or no detail. It looks overexposed. What to do?

You could take another picture, reducing the exposure so that the sky looks better. But if you do that, the foreground will be underexposed and maybe even black. So what now?

There is good news here, and it is that Lightroom can fix this problem easily and incredibly quickly. In fact, there are three quick steps you can take in Lightroom that will each dramatically improve the daytime sky in your pictures. They are all dead simple. You can do any one of the steps, or do all three together. Even if your sky already looks pretty good, and you just want a minor enhancement, these steps will help.

1. Darken the Blues

The first move you should make is to darken the blue tones in your image. This is simple to do in the HSL/Color/B&W panel in Lightroom’s Develop module. There you will see a number of sliders that control individual colors. You can adjust the hue, the amount of saturation, or the luminance of these colors. Use the sliders – specifically the blue slider – to affect only the blue tones in the image and reduce the brightness of those tones. Just find the slider marked Blue, make sure that the panel is set to change Luminosity, and pull the slider to the left. There is no set amount or range of values for this change, it will just depend on each picture.

If you need more punch to the blues, change the setting above to saturation, and push the Blue slider to the right. This will increase the saturation of the blues in your image. For our purposes here, what is important to know, is that increasing the saturation of the blues will make the luminosity adjustment you just made have even more bite.

You should see a dramatic improvement in your sky, just with this one move. Sometimes it is all you need to do. But for additional improvements, read on.

Note: be careful not to go too far. Pulling one color to extremes can cause banding (separation of the colors into stripes, not a smooth transition) or image degrading.

2. Control the Highlights

It might have surprised you that our first move was not to tone down the highlights of the image. After all, that is where the problem lies. The sky is so bright that there is little detail in it, and a reduction in the highlights will target those tones and add detail.

But recall that part of what makes a sky look great is deep rich blue tones combined with bright white clouds. If you crank down the highlights, yes, you will add detail to the clouds, but you will push the tones of the blues and whites together so that there will not be the strong contrast you want. That’s why we started with darkening the blue tones.

If there is already sufficient detail in your clouds, you do not need to do anything further. In fact, sometimes you may want to increase the Whites or the Highlights to create more contrast between the blue sky and white clouds.

Other times, however, your sky will still be too bright and the clouds will lack detail. In that case, it is time to tone down the brightest portions of the image to add some detail. Do that by pulling down the highlights of your image. You want to do just enough that you add detail in the sky, but not so much that your clouds turn grey. Let the histogram be your guide. Pull the Highlights slider to the left until any spike on the right side of your histogram moves to the left (use the Alt/Option button to see where the highlights are clipped). At the same time, you should be adding detail to your sky.

3. Add a Blue Tint to the Sky

At this point, your sky should be looking very good. In fact, in most cases, the two moves above should be all you need. If you have a particularly flat and lifeless sky, however, you may need to break out the big guns. That means adding a tint to your sky.

To do this, you will need to employ the Adjustment Brush (actually, you can use the Adjustment Brush for either of the two steps above, but you usually won’t need to). Click on the Adjustment Brush, then when the sliders for the brush appear, go to the White Balance ones at the top. Move the Temp slider to the left, which will increase the amount of blue in the image.

Before you apply the brush to the sky, there is one important thing you need to check. Make sure the “Auto Mask” box at the bottom of the Adjustment Brush panel is checked. Doing so will limit the brush to the sky only. Once that is checked, go ahead and brush in the effect where you want it.

When you are done, you can adjust the effect by moving the blue slider (or any other sliders you might want to change). When you close the Adjustment Brush, the sky should be blue and look much better.

Application

The old adage about “getting it right in-camera” still applies. Try to get your skies looking as good as possible in the field with proper exposure techniques. Further, if you have a polarizing filter, that will make midday skies look much better. You might also employ a graduated neutral density filter to tone down the sky and make it even with the foreground.

When these techniques won’t work, however, Lightroom can make your skies look dramatically better. Of course, you could also use blending or HDR techniques, but these can appear surreal and involve much more work. The same goes for a wholesale sky replacement.

So next time, use Lightroom to achieve the desired effect simply. You can use these steps along with your normal workflow to make your photos look even better.

Here on dPS this is landscape week – here is list of what we’ve covered so far. Watch for a new article (or two) on landscape photography daily for the next day or so.
- 6 Tips for Better Low-Light Landscape Photography
- Landscape Photography and the Human Element
- 5 Ways a Telephoto Lens Can Improve Your Landscape Photography
- Landscape Photography from the Side of the Road
- 32 Majestic Landscape Photos to Inspire Your Wanderlust
- Weekly Photography Challenge – Landscape
- Landscape Photography – Shooting the Same Location Through the Seasons
- How to Solve 5 Composition Conundrums Faced by Landscape Photographers
- 6 Tips for Creating More Captivating Landscape Photographs
- Tips for Getting Started with Urban Landscape Photography
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The post 3 Simple Steps to Make Your Skies Pop in Lightroom by Jim Hamel appeared first on Digital Photography School.

Digital Photography School
September 8, 2015

Tips for Getting Started with Urban Landscape Photography

2-for-1 special

As part of Landscape Photography Week here on dPS, we’re offering TWO for the price of ONE on our best-selling Living & Loving Landscape Photography ebooks!

Click here to take advantage of this offer.

Memorable Jaunts Urban Photography Article for Digital Photography School Downtown Chicago Skyline as seen from Museum campus

My friends always joke that if I had my way I would pack my belongings, load up the family car, and head to the mountains to live out the rest of my days away from all the chaos of city life. What a happy dream, and one that someday I hope to make a reality, but for now I live in a urban city as far away from mountains as you can get. Urban living does have some benefits, in that it presents some wonderful photographic opportunities, if you know where to look and how to go about it.

There is some confusion among photographers between the terms: urban photography and street photography. Technically they are quite similar, and it is very easy to overlap the two, but here’s how I look at them. To me, urban photography portrays the urban landscape (e.g. buildings, bridges, structures, monuments, etc.) and does not necessarily include people where as street photography often features people or other human elements living in an urban setting. Now keep in mind, urban in itself has different meanings for different people. Wikipedia says, urban is anything related to a city. I like to think of urban as anything that is not rural (e.g. no corn fields, agricultural lands or remote mountain areas). This opens up a whole gamut of photographic opportunities for every pallet.

In general, here are some of the rules or tips I like to follow while on an urban photo expedition.

Preparation

Memorable Jaunts Urban Photography Article for Digital Photography School Dharamsala Monastery Photo

A little prep work paid off as I was able to photograph inside one of the monastery temples in Dharmsala, India

Before going on an urban photography excursion it is very important to be prepared. That not only means packing your gear the night before, and making sure all the cards are formatted and all batteries are charged (although you should do that too), but it is also beneficial to understand where you are going, and how are you going to get there.

What are the traffic patterns? Are there any parking restrictions? Do you need any special permits to photography there? Is photography even allowed? The Art Institute of Chicago is a perfect example. While photography is permitted, they don’t allow large camera bags or roller bags. So a small purse/backpack with a single camera and lens setup is your best bet. Do some research, and ask around if other photographers have experienced any issues in the location you want to explore.

Gear choice

I touched on this briefly already, but most urban photography expeditions are best done on foot where you are free to explore alleyways, buildings and street corners. I don’t know about you, but walking with about 30lbs of gear on my back is not my idea of fun, unless I am backpacking in the mountains! Pack light and carry at most two lenses.

My camera of choice is the Canon 5D MKIII and my go to lenses are Canon EF 24-70mmL zoom and Canon 100mm macro. Sometimes if I am brave, and in the mood for a good upper body workout, I will ditch the 100mm macro and carry my Canon EF 70-200mm. I carry an extra battery for my camera and one extra 32GB memory card. All of these fit comfortably in my backpack.

Shoot smart

Memorable Jaunts Urban Photography Article for Digital Photography School Willis Tower Image Downtown Chicago

A really wide shot of Willis tower with other buildings around it, provides a sense of scale and grandeur of one of the tallest buildings in the world.

Often we tend to photograph first and think later. The mindset of, “I have a limited amount of time so I will take pictures of everything and anything and cull my images later” is one that is very easy to adapt. I am guilty of this as well, and have to consciously remind myself to think first, and photograph later. But challenge yourself to stop being a lazy photographer (I fall into this trap too) and start photographing smart. Especially with urban photography, there is only so much you can portray about a building or a monument. Limit yourself to

One horizontal photo of said object/building/monument
One vertical photo
One zoomed in detail if there is anything particularly appealing
One wide angle shot to give a sense of place and space

Memorable Jaunts Urban Photography Article for Digital Photography School Mumbai Sea Link Photo

However a zoomed out, wider view of the entire bridge in the early morning hours with the sea, gives the viewer a true sense of its beauty

A zoomed in view of Mumbai’s famous Sea Link does NO justice what so ever to this engineering marvel.

Angles and Framing

Memorable Jaunts Urban Photography Article for Digital Photography School Pfister Hotel Downtown Milwaukee

Adding the name of this historic hotel in downtown Milwaukee in the frame makes it easy to find, and completes this story.

This tip goes hand in hand with the shoot smart strategy above. Try and get everything correct in-camera so you spend less time in front of the computer, and more time out exploring. I find that when I am out photographing urban scenes, I am shooting in conditions where I don’t have much control – think harsh midday sun, far away subjects, etc. Hence, I pay particular attention to the technical aspects I can control.

When I am framing my subject and composing the image, I try to convey a story. There is no right or wrong way to do it, remember it’s your story, so as long as you can convey your message, go for it. When photographing a really tall building, go wide. If you cannot go wide, then try to either get the top half or the bottom half. Is it a historic site? Are there some special markers or markings? Something that will help explain why you have taken that particular shot?

Experiment with various angles as well – get down low or shoot from high above. I am not a big fan of tilted angles, particularly on urban landscapes. They make me dizzy and I always wonder which way am I supposed to tilt my head to see the image. Unless the building has a natural slant like the Leaning Tower of Pisa, I don’t get the image! Of course, this is just my personal preference. If tilting is your thing, your forte – then go for it. Experiment and see what works for you.

Memorable Jaunts Urban Photography Article for Digital Photography School Chennai Train Station

The name of the train line at the front of the train gives this image a sense of place (and yes, I included people in this urban photo).

Memorable Jaunts Urban Photography Article for Digital Photography School Downtown Milwaukee Photo

An apartment community with boat parking docks is aptly called Harbor Front in Downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin

End goal

Always have an end goal for any photographic exercise. Goals can vary. Maybe you want to try out new gear, explore modern architecture, or maybe you just want to explore a new city or an old favorite neighborhood though your view finder. No matter what the goal, be clear and set your own expectations.

Memorable Jaunts Urban Photography Article for Digital Photography School Taj Hotel Mumbai Photo

The majestic Taj hotel in Mumbai taken from a roof top building several miles away.

Memorable Jaunts Urban Photography Article for Digital Photography School Downtown Chicago Fountain Photo

A fountain in Downtown Chicago comes alive as the sunlight hits the water flowing out of it (my personal perspective, my story).

I wanted to show the beautiful bridge that acts as an entryway to downtown Milwaukee, and decided to live with the glass refection very obvious against the blue sky (this was taken from the sky deck of the Pfister Hotel).

At the end, when all is said and done, if there is one tip I can give you, this is it – remember to have a good time exploring, and don’t get too caught up in getting the perfect shot. It is okay to put down the camera at times, engage in conversation with others, and also experience the space and place you are in with your mind’s eye! So get out there and explore.

Here on dPS this is landscape week – here is list of what we’ve covered so far. Watch for a new article (or two) on landscape photography daily for the next day or so.

6 Tips for Better Low-Light Landscape Photography
Landscape Photography and the Human Element
5 Ways a Telephoto Lens Can Improve Your Landscape Photography
Landscape Photography from the Side of the Road
32 Majestic Landscape Photos to Inspire Your Wanderlust
Weekly Photography Challenge – Landscape
Landscape Photography – Shooting the Same Location Through the Seasons
How to Solve 5 Composition Conundrums Faced by Landscape Photographers
6 Tips for Creating More Captivating Landscape Photographs

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The post Tips for Getting Started with Urban Landscape Photography by Karthika Gupta appeared first on Digital Photography School.

Digital Photography School

September 8, 2015

6 Tips for Creating More Captivating Landscape Photographs
2-for-1 special

As part of Landscape Photography Week here on dPS, we’re offering TWO for the price of ONE on our best-selling Living & Loving Landscape Photography ebooks!

Click here to take advantage of this offer.

If landscape photography is your passion, you probably love to visit new places, and photograph beautiful natural scenes. But have you ever been unable to capture the beauty you saw in front of you in your camera? Do your images come out flat and boring? With these six tips, you’ll take your photography to the next level by creating more captivating landscape photographs that really stand out.

1. Time your shoot for the perfect light

Making interesting photographs is all about the light. Boring light creates boring photographs. Dramatic light creates dramatic photographs. Once you find a scene to work with, be patient and wait for the dramatic light that will enhance your image. You may even have to return on a different day to make the most of the scene.

The quality of the light that illuminates your scene is going to change depending on the weather and the time of day.

Weather

The effect that weather has on your photo is usually obvious – a clear, blue sky gives a distinctly different feeling than dark storm clouds. Direct sunlight causes high contrast and dark, clear shadows – but the light becomes soft and even on an overcast day.

Time of Day

We know that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, but the direction of the sun with respect to your landscape also makes a big difference. It could mean the difference between the sun being in, or out of the frame. It determines which side of a mountain is lit, and can change the way the shadows fall in a grove of trees.

When you’re scouting your location, try to figure out where the sun will be at different times of day, what effect that will have on your landscape, and when you think the light will be at its best. This can be as simple as deciding whether you are at a sunset or sunrise location, so you know the best time to return to the scene.

Keep in mind, as well, that the colour of the light changes throughout the day. When the sun is low in the sky (towards sunrise or sunset) the light takes on a warm golden hue, but in the middle of the day the light turns a brighter white. Just after the sun sets, and again before it rises, the blue hours give a scene a soft, cool tone.

2. Use the right equipment

Use a tripod to keep your camera steady and allow for longer exposures. A tripod will also help you be more purposeful in the way you compose the frame.

Choose your lens based on the type of photograph you want to make. A grand vista type of landscape photograph is usually made with a wide-angle lens, with a focal length below 35mm. The shorter your focal length, the larger your angle of view, and the more of the scene you can fit in the photo. However, by doing this you shrink everything within the frame.

If there is something in your frame that you want to appear large in the scene, using a longer focal length will emphasize it. Longer focal lengths are also excellent for more intimate landscapes that do not include a massive expanse of space.

3. Use the right camera settings

Understanding the exposure triangle is critical when it comes to choosing the best camera settings. Generally, for landscape photographs where nothing is moving in the scene, you don’t need to worry about shutter speed, especially if you are using a tripod (see tip #2 above).

In landscape photography, one very important setting is aperture, since that controls the depth of field in your image. When making a grand vista type landscape, you usually want everything from foreground to background to be in sharp focus.

To get your photo sharp all the way through, use a small aperture, like f/11, to maximize your depth of field. However, smaller doesn’t always mean sharper – because of an optical phenomenon called diffraction, images tend to get softer when the aperture is too small. Therefore, the clearest images are typically made closer to the middle of a lens’ aperture range. I recommend shooting landscapes at f/11 instead of f/22 for the sharpest possible photo.

That leaves ISO as the last factor in the exposure triangle. For the best image quality, your ISO should be set to a low value, like ISO 100.

If nothing is moving in your landscape, use aperture priority mode, set the aperture to f/11, set the ISO to 100, and then let the camera calculate the appropriate shutter speed to get a good exposure.

However, if there is something moving in the scene, you can set a higher ISO, to allow for a faster shutter speed.

4. Separate your foreground, middle ground, and background

When composing your landscape photo, try to arrange it with elements in the foreground, middle ground, and background. Make sure they are framed to be distinct, and separate from each other, in order to create a sense of depth that draws the viewer into the picture.

Background features are common things like mountains, the horizon, and sky – while foregrounds can be nearby objects such as trees, grasses, man-made objects, and even rocks on the ground in front of the camera. The middle ground, of course, is everything in between that occupies the main part of the scene.

Not all photographs have these three distinct areas, but if you can compose your image so it does, you’ll have a photo with great depth and more impact.

5. Include a point of focus

Sunsets and forests and seashores are beautiful, but they need something small to give them a sense of scale. Almost anything can serve this purpose – a person walking through the scene, a single silhouetted tree, a boat floating in a lake, a dock, or an animal – anything to give scale to the immensity of the landscape and create something for the eye to be drawn to.

6. Bracket your shots

Landscape scenes can be very high in contrast, so it’s a good idea to shoot a few different exposures to make sure you get details in both the highlights and shadows. Some cameras will have an automatic bracketing feature built-in, but if not, you can do this manually. Simply take one picture at the recommended settings, then turn your exposure compensation button (+/-) to +1 and take another. Repeat this at -1 and you’ll end up with three pictures of different brightnesses. Later, when editing them on your computer, you can decide which exposure looks best and even combine multiple images in Photoshop or Lightroom (using the new Merge to HDR feature in LR CC or LR 6) to get the most detail possible.

Good light, the right equipment, the right settings, a strong composition, and a good exposure all work hand-in-hand to ensure you’ll make captivating landscape photographs.

Here on dPS this is landscape week – here is list of what we’ve covered so far. Watch for a new article (or two) on landscape photography daily for the next couple days.
- 6 Tips for Better Low-Light Landscape Photography
- Landscape Photography and the Human Element
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The post 6 Tips for Creating More Captivating Landscape Photographs by Anne McKinnell appeared first on Digital Photography School.

Digital Photography School
September 7, 2015

Category: Photography

Grow out of your equipment

Other ways to invest in your photography

Education

Experiences

RETHINKING NATURAL LIGHT

#1 – FINDING QUALITY LIGHT AND SHADOWS

#2 – FIND THE DIRECTION OF LIGHT

#4 – EYES ARE WINDOWS TO THE SOUL

#5 – SIMPLE POSING

#6 – EXPRESSION

SUMMARY

SPECIAL NOTES

2-for-1 special

Gear for landscape photography

1 – Where do you start?

2 – Time of day

3 – Shoot Raw

4 – Where to focus?

5 – Composition

Conclusion

2-for-1 special

Camera

Lenses

Tripod

Remote shutter

Filters and filter bag

Tablet/Smartphone

Cleaning cloths and a rain cover

Torches (flashlight)

Spares

Loupe

Bubble level

Clothing

First Aid Kit

Bonus tip: music!

2-for-1 special

1. Darken the Blues

2. Control the Highlights

3. Add a Blue Tint to the Sky

Application

2-for-1 special

Preparation

Gear choice

Shoot smart

Angles and Framing

End goal

2-for-1 special

1. Time your shoot for the perfect light

Weather

Time of Day

2. Use the right equipment

3. Use the right camera settings

4. Separate your foreground, middle ground, and background

5. Include a point of focus

6. Bracket your shots