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perjantai 30. kesäkuuta 2017
PictureCorrect.com: Photographing Dramatic Fireworks
One of the many things we all go to see during our national holidays—as well as at many other special events—are big fireworks displays. Even though it may be pitch black out, there is no real need for special equipment to shoot fireworks. Besides a good zoom lens in the 35-120mm range, depending on how far away you are from where they will be going off, all that is needed is a good sturdy tripod, a cable release, a small 4×5 inch piece of dark matboard, and a slow ISO setting of 64 or less. There is no need to use special filters or any other piece of custom photo equipment. In fact, everything you need you should already have.
When many average size bursts are going off at the same time I close the lens down to f22 or smaller, and expose on “bulb” sometimes for 15 seconds or more. The zoom lens allowed me to include the fireworks reflections in the river below. The small opening does however destroy all detail in the dark areas as with the bridge here, even with long exposures. © Paul W. Faust
Location
Probably the number one factor you should take care of is scouting the best location to shoot from. This usually means first knowing from WHERE the fireworks will be launched. That will dictate where you will have to be to get the best shots of them. There can be many factors in choosing the right location. Take into consideration the following questions:
- Is there water in the area that you could get reflections in?
- Are there a lot of trees that might block your view?
- Will you be able to see the rockets from the time they first go off so that you can also get the trail of flames as they shoot up?
- How many people might end up getting in front of you to block your view?
- Can you easily get from one good location to a second location quickly enough to get good shots at both?
When you do your first scouting trip, don’t just look for one spot and then go home. Look for several good locations in case the first one does not work out. You may go back to find that it is now behind a police barricade and you end up with no place to shoot from.
This image was taken using multiple exposures. You can tell that by the fact that several bursts are only partially formed as with the one center left. That burst was caught when the shutter was triggered at the exact moment that the burst was already half open, so the first part of it saw never recorded. These are some of the kinds of effects you will get with that exposure method, and you will never even know about them until you get the film back. © Paul W. Faust
Setting Up
Get to your chosen location well before the fireworks begin. Set up your camera on the tripod, attach the cable release, and focus the lens for the area that ranges from the blast-off spot to the area needed to get in the largest bursts. Hence the need for a good zoom lens that goes down to a wide angle.
Use the first several bursts for setting up your framing. The first fireworks are usually the least impressive, anyway. If you get too much area in a frame you can always crop some out later on, but you cannot add to what is not there if you cut parts out when composing.
Long exposures are the norm for fireworks displays, but there are tricks to making them. Exposures can be done in two ways. By setting the speed to “bulb” or by using multiple exposures—if your camera has that ability.
Multiple Exposures
For multiple exposures you count the seconds it takes for one rocket to blast off and fully explode, and then set your speed for that long, usually about 3-5 seconds. Set the aperture at about f/8. Then set the exposure count for how many bursts you want on each frame. Capturing too many fireworks will start to wash out the whole image, so stick to about 3 to 5 exposures per frame. This again will also depend on how far away you are from them. It also depends on the color of the explosions. Mostly red ones can allow for more exposures, but if there are more than a few all-white clusters, that frame will start to wash out. I never allow more than three large white bursts per frame—two if they are really bright. They will also wash out the other colors.
All white explosions can look great as long as there are not very many of them. They can be good for lighting dark areas, but too many can wash out all other detail as in what it would have done to all of the smoke in the sky. Here, the bridge was backlit by the added waterfall effect from another type of fireworks used. The combination is outstanding! The one drawback is that it adds even more smoke to the scene, which is one other major factor to consider when picking a location. Make sure you know which way the wind usually blows. © Paul W. Faust
Bulb Exposures
For exposures using the “bulb” setting, which is really the best way to do them, you need a cable release to your aperture open. For this method you also need a 4×5 piece of dark cardboard. You place the card in front of the lens, and when the fireworks start, trip the shutter. An assistant is good to have here, so they can trip the shutter when you ask. The card blocks the light until you want to expose a burst. Then, as the rockets fire off, you remove the card and record the exposure by counting off the seconds. Replace the card back in front of the lens, but be sure not to bump the camera, and wait for the next rocket. When it is about to explode, remove the card. How often you do this depends on how many fireworks are fired off together.
Usually 3-6 bursts of 4-8 seconds each is the right amount. Then release the cable to end that exposed frame, and repeat. If you find that most explosions are of deep colors, you can close down the lens one or two more stops and make even more exposures per frame. You do have limits to how many you can do or before long, the entire frame will become nothing but streaks of fire and then nothing will look good.
The main things to remember are the brighter the bursts, the fewer you can expose on one frame. Try these tips the next time you shoot fireworks, and have another helper keep a record of how you expose each frame, including how many “different” bursts went off, and how many times you removed the card, and for how long each time. You should also vary the f-stops from f/8 to f/16 to see which gives the best colors or the most bursts. The smaller the aperture, the more bursts you can record. Generally, the best images are the ones with 5-8 second exposures, and 3-5 exposures per frame. Too many bursts can be just as bad as too few.
One other trick you can use with a zoom lens is to shoot 2 or 3 “multiple exposures” at a wide angle, and then one zoomed in a bit. This will give you explosions that look like one went off really close to you and the others far off in the background. It takes practice for that one. Also, if you have the equipment, set up two cameras, one for the “bulb” technique and the other for the multiple exposure method. You won’t be able to operate them both at the same time, but you can switch back and forth to get more shots in less time.
GOOD SHOOTING!
Image Note: The fireworks in these three images were all set off from one bridge over the Tennessee River, and photographed from a second bridge. This gave me many positions to shoot from one side of the river to the other.
About the Author:
Paul W. Faust is a self-taught Photographer, Writer, Digital Imaging, Photo Restoration, and Photo Stock Service professional. You can see more of his work at: http://ift.tt/1kLG2kp
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PictureCorrect.com: 8 Tips for Underwater Photography
Photography and underwater diving are both difficult hobbies to master. Joining them together into one activity results in a challenging but extremely rewarding endeavor. The water and waves are beautiful on their own, but with the addition of marine life such as fish, coral reefs, and other marine flora and fauna, your photography will reach a new level. The next best thing to diving among the underwater life is using photography to make a lasting record of that experience.
photo by Michio Morimoto
Underwater photography is not much different from land based photography, but there are unique challenges that it presents. The greatest of these is the water itself with its lower visibility and unique properties of light under the water. Listed below are some hints to help those developing their underwater photography skills.
1. Be comfortable underwater
It’s very important that the photographer is comfortable in the environment. In this case, it’s the body of water where the photographer is diving. The ability to swim well, and sometimes quickly, is a necessity. At times, it is necessary to keep up with the fish you’re attempting to photograph.
One of the best ways to gain security in the water is to practice first in a swimming pool. This is a safe and calm setting where you can experiment with camera settings, lenses, and other equipment that will be used in an underwater photography session. Photographing kids underwater in a pool is not that different from trying to photograph a moving fish.
photo by Ed Garcia
Additionally, the photographer needs to be comfortable using a snorkel or scuba equipment, depending on how deep the dive will be. If most pictures will be taken near the surface, a snorkel will work well. If the dive will be deeper, scuba gear will make it unnecessary to return to the surface to breathe. This should also be practiced in a pool before going into the ocean or other body of water.
2. Control your buoyancy
Knowing how to control your buoyancy when underwater is very important. This is another skill that can be practiced in a pool. As on land, it’s necessary to keep the camera steady. Underwater, this can be achieved by learning to use your breath to control their buoyancy in the water. When this is mastered, the photographer will be able to remain stationary in the water and hover in the area of his or her choice.
3. Know the marine life
In order to create a meaningful photograph, it’s necessary to be knowledgeable about the subject being photographed. With regards to the underwater environment, it’s helpful to know the types of marine life in the area and their typical behaviors. Is the area safe? Which creatures are harmless and which should be avoided? Studying swim patterns of fish will help to set up the perfect picture. What is a likely spot for some of the shy creatures to hide?
4. Use available light
As with photography done on land, the lighting used in underwater photography is one of the most important aspects of the photo shoot. For many photos, especially those taken near the surface, the natural light from the sun can produce some amazing pictures.
photo by Shawn
The deeper you dive, the less the light is able to penetrate the water. In these cases, you’ll rely on flashes or strobe lights. These lights help to bring out the bright colors of the fish or reef, and can freeze the action of a fish or other marine creature.
5. Use a color-correcting filter
Another trick used to obtain better underwater photos is to make use of a color-correcting filter. For example, use a red filter is attached to the camera lens to reduce the prevalence of blues and cyans that occur in photos taken in deeper water.
photo by Steve Childs
6. Get in close
One of the most common tips given to underwater photographers is to get as close to the subject as possible. Distance is hard to judge when looking through the camera underwater. What might seem close may not be so close after all. Because light has to travel from the camera to the subject and back again, shortening the distance between the two allows for brighter, clearer pictures.
7. Be patient
Underwater photography is not for those who are in a hurry. You must often wait for the subject to come to you. It takes time for the marine life to get used to a newcomer in their home. If given enough time, most will lose their fear, and you’ll be able to take shots of the normal activities of life in that particular area.
photo by Tchami
8. Enjoy yourself
This last tip is for all underwater photographers, whether they are just starting out or have many years of experience. You dive because you love to dive. You take pictures because you wish to share this spectacular underwater universe with those who have never had the chance to experience it. When your love of diving and skill as a photographer come together, there is no doubt that extraordinary photos will be the result.
Underwater photography is an awesome experience in itself. It’s also becoming a distinct form of art, just like portrait photography and street photography. Sooner or later, every underwater photographer will experience the thrill of taking that “once in a lifetime” photo. It’s never too early to start.
About the Author:
After his first encounter with the visual arts, Richard Gaspari developed a passion for photography and for framing moments. For Richard, the camera is like the third eye, but with more ISO and an excellent shutter speed. Now, he writes for CreativePhotoConnect, where he tries to “train” others to frame high resolution moments.
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PictureCorrect.com: What’s the Proper Way to Photograph Fireworks?
It’s that time of the year when many members of our community are looking for tips on how to shoot fireworks. The Art of Photography shares a few things to consider if you’re planning to shoot fireworks this 4th of July:
Considerations When Taking Fireworks Photos
- Fireworks are bright. That means they stand out against a pitch black sky.
- They move, which means you can expect some amount of motion blur.
- They are unpredictable. Meaning, you are never quite sure how far they will reach in the air or in which direction.
As a result, you need to employ a few tricks to capture good images. You need a tripod and you will also need to shoot longer exposures. You will need to also experiment with your exposure.
Tips for Fireworks Photography
- Pre-focus your lens and shut off auto-focusing so that the lens doesn’t try to re-acquire focus after a while.
- Choose the smallest ISO number that your camera supports.
- Turn on Long Exposure Noise Reduction (note that this will double the exposure time).
- Set your lens aperture to f/8 or f/11. That should give you enough depth of field for a sharp image of a fireworks display.
- Experiment with the shutter speed by setting your camera to bulb mode. In this mode, your camera shutter remains open for as long as you have the shutter button pressed down. Start from something like two seconds and experiment. Take many shots to get the best effect.
Avoid Boring Fireworks Shots
Fireworks are one of many popular photography subjects. That is why, if you are experimenting in your approach, you’ll likely turn up with similar looking shots to what’s already on Flickr.
How can you incorporate a new approach?
Try to use a wider lens to capture more of the immediate environment. Give your shots a little bit more context.
Incorporate the people who are around you. Try to capture their emotions or what they are doing or feeling to give it a human touch.
“Of course when all else fails, if you’re really not achieving the results you want, a lot of times they say, turn your camera towards where everyone else is not shooting. And just try to get reactions of the people around you. You will be surprised at some of the things that you’re able to find.”
For further training, ending soon: How to Photograph Fireworks Guide at 55% Off
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torstai 29. kesäkuuta 2017
PictureCorrect.com: Wide Angle Photography Tips
Ahh…wide angle photography, probably one of the easiest types of photos to take, but also one of the hardest areas in which to excel. Have you ever tried to cram 30 people into a single photograph? You try to stack them, have some of them on the floor, or even ask some of them at the back to jump at the press of the shutter!? You’re also trying to make sure that you are able to see the faces of these people in the photograph. Difficult if your camera’s lens is not wide enough and you have to move yourself further back to accommodate, which may not be possible if space is limited. When shooting indoors with flash, moving back may even give you an underexposed photograph, as flash is often not powerful enough to reach longer distances.
“Mersey Blues” captured by PictureSocial member Mark Broughton
Apart from the utilitarian purpose of getting good group photographs, shooting wide angle lets you portray the scene in full detail with unusual and sometimes exaggerated perspectives. This is especially true of super wide angle lenses. Small objects can be made to appear larger than larger objects within the same scene, effectively shifting the balance of the image composition. When used well, it can bring attention to the subject of interest in the foreground, at the same time preserving the context of the whole image by showing the location or event in the background.
“wide angle horse” by Toni
Wider Options
Lenses are categorized by their focal lengths. Typically, lenses fall into one of these categories:
- super wide angle (10~24mm)
- wide angle (24~35mm)
- standard (about 50mm)
- telephoto (70~300mm)
- super telephoto (300mm and beyond)
These numbers indicate the focal length, which describes the field of view achievable using that lens. Incidentally, the field of view of a 50mm lens is considered to be an approximation to what the human eye sees. DSLR owner can choose from a variety of lenses ranging from a super wide lens all the way up to a super telephoto. But what about the rest of us?
“Lines” captured by PictureSocial member Alyona Arnautova
Digital compact camera owners are not left out of the picture. There are a multitude of wide-angle adapters for digital compacts, both made available as accessories as well as by third-party manufacturers. These can be attached via lens threads or bayonet mounts on their bodies. There are also some from third-party lenses which can be attached magnetically.
Focal Length Multiplier
Note: The ‘focal length’ of the lens determines the ‘field of view’, which is the angle of view seen using this lens. ‘Field-of-view crop’ is often referred to as ‘focal length multiplier’ for the sake of simplicity.
Digital photography, from the hardware perspective, is based on principles of 35mm film cameras. For a photographer who shoots with film, there is no such thing as a ‘focal length multiplier’, because to them, everything is 1x. This means that a 50mm lens is a 50mm lens. Not so for a DSLR. A 50mm lens virtually becomes a 75mm lens when attached to a DSLR with a crop sensor. This is because the ‘focal length multiplier’ of 1.5x causes the 50mm lens to have a field of view equivalent to a 75mm lens.
Shooting wide angle is basically one way of depicting a scene using a wider field of view, which in turn is achieved by using a lens with a focal length of less than 50mm on a 35mm film SLR camera. These days, with the proliferation of DSLR cameras, there might be some confusion to how focal lengths are calculated.
“The Peak H” captured by PictureSocial member Ossie
To keep things simple, we can use this rule of thumb. If you are using a 35mm film SLR, your focal length multiplier is 1x.
If you are using a DSLR, your focal length multiplier could be any one of these, depending on the model of DSLR camera: 1x (eg Canon 1Ds Mk II), 1.3x (e.g. Canon 1D Mk II), 1.5x (e.g. Nikon D200 or D70) or 1.6x (e.g. Canon 30D).
To get the actual focal length (and hence field of view achievable) of your lens, multiply the lens focal length with the multiplier.
Multiplier Example 1: Nikon D300 (multiplier is 1.5x) with a 17–70mm lens
The actual focal length range of this combination is 25.5mm–105mm, achieved by multiplying the lens range by 1.5
Multiplier Example 2: Canon 1Ds Mk II (multiplier is 1x) with a 70–300mm lens
The actual focal length range of this combination is still 70–300mm.
Multiplier Example 3: Nikon F5 (35mm film camera with multiplier of 1x) with a 15mm fisheye lens
The actual focal length of this combination is still 15mm.
The reason behind the focal length multiplier falls to the size of the recording media, the CCD or CMOS. Different cameras use different sized CCD/CMOS for different reasons, for example, to make a smaller camera and for better power efficiency. For compact digital cameras which do not fall under the digital SLR category, focal length multipliers are rarely used because they don’t have interchangeable lenses. What they do have are wide angle adapters or telephoto adapters. A wide angle adapter may be referred to as a 0.7x wide adapter. What this number means is that this adapter shortens the focal length of the built-in lens by multiplying it with 0.7, effectively creating a wider field of view.
Super wide angle shots sometimes appear distorted, but they do show a lot more in the background, lending context to an image
“Sandune” captured by PictureSocial member Mukesh Dhruv
Focusing with Wide Angle Lenses
An inherent characteristic of camera lenses is that wide angle lenses come with more depth-of-field compared to telephoto lenses. This reduces focusing errors to some extent, which means that you can focus on almost anything around the center of the frame and get an acceptably sharp image. In this case, a small aperture further increases the chance of a sharp image. For best results though, we can use the “one third of the distance rule”. Look inside your camera viewfinder, estimate the distance from the nearest point that is visible in the viewfinder, to the furthest point that is also visible in your viewfinder. Focus on a point that is roughly one-third of the distance away from you. If you cannot use autofocus effectively on that point (perhaps due to very dim light levels or low contrast early in the morning on a mountain), you can estimate the distance and manually focus your lens, using the distance scale on your lens. A small aperture (e.g. f/16) gives you more depth-of-field, so use it if possible. That’s why it’s good to carry a tripod, which will let you use smaller apertures without camera shake.
Composing with Wide Angle Lenses
Wide angle photography has its own set of challenges. While it lets you show more of the scene, sometimes less is more. If not properly framed, a super wide angle image may include distracting elements which detract from your image, because a wide angle lens sees a wider field of view than a normal lens. Therefore it’s good to fill the frame well, composing it in such a way that only the necessary elements are included. Landscape photography is a classic candidate for using wide angle lenses. In order to shoot great landscape photography, foreground interest is important. Wide angle lenses let you include a sizable portion of the foreground in the frame, so use it well by choosing a foreground that is actually interesting.
“Sunset” captured by PictureSocial member Arvy Das
When shooting super wide angle, we can also get away with a slower shutter speed because the shorter focal length downplays slight camera shake errors, opening up new possibilities with photography. One example is hand-holding your camera in a busy street downtown, capturing a sharp image of your subject while rendering the pedestrian traffic as a blur, due to the slower shutter speed.
Wide Angle Care
Exercise more caution when using a wide-angle lens/adapter. Some wide angle lenses have protruding glass which is more exposed and susceptible to accidental contact with dirty fingers, or worse, it may end up getting scratched. If your lens accepts a UV filter, get one. It will protect your lens from countless dangers. Many wide angle lenses allow you to focus closer than a telephoto lens, so a lens hood helps to some extent to protect your lens from your overzealous attempts to get a closer shot.
Wide angle photography is exciting, go forth and experiment.
About the Author:
Andy Lim (SimpleSLR) runs a profitable photography business that spans wedding photography, commercial photography and conducting photography workshops.
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PictureCorrect.com: Interesting Photo of the Day: Golden Gate Bridge Sunrise
Jonathan C. Dawson took the time and effort to capture this stunning photograph of the early morning sunrise at the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. A fisherman stands alone while monitoring his two poles set up to catch the early fish. The most striking parts of this photograph are the color gradients that blend from top to bottom in the bright sunlight. This scene looks like a painting with the clean foreground, hazy background and color palette:
“Golden Gate Bridge at 5 A.M.” by Jonathan C Dawson (Via Imgur. Click image to see full size.)
To capture this shot, Dawson used a Canon 6D camera with a 70–200mm lens at 102mm. His camera settings for this 1/500 of a second, ISO 100, and an f/4.5. For editing, he used Photoshop and the Snapseed photo editing app. Overall, he kept his edits minimal as he worked to remove a few people in the background, add reflections in the water, and boost the color saturation. This piece of work is a perfect example of having your composition and edits in mind when arranging the shot. The photographer obviously understood exactly what he wanted to portray in the final image when he traveled to the beach early in the morning and set up his equipment.
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PictureCorrect.com: Photoshop Blending Modes Tutorial
Blending modes exponentially augment the power of the layers in Photoshop. When you use a blending mode, you’re taking the pixels from one layer and then blending them with pixels from another layer in order to produce a different effect. Blending modes are extremely useful for the purpose of increasing contrast, saturating colors, blending layers for special effects, and so on:
There are currently 27 different blending modes in Photoshop (30 if you count the two extra modes for the Paint tools and the one for the Layer groups) from the original 19 in Photoshop 3.0 when layers were first introduced back in 1994. The video above presents 41 minute tutorial beginning with an introduction about blending modes going into more advanced topics on how to work with the different blending modes.
Before you begin your lesson, as Photoshop Training Channel explains it’s important to know the following fundamental aspects about blending, as summarized in this image:
Watch the rest of the video for a comprehensive guide on the different blending modes and how to work with them.
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keskiviikko 28. kesäkuuta 2017
PictureCorrect.com: 12 Ways to Improve Your Digital Landscape Photography
Number One: If you have read any of my previous photography guides then you probably know that I strongly recommend shooting in RAW format. Why is this so important? The answer simply boils down to control.
Shoot in Camera RAW Format
When you set your digital camera to automatically convert your images to JPEGs, you give up a great deal of processing control. Most digital cameras automatically apply sharpening, saturation, and tonal adjustments during the conversion process. The image is also compressed into an 8-bit file removing a great deal of the exposure latitude that you had with the original photograph (up to 16-bits for many cameras).
Essentially the camera automatically applies a standard set of processing routines to the image and then throws out roughly one third or more of the data during the compression process. The JPEG file format is destructible in that it compresses and recompresses the image (and thereby removing file information) each time it is saved. If you do shoot in JPEG format, be sure to save your processed files as PSDs or TIFFs to avoid additional compression and to retain all of your Photoshop layers.
Always be on the Lookout for New Locations
Number Two: It goes without saying that traveling to exotic locations around the world is an exciting part of landscape photography; however you can find just as many wonderful places to photograph in your own area. Success as a landscape photographer has a lot to do with preplanning and scouting out potentially new locations. Scenes that you photographed during the summer have a whole different look and feel during the fall. Whether you are out photographing a specific location or just driving through a new area on unrelated business, always be on the look out for hidden gems. This might be a little known area where eagles are feeding or an abandoned farm concealed by years of overgrown weeds and brambles. Even while I am out and about hanging out with my family and friends, I always have my eyes open for new places to work.
Shoot During Hours of Dawn and Dusk
Number Three: Many of my favorite images were taken during the golden hours of dawn and dusk. A successful landscape photographer is usually willing to get out of bed well before dawn or to stay out late into the evening to capture the beautiful light of the setting sun.
Arrive Early and be Ready
Number Four: Consider getting to your pre-selected location well in advance of the time you actually expect to shoot. Photography is a creative endeavor and should not be rushed. If you find yourself chasing the sunset or rushing to capture the sunrise at the last minute, you are missing the point! High quality landscape photography usually requires that you take a slow, methodical approach. I think that a lot of us fall into the trap of shooting off the hip and hoping that one of our shots will stand out.
Landscape photography should be creative and not mechanical. This is a little bit like going to an important business meeting where you have been selected as group’s main presenter. If you leave for the meeting late and rush into the conference room just as things are getting started, you are much more likely to give a dismal performance. In contrast, if you make an effort to arrive early, get your equipment setup, and take a few moments to collect your thoughts; you are much more likely to give a more impressionable and meaningful presentation. The same approach is true of landscape photography. Arrive early and give yourself plenty of time to transition into a creative mode.
Bracket Your Exposures
Number Five: When I worked with 35mm cameras, I was always conscious of how much film I was using. Between purchasing the high quality film I needed and then processing it later, it was always extremely expensive! Today with high-resolution digital single lens reflex cameras we have less to worry about when it comes to the cost per image (of course today’s DSLRs are generally more expensive that traditional SLRs were). Now there are fewer reasons to avoid bracketing your exposures.
Use a Tripod
Number Six: The reason for using a tripod might seem obvious on the surface. For me using a tripod goes beyond reducing camera shake and taking photographs at slower shutter speeds. I have found putting my camera on a tripod forces me to slow down and really examine my composition. It is so easy to just fire off a bunch of hand held shots without really thoughtfully looking at the composition. Intuitively most of us know what we are trying to achieve in a particular shot; however taking the extra time to setup your camera on a tripod can help you slow down and pay extra attention to composition. Remember that having a creative mindset is central to capturing high quality landscape images.
Keep in Mind the Rule of Thirds
Number Seven: Sure, rules are meant to be broken. This is especially true of rules that involve such a creative process as photography; however the Rule of Thirds is a pretty good standard to keep in mind. Push yourself to try out different ideas and compositions that may be outside your comfort zone or usual style. I estimate that 20% or fewer of my landscape images rise to a level of quality where I feel comfortable presenting them to others! With digital cameras and massive amounts of storage, you can have fun with your work and try out new ideas. You never know, you may like what you see!
Do Not Forget to Look Around
Number Eight: I have to constantly remind myself to look around my environment and to refrain from getting locked into a single perspective. What do I mean by this? How many times have you been photographing a spectacular scene just to look over and see an even better possibility? If you get too focused on one particular composition, you may miss opportunities for other equally or better photographs that are within walking distance of where you are shooting.
Shoot Often
Number Nine: This should be a no-brainer, but remember that you increase your odds of capturing outstanding landscape photographs if you go out in the field often and on a regular basis. If you are like me and have a real job during the day, you may only be able to get out a couple times a week. It is so easy to put off going out (especially early in the morning!) when you get busy with other aspects of life. Again, much of this boils down to discipline and creating good habits for shooting regularly. Even if you are facing poor weather conditions (e.g. gray sky, clouds, rain, etc.), push yourself to go out and shoot anyway. You never know, you might just come back with wonderful black and white images or beautiful photographs of a dramatic lightning storm.
Keep a Photo Diary
Number Ten: Keeping notes about your work in a small notebook or diary can be a useful way of remembering important details about a location or a series of photographs. This can include the direction you were looking while taking a particular shot, weather conditions, temperature, how you accessed a specific area, and any other unique information that you want to recall later on. It does not take very long before I forget unique little details about a series of images. Fortunately with EXIF data we do not have to worry about keeping track of exposure information, resolution, color space, and the time and date an image was taken; however taking note of some of the other details mentioned above can oftentimes be useful later on. These details can be added later to the EXIF file so that the information always stays with the image. Consider placing a small notebook and pen in your camera bag so that you are ready.
Recognize that You May Come Back Empty Handed
Number Eleven: This really does not qualify as tip as much as it is a state of mind. I used to get so frustrated going out to shoot landscapes just to come back with nothing (or only a couple of decent shots). I remember driving five hours to a hiking trail that I was sure would have a great deal of wildlife and landscape opportunities to photograph (from previous experience). When I arrived I spent two hours climbing to the top of a large peak that had a commanding view of the entire valley. After all the work and effort to get to the top, it started sprinkling and then eventually the conditions worsened to lighting and heavy rain (I was in shorts too!).
The deteriorating weather conditions forced me to hike back down and eventually drive home. I was so frustrated because in the end I was only able to capture a couple of decent shots. All of the wildlife had literally disappeared and the extremely poor weather conditions made for mediocre landscape photography at best. As I drove home I was struck by how I was trying so hard to force things to work that I had not truly enjoyed the experience. After considering it for a while (on my five hour ride back home) I came away with the realization that it was ok for me to come back empty handed once in a while.
Most of the time my hard work and discipline are rewarded and I capture wonderful landscape images, but sometimes I end up returning with nothing but another experience. I think as a landscape photographer you have to be ok with that and remember that sometimes you will strike out despite all your best efforts. Planning your outings, having some experience in photography, and taking the proper equipment are important factors, but the weather and conditions are-what-they-are when you arrive. You cannot control everything. Remember this and try to have fun!
Learn How to Use Photoshop or Lightroom
Number Twelve: As a film photographer, I worked very hard to make sure all of my shots were spot on. I was careful to use the appropriate film for the lighting conditions, to adjust my exposure and shutter speeds appropriately, and to take my negatives to well known and respected businesses for processing (if I was not doing it myself). After switching to a digital camera, it took me a while to grasp the significance Photoshop plays in this new era of photography. Going digital means that you (the photographer) are now in complete control of the processing. We have so much more power and latitude in Photoshop with digital images that we do not have while working with film in a traditional way. On average, I estimate that I spend 30-40% of my time composing and taking photographs in the field and 60-70% of my time later processing them in Photoshop. This means that a great deal more of my time is now spent in front of my computer than in the field. Having a basic understanding of how to use Photoshop can be the difference between simply a good image and a jaw-dropping, incredible one.
Please do not hear me suggest that you can stop worrying about exposure, shutter speed, and composition just because you can “Photoshop” away problems later on in processing. All of the basic principles of photography still apply. It is still important to work hard to get your shots “right” out of the camera, but we are now able to do so much more with the digital photographs in processing (especially if you shoot RAW images) than would have ever been possible just a few years ago. Even if you do not consider yourself technologically proficient or the complexity of Photoshop scares you, take the time to learn how to use a few of Photoshop’s basic processing tools and develop a consistent digital workflow. This means gaining familiarity with using adjustment layers for levels, curves, saturation, channel mixer, and others. Layer masks also provide an incredible amount of control in processing selective areas of a photograph.
About the Author
Steve Paxton currently lives with his wife and two children in the Seattle area. Steve has been a photographer for over ten years and has spent most of that time shooting with a variety of Canon 35mm cameras. His experience ranges from wedding and portrait work to crime scene photography; although he particularly enjoys the solitude of shooting landscapes. Check out the PDF version of this article.
Steve always welcomes comments and feedback on his work. You can leave a comment on his website at www.paxtonprints.com.
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PictureCorrect.com: Interesting Photo of the Day: Northern Lights Over Norway Mountains
The allure of the Northern Lights draws visitors and photographers from all over the world to see them. In places like Norway where they are frequently viewed, photographers embark on a mission to capture the Northern Lights floating over beautiful scenery. For many photographers, it can be a time and money consuming process to research and plan a trip to view them. The Northern Lights are there on nights with solar activity, but can only be seen if the weather allows it. With the proper planning and equipment, you can capture shots like this. You just have to be able to hike wherever is necessary and endure some cold weather!
“The Arctic is the Perfect Place to go for a Vacation” by Tristan Todd (Via Imgur. Click image to see full size.)
Photographer Tristan Todd captured this stunning image of an Arctic mountain being illuminated by the Northern Lights in Norway. The intense colors and movement in this photograph add to the magical look of the Northern Lights. In order to put this piece together, he combined seven back-to-back exposures for the mountains and water and one for the sky. His camera settings for the 6 second foreground exposures were ISO 2500 and f/2.8 with a 24mm focal length.
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