I’ve been reading more photography articles lately and thought I’d start sharing the good ones with you.
Photos by Guy Edwards
In the post below we’ll show you how a little bit of effort on your part can go an awfully long way when it comes to capturing stunning landscape photography.
No more driving to the local scenic spots during your lunch break, parking in the car park and walking 20 paces or so to lazily shoot the same old view that every other visitor to the site does. We’ll reveal the benefits of getting up at dawn to shoot sunrise scenes, making the effort to trek up mountains for better views, and the joys of seeking out bluebells in a forest, lone trees in fields and surging waterfalls.
We’ll also help you frame shots better, with tips on adding foreground interest and composing arty abstract shots. Plus we’ll teach you new camera skills to set the right shutter speeds for milky waters in your coastal shots, how to take total control of depth of field and focusing, and how to best use telephoto lenses to isolate interesting sections in your scenes.
So, prepare to make an effort… as, when it comes to landscape photography, you will only ever get out what you put in.
1. I will… get up at dawn
A common mistake beginners make is to only photograph landscapes in the middle of a sunny day. It’s much better to set that alarm clock and get to your location before sun up. Before, during and just after sunrise are great times to shoot landscapes as the sun is lower in the sky, which means softer, warmer light across your scenes, and more colour in the skies.
This lower angle of sunlight also creates longer shadows, so you see the relief of the landscape, adding more depth to your shots. Use a tripod as light will be low, so shutter speeds will need to be slow.
2. I will… wait for the clouds to break
Wherever you live, the weather can be a pain in the proverbial. However, don’t put your camera away simply because the clouds have gathered or there’s a storm brewing. A skyscape full of clouds can add much more drama to your shots than a block of blue sky.
So get out there, be patient, take your time, and wait for a break in the weather to highlight the focal point in your scene and to bring life to your landscape shots. You’ll be surprised on how many occasions that seemingly dull, grey days offer fleeting golden moments.
3. I will… climb a mountain
We’ve all done it – driven to a beautiful location deep in the countryside, only to pull over by the side of the road to step out and lazily take a shot (or worse still, shoot from the car window!). You won’t get great shots like that.
Instead, pop on your hiking boots, prepare a packed lunch and get your camera gear on your back, then trek up to the beauty spots far from the car parks. Being higher up will create better opportunities for capturing stunning vistas, with far more interesting mountain scenery than down below with the coach tours
Great find, and thank you for sharing it with us
No problem. I just stumbled on that website this weekend and found a few good articles.
I’ve got to add photography to my stumbleupon list
Have you seen the cheat sheets I scanned and put up? I’ve not tried the aperture or landscape ones yet, but the shutter sheet has helped me no end with some of the photos I have taken.
Looks like the same cheat sheets are on the site I linked. While I did have a good understanding of shutter speeds, that was helpful for knowing how fast it should be for wildlife or cars. Very useful info.
David, thank you for the excellent guide. Sharon
Youre welcome.
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Hi,
Thanx for sharing a nice article. I also enjoyed other articles they published on web, Nice site!
No problem. I thought there was good content on there too.
Hey Devid, it seems you are a very good guide, please keep it up.
Have a nice day!
Thanks Geoff. I’m glad you’re getting something out of my blog.
Its very nice to see the article like this ,nice post.thanks for sharing with us.