Landscape Photography Barb Redford Redkoru Photography Halton Hills Camera Club

What makes a great landscape Photograph ? Composition Lighting Research Luck

Remember sometimes you have to break the rules too ! Composition Composition is a collection of elements coming together to form an outstanding image. Often thought of as the rules of photography: Line’s – leading, diagonal, horizontal, vertical Texture + Colour Rule of 1/3’s Simplification + Framing Space to move Symmetry + Pattern Remember sometimes you have to break the rules too !

Line Most important and strongest element Lead the viewer through the image Draw interest to specific points Horizontal Lines – stability Vertical Lines – power + growth Diagonal Lines – motion + direction Horizons MUST be level

Lines

Texture Produces the deepest emotions Dependant on Light Adds depth, reality and interest Makes images appear 3D

Texture

Colour Primary colours stand out but can take over an image as well

Rule of 1/3’s Most camera’s have a grid or level you can turn on in the viewfinder

Simplification

Framing

Space to Move

Symmetry

Pattern

Foreground

Break the Rules

Depth of Field One important thing to remember here, the size of the aperture has a direct impact on the depth of field, which is the area of the image that appears sharp. A large f-number such as f/32, (which means a smaller aperture) will bring all foreground and background objects in focus, while a small f-number such as f/1.4 will isolate the foreground from the background by making the foreground objects sharp and the background Blurry.

Aperture Large Aperture = small Depth of Field ( F1.4-F5.6) Small Aperture = Large depth of field ( F16-32)

Shutter speed Slow Shutter Speed ( long exposure) Fast Shutter Speed ( short exposure)

Lighting One of the most important elements of composition. Without light we have no photographs but the amount of light and “type” of light can drastically change an image The HOURS: Golden hour / Magic hour – the time generally at sunrise and sunset where the light is low angled and generally “warmer” and redder toned than at midday Blue hour - the period of twilight early in the dawn each morning and late dusk each evening when the sun is at a significant distance below the horizon and the residual, indirect sunlight takes on a predominantly blue hue.

Golden Hour Blue Hour

EXPOSURE TRIANGLE Each of the three aspects of the triangle relate to light and how it enters and interacts with the camera. The three elements are: ISO – the measure of a digital camera sensor’s sensitivity to light Aperture – the size of the opening in the lens when a picture is taken Shutter Speed – the amount of time that the shutter is open It is at the intersection of these three elements that an image’s exposure is worked out. Most importantly – a change in one of the elements will impact the others. This means that you can never really isolate just one of the elements alone but always need to have the others in the back of your mind.

Types of lighting There are many ways to improve your photography with light. Light carries different colours, can be used from different vantage points and can totally change an image in the way it is applied. Side Lighting As you might expect Side Lighting is when the lighting is coming from the side. This usually provides a great deal of contrast, can create long shadows and adds depth to the image. This type of lighting can add a dramatic flare to architectural and portraiture photography. Back Lighting Back lighting is when light is behind your subject and is directed at you and your camera. This type of lighting creates silhouettes quiet easily. Combined with certain atmospheric conditions such as fog or airborne dust you can get dramatic lighting effects. Rim Lighting When light comes in at an acute angle it can create highlights along the edges of your subject. The stark contrast that it provides highlights shape and form. This type of lighting adds impact to macro, wildlife, nature and fine art nude photography

Various Combinations of Lighting Ambient Light Ambient light is non-direct soft lighting that often is bounced from one surface to another. As a result of the non-direct lighting, brightness of your subject is lower than with other types of lighting. In fact this type of lighting often tricks people the most as we seldom think about it consciously. Most photographers might just ignore it looking for other types of lighting. Ambient light works well for a variety of photographic genres particularly landscape photography. Soft or Diffuse Light Soft light is diffuse providing lighting that is even. This type of lighting reduces contrast and minimizes shadows. Soft light is excellent for portraiture, macro, and nature photography. Hard Light Hard light is quite direct and can often be intense in brightness. This type of lighting creates strong shadows and high contrast. Highlights can be quiet intense under Hard lighting conditions so special care should be made with ones exposure. Hard light can be stylistically applied to most any photographic genre, but for many eyes it can be less appealing than other types of lighting. Spotlight Very simply Spot Light is when a focused amount of light highlights a particular section of your subject or scene. This type of lighting can create strong shadows and contrast. Spot light can add dramatic impact to all genres of photography. Artificial Lighting The most obvious type of lighting is Artificial lighting. This can be generated from a variety studio lights, and built in or external flash units. There are few genres of photography that Artificial lighting cannot be used successfully. Artificial lighting provides a lot of flexibility and creative opportunities Various Combinations of Lighting Lastly there is the combination of any or all of these types of lighting. There is no rule that states you have to live with just one form of lighting. Creatively lighting your subject is an integral part of the photographic process.

Research Prior to your trip research is the most important thing you can do: Check online for pictures of the area you are going to – Google images, Pinterest, Flickr etc Which direction do the things you want to photograph face – east or west – morning or evening sun How many people will be there and do you want them in your images ? What lenses will you need for your trip ? Do you need a tripod ?

And sometimes it`s all about luck, right place, right moment

Quick Tips: 1- Always take multiple shots and change your point of view 2- Don’t forget the foreground it creates a sense of depth 3- Maximize your depth of field 4- Use a tripod ! 5- Look for a focal point 6- Watch the sky – boring blue or beautiful clouds ? 7- Lines – diagonal, horizontal, vertical, leading 8- Capture movement – slow and fast shutter speeds 9- Golden/Magic and Blue hours 10- If there is sun on it, shoot it ! 11- Research your locations 12- Zooming in compresses images and you lose depth, shoot wide when ever possible 13- Colour – always carry a red umbrella 14- Weather can be dramatic, use it in your images but BE CAREFUL ! 15- Horizons MUST be straight 16 – Use filters – Polarizer and Neutral Density – graduated and solid 17- It’s not the equipment you have it’s how you use it 18 – Always remember to put your camera down and enjoy the view