Learning Landscapes - Another Try

[Mike Buckley]

I agree that it generally makes more sense to use shutter priority when shooting birds in flight and other rapidly moving objects. However, my recommendation to use Aperture Priority is so you can master the relationship of that mode, Auto ISO and exposure compensation. The idea that you might do so in a week or two is far more ambitious than what I could accomplish, so it's far more ambitious than what I was thinking of for you.

It's clear from your post that you intellectually understand the relationships and how your camera adjusts the various settings when using Aperture priority, Auto ISO and Exposure Compensation. However, it's understandable that you haven't yet mastered how to practically apply them in the various situations that causes all of us to make compromises such as whether to use a slower shutter speed or a higher ISO. As an example, you mentioned that when the Auto ISO max ISO setting is 3200, the camera too often uses an ISO setting that is too high. The solution is to simply lower that setting. As another example, I'm getting the impression that you're not aware of how your camera has changed a particular setting until you look at the metadata when ideally you should be carefully watching that information in the viewfinder. That's the sort of thing that takes practice, practice, and lots more practice.

Getting back to the concept of mastering something rather than trying everything, I also think you're trying to do too many types of photography. It takes lots and lots of experience to master either landscapes or birds in flight and I'm referring to far more time than a few weeks. Yet you're trying to do both at the same time, constantly flipping back and forth between them. Heck, it takes weeks just to fully understand the intricacies of a particular lens, especially a zoom lens, to the point of having mastered it. Yet you're constantly changing lenses because you're also constantly changing the types of photography.

Again, your process doesn't have to be as difficult as you're making it. If you can't be happy sticking to one type of photography, one combination of settings and the like for at least several months, my vote goes for being happy. However, if that's the case, understand the compromises that you're making. Also understand that flipping back and forth between various concerns brought on by shooting in such different situations using different combinations of settings, focal lengths and the like makes it much more difficult for people to make effective suggestions that will have long-lasting impact on your photography.

Just my opinion.

[AB26]

WB at 6800, that would give a blue tint in most cameras and if she is capturing in raw mode she can adjust it in PP.

Dave.

Dave,

When shooting Manual WB in Kelvin the higher the Kelvin setting the warmer (more yellow/red) the image, the lower the Kelvin setting the cooler (more bluish) the image.
I think I got the fine tune wrong - it is the opposite when fine tuning WB. Why Nikon does that, I have no idea.
Sorry Christina, I messed up. When fine tuning WB minus is warmer and plus is cooler. (Confusing, isn't it?)

Dave that is what my D200 does.

[AB26]

I didn't know that little meter was inside my camera. Thank you for sharing.

Hi Christina,

You know what that means, don’t you? Back to basics.

Like Mike said to you, it is better to master something than to jump all over and start running in circles.
I think you are so confused at the moment, with all the information you are getting, you simply don’t know what to apply and what to discard.

Now I am going to recommend something to you:

Set your camera to P mode. Programmed Auto. Reset everything in the menu to Auto or Normal or default. Sit down relax, have a cup of coffee and start all over again.

Pick up the camera and look in the viewfinder and read what you can see in the viewfinder. Go to the manual and find out what all those symbols in the viewfinder mean. Then you keep the camera in P mode and shoot like that while you explore different options in the menu.

Once you have seen what the camera does (look in the viewfinder) with Aperture and Shutter in P mode, explore Aperture priority. (In P you can choose the ISO) You can set ISO to Auto, limiting ISO to any maximum you wish. Shutter priority is much the same as Aperture priority. (Aperture – you control the Aperture and Shutter – you control the Shutter speed.) Stay away from the M for a while, at least until you have mastered Aperture and Shutter priority.

Take it step by step and consult the manual as often as you need to. If in doubt ask, here at CiC.
Shoot simple subjects and post images and ask questions. The D7100 is very complicated with plenty of features. Take it a little slow for a while and get to know your camera.

There is no shame in sitting down, shouting at all of us to shut up, because we are confusing you.

All of us will be more than willing to lead you step by step, just don’t give up. Tell us what you know and tell us what you don’t know.

[AB26]

Getting back to the concept of mastering something rather than trying everything, I also think you're trying to do too many types of photography. It takes lots and lots of experience to master either landscapes or birds in flight and I'm referring to far more time than a few weeks. Yet you're trying to do both at the same time, constantly flipping back and forth between them. Heck, it takes weeks just to fully understand the intricacies of a particular lens, especially a zoom lens, to the point of having mastered it. Yet you're constantly changing lenses because you're also constantly changing the types of photography.

Again, your process doesn't have to be as difficult as you're making it. If you can't be happy sticking to one type of photography, one combination of settings and the like for at least several months, my vote goes for being happy. However, if that's the case, understand the compromises that you're making. Also understand that flipping back and forth between various concerns brought on by shooting in such different situations using different combinations of settings, focal lengths and the like makes it much more difficult for people to make effective suggestions that will have long-lasting impact on your photography.

Just my opinion.

Christina,

Mike is not running you down, he is really trying to help you.

[Mike Buckley]

Mike is not running you down, he is really trying to help you.

Absolutely!

[Mike Buckley]

Christina,

I can't help notice that there is so little difference between the details of Andre's basic recommendation and my recommendation. Moreover, there is absolutely no difference in the intended outcome of our recommendations -- that you learn what your camera is doing and how to apply that information to real-world shooting situations. That can't be done until you also learn what your camera is displaying.

To put things in perspective, you already have far more knowledge of your camera than my wife has of hers and your camera is more advanced than hers. However, she doesn't need to know very much because her photographic aspirations are far less than yours. My concern is that you may never achieve your aspirations if you stay on your current course.

[Brownbear]

Hi Mike,

Thank you for a very thoughtful reply and detailed explanation. I will try Aperture Priority with the goal of mastering the relationship of that mode, Auto ISO and exposure compensation, including on BIF (exception if I see an eagle or something special where I'm not certain if it will work well). In fact on my next outing, and every outing I will practice with Aperture priority on gulls and pigeons, and fit in lots of practice. With respect to the time frame I truly have no idea how long it takes to learn a mode, so I'll just try it and see how it goes.

I'm always working on my BIF and nature shots, first and foremost but trying new things to expand my repertoire. I will limit my forays to landscapes in Aperture priority, simply because I'm living in a city full of landscape opportunities. I didn't realize that lens need to be mastered so I will add this to my to learn list.


Yes, it is likely in my nature to try 100 different things all at once but I will do my best to stick to this exercise for as long as it takes. Any new threads or posts I start will be limited photos using Aperture priority and questions on the subject, except for the odd question that springs to mind, or if I manage something special like an eagle and/or an related question springs to mind, ie; I know I have a printing question that I have yet to ask.

I think it is a wonderful exercise, and it is time for me to learn the working technicalities behind my camera. I also think I'm very fortunate to be the recipient of your advice.

Thank you Mike. Truly appreciated.

I agree that it generally makes more sense to use shutter priority when shooting birds in flight and other rapidly moving objects. However, my recommendation to use Aperture Priority is so you can master the relationship of that mode, Auto ISO and exposure compensation. The idea that you might do so in a week or two is far more ambitious than what I could accomplish, so it's far more ambitious than what I was thinking of for you.

It's clear from your post that you intellectually understand the relationships and how your camera adjusts the various settings when using Aperture priority, Auto ISO and Exposure Compensation. However, it's understandable that you haven't yet mastered how to practically apply them in the various situations that causes all of us to make compromises such as whether to use a slower shutter speed or a higher ISO. As an example, you mentioned that when the Auto ISO max ISO setting is 3200, the camera too often uses an ISO setting that is too high. The solution is to simply lower that setting. As another example, I'm getting the impression that you're not aware of how your camera has changed a particular setting until you look at the metadata when ideally you should be carefully watching that information in the viewfinder. That's the sort of thing that takes practice, practice, and lots more practice.

Getting back to the concept of mastering something rather than trying everything, I also think you're trying to do too many types of photography. It takes lots and lots of experience to master either landscapes or birds in flight and I'm referring to far more time than a few weeks. Yet you're trying to do both at the same time, constantly flipping back and forth between them. Heck, it takes weeks just to fully understand the intricacies of a particular lens, especially a zoom lens, to the point of having mastered it. Yet you're constantly changing lenses because you're also constantly changing the types of photography.

Again, your process doesn't have to be as difficult as you're making it. If you can't be happy sticking to one type of photography, one combination of settings and the like for at least several months, my vote goes for being happy. However, if that's the case, understand the compromises that you're making. Also understand that flipping back and forth between various concerns brought on by shooting in such different situations using different combinations of settings, focal lengths and the like makes it much more difficult for people to make effective suggestions that will have long-lasting impact on your photography.

Just my opinion.

[Brownbear]

Hi Andre,

Thank you for sharing and advising. I will try your exercise with the P mode as outlined, but for the long term exercise I am going to try Mike's recommendation for aperture priority to learn all about that camera mode.

Yes, I realize that Mike is trying to help me by getting me to understand the workings behind my new camera.

No worries about the WB... very helpful in fact as it helps reinforce what I'm learning about WB.

Truly appreciated. Thank you.

[Polar01]

Christina: I agree with Mike over Andre as I shoot landscapes almost all others I know that shoot landscapes shoot in aperture priority, that said I will setup in "A" then switch to "M" when I am doing a 5 or more shot pan, two or three shot I will leave in "A". One big reason for "A" is in landscape it is all about the feel of the image and this is created by way of depth of field, sharp from the foreground to the far horizon, and shutter speed, shutter speed for movement clouds and water.
One useful item you may want to get if you have a smart phone is a depth of field app it will tell you that if you are using a 70mm lens and focus on something 35ft away that everything from 17ft to infinity will be in focus, or if you are using say a 30mm lens and focus on something 7ft away then everything from about 3ft to infinity will be in focus. Whereas when you are shooting your critters, and Christina you are getting very good at it, you only want that critter in focus so your main concern with shooting critters is shutter, landscape is depth of field, if on tripod who cares if the shutter is 1/125 or slower that is landscape photography.
The image below was shot with a 16-35mm set a 16mm at .8sec tripoded.

Cheers:

Allan

[Brownbear]

Hi Allan,

Thank you for sharing. Truly appreciated and very helpful. Prioritizing for depth of field makes perfect sense. I will try your suggestions too. I don't have a smart phone or even a cell phone but good to know for future.

Aside...

I've decided that my focus for the next little while, perhaps months will be learning landscapes (as well as a major concentration on learning more about post processing.) I will learn everything there is to learn about Aperture priority and all those fancy things in my camera. While I will continue to photograph nature and wildlife to keep improving my skills and pursuing my true passion, I will limit my learning threads to landscapes. They are something new that have piqued my interest which I would like to learn more about, and I can see a world of image out there, starting by by using aperture priority.

While I know that I will not be able to stop myself from trying to photograph new things, snow and skiers/snowboarders come to mind, flowers in the fog, and a leopard spotted slug that I'm still trying to find. I will make my primary focus landscapes and wildlife, and just landscapes here, sharing wildlife images only if I need help post processing or they are something special. ie; I'm going to do my best to focus on improving on landscapes and wildlife to the best of my ability, and getting to know my camera starting with aperture priority.

Mike and Andre... This morning I had my locks trimmed, highlighted and conditioned.... My hair dresser commented that it was a good idea to bring along a book... The book I brought along was my camera manual, and I read up on aperture priority, shutter priority, exposure compensation, and for the first time about bracketing (which I intend to try)... All in good fun and just FYI....

Thank you.

[Dusty]

Dave,

When shooting Manual WB in Kelvin the higher the Kelvin setting the warmer (more yellow/red) the image, the lower the Kelvin setting the cooler (more bluish) the image.
I think I got the fine tune wrong - it is the opposite when fine tuning WB. Why Nikon does that, I have no idea.
Sorry Christina, I messed up. When fine tuning WB minus is warmer and plus is cooler. (Confusing, isn't it?)

Dave that is what my D200 does.

Excuse if I'm wrong but I still say it's the other way round.

http://www.girlheartscamera.com/2012...white-balance/

[Mike Buckley]

This morning I had my locks trimmed, highlighted and conditioned

What?! No pedicure or manicure?!

[Brownbear]

What?! No pedicure or manicure?!

lol... just 6 of those will buy me a replacement lens