Learning Landscapes - Please post your BIG picture dramatic landscape images

[Mike Buckley]

I think I am seeing a strong foreground in all of these images...

Though I would never say that any particular style of photo requires a certain characteristic, looking for interesting foreground when making a "large" landscape such as what you're describing is certainly a starting point that can not hurt and will improve many, many such photos.

[Brownbear]

Hi Mike,

Thank you so much for posting this image (drop dead gorgeous) and your analysis... Very helpful

But I can't see how or why all the elements of interest complement each other instead of competing? And how do you see that and/or decide that when composing the image?

Thank you.

Hopefully you'll allow me to substitute the Indian Ocean for your requirement of a lake.

The image works for me because:

--the white flowers provide foreground interest and the shape of their collection leads the eye (almost
points) to the middle and upper areas of the frame
--there are many layers (foreground, line of rocks, ocean, mountains, sky) that complement rather than compete with each other
--the clouds cast shadows that make the light more interesting than would be the case when shooting in between the ideal daylight hours. (I waited for the best areas to be brightly lit and for the best areas to be in shade. I didn't have the luxury of being able to shoot at sunrise.)

Focal length: 35mm mounted on a camera with a 1.5 crop factor

[Brownbear]

Thank you to all for your replies and examples... Very helpful indeed!

Richard, thank you for the detailed explanation.

Izzie, I'm just learning the basics but I will tuck away the idea of a panorama shot in my mind for future. Too complicated to think about right now.

Paul... very helpful tips.. thank you.

John, yes, I'm thinking wider angle lens to capture gorgeous vistas in their entirety.

[FrankMi]

Hi Frank,could you give the exif values of these very very nice shots

Sure thing Binnur.

1. 2012 - Canon SX40, f/4, 1/800 sec, ISO-100, 22mm (FFE)

2. 2005 - Sony DSC42, f/6.3, 1/500 sec, ISO-100, 9mm (don't know the crop factor so I don't have the FFE)

Hope this helps!

[Mike Buckley]

I added EXIF data to both of my posts.

Christina asked how one determines that the various components of a large landscape complement rather than compete with each other. I really don't know how to competently answer that other than to mention that you need to decide whether the various colors, shapes and areas lit with different lighting complement or compete.

As for lighting, a partly cloudy sky will present some areas in the photo with shady areas and some with bright areas. While paying attention to brightness, also be aware that certain parts of the image are better displayed in diffused light (light in the shade) and other parts are better displayed using light that is more contrasty. As an example, foreground flowers are often better displayed in diffuse light. Try to get all areas lit in whatever kind of light displays each area most nicely.

Hopefully others can provide a better explanation.

[Mike Buckley]

I'm thinking wider angle lens to capture gorgeous vistas in their entirety.

Keep in mind that you can capture vast expanses with a telephoto lens, as a more extreme example. It really depends on the composition you are making, how far away you are from the primary elements, and the perspective that you want, which of course is a very particular aspect of the composition.

[chipbutty]

My first post Here's one I took over Christmas in North Wales. I rarely have the opportunity to take landscape shots. This was taken with a FujiFilm X100 which has a fixed 35mm equiv lens.


DSCF4955.jpg by Rob.J.Davis, on Flickr

[Mike Buckley]

Christina,

I disagree with your thinking that Frank's image has competing points of interest. I think it has complementary points of interest. (I think the same about his second image but you specifically mentioned his first image.)

[Colin Southern]

This could take a while for me to post them all, so I'll just post a link:

http://www.pbase.com/cjsouthern/canv...ons_horizontal

At to why they work, I think folks should be able to see that for themselves, but if I had to articulate it, all I could probably say is things like colours and lines. Start with a scene that looks beautiful to the naked eye and then try to capture that. Once you get past that point you get to the "vision" stage where you start thinking "this could look cool if I treated it like ..." (a good example of that kind of thinking is the photo below; obviously as a silhouette is NOT how the scene appeared at the time of shooting, but that's how I saw it in my "mind's eye").

[Mike Buckley]

Very nice first post, Rob!

Consider cropping the bottom to be just below the line of trees and shrubs. You were probably thinking that the sheep add considerable interest but they're too few and too small in my mind. The crop that I suggested focuses the viewer on the really attractive layers in your image, which in turn emphasizes the wonderful mood created by the sky and low-lying clouds.

[Colin Southern]

You were probably thinking that the sheep add considerable interest but they're too few and too small in my mind.

But sheep are baaaaaautiful!

[rpcrowe]

Would this one qualify for what you are thinking of Christina?



or, perhaps, something more along these lines?

Frank. both of these shots are gorgeous and, IMO, are great examples of proper use of wide angle lenses. Each shot has a significant foreground subject (people in #1 and tree in #2)

[chipbutty]

I agree Mike. This was one of those rushed shots. In hindsight I wish I'd hopped over the fence to get a bit closer!

Very nice first post, Rob!

Consider cropping the bottom to be just below the line of trees and shrubs. You were probably thinking that the sheep add considerable interest but they're too few and too small in my mind. The crop that I suggested focuses the viewer on the really attractive layers in your image, which in turn emphasizes the wonderful mood created by the sky and low-lying clouds.

[Mike Buckley]

But sheep are baaaaaautiful!

All joking aside (especially your very bad joke ), your photo demonstrates exactly the point I was trying to make for Rob. Your photo includes sheep but with far less foreground than in his image. Your composition enhances the layers (foreground including the sheep, the stone wall, the hills in the background and the sky). If you had used vastly more foreground as he did, you probably also could have included more sheep but probably to the detriment of such a wonderful composition.

[bnnrcn]

Thank you for starting such a thread Chiristina...and thanks everybody for joining and replying,it has been very very useful:-)is this a way of storing the whole thread instead of marking as helpful part by part?

[rpcrowe]

Christina... I have looked through my images and found nothing like what you are describing. Roman Johnson is IMO one of the best landscape photographers around. I have looked through his various galleries http://www.pbase.com/romansphotos but, have found few, if any images, like you are describing. I suspect that is because the exceptionally wide vista images are often not very interesting or photographically appealing...

Perhaps if you could find one or two that you like somewhere, link to those images and perhaps we can give you some pointers. Or post a few hat you have shot and are looking to improve.

Regarding panos: please tell us what editing program you are using. I am sure that one of us will be familiar with it and be able to give you a simple couple of steps formula for achieving nice panos. BTW: panos are best shot on a tripod but, with practice you can shoot a several frame pano hand held...

[Brownbear]

Thanks for sharing Mike... What I meant to say is that in Franks image there are several beautiful scenes which all could be a photo in by themselves, ie; zoomed in would make just one great image. Thinking of an image in terms of complementary aspects is totally new and foreign, to me.

Christina,

I disagree with your thinking that Frank's image has competing points of interest. I think it has complementary points of interest. (I think the same about his second image but you specifically mentioned his first image.)

[Brownbear]

Hi Richard,

I love the very first image... Yosemite reflections, and Mikes and Franks are also wonderful examples. I have a photo that I've taken before and posted before and I will find it or a similar one and post again later today.

I use Lightroom 5, and Elements 9 (mostly for sharpening) but I also have Adobe Photoshop (cloud program) that I have yet to learn. I'm sure I could learn panos but right now I'm still learning Lightroom so just the thought of panos is overwhelming as I still have a lot of other things to learn.. I recently purchased a good tripod. But thank you.

http://www.pbase.com/romansphotos/yosemite

Christina... I have looked through my images and found nothing like what you are describing. Roman Johnson is IMO one of the best landscape photographers around. I have looked through his various galleries http://www.pbase.com/romansphotos but, have fou
nd few, if any images, like you are describing. I suspect that is because the exceptionally wide vista images are often not very interesting or photographically appealing...

Perhaps if you could find one or two that you like somewhere, link to those images and perhaps we can give you some pointers. Or post a few hat you have shot and are looking to improve.

Regarding panos: please tell us what editing program you are using. I am sure that one of us will be familiar with it and be able to give you a simple couple of steps formula for achieving nice panos. BTW: panos are best shot on a tripod but, with practice you can shoot a several frame pano hand held...

[Mike Buckley]

OFF-TOPIC

Good for Christina for attending to one aspect of photography rather than being led constantly down a different path even when it's a related path, such as the path of making panoramas.

[Mike Buckley]

What I meant to say is that in Franks image there are several beautiful scenes which all could be a photo in by themselves

Ahhhhhhhhh, I think I finally understand what you mean. I think you're considering a scene with the idea that it might have various elements that compete for various compositions and, as such, the photographer's attention when considering what kind of photo to make. That's very true for some scenes and less so for other scenes. Coming upon a scene with such competing elements is an excellent problem to have.