Need help with Landscape Photography!

[Colin Southern]

I've been so busy with the new studio recently I was wondering if I still remembered how to shoot landscape ...

... Sadly, it seems that I've forgotten

[Jim B.]

Chin up,Colin.I'll get you started back on track.
#1...remove lens cap.

[carregwen]

I've been so busy with the new studio recently I was wondering if I still remembered how to shoot landscape ...

... Sadly, it seems that I've forgotten

This is very good. It has a negative capability that transcends the ordinariness of the natural landscape, taking the subject matter to a more elevated two-dimensional abstraction of reality.

Have you thought of cropping it?

[arith]

Got the right aspect ratio. Just forgot the camera. I bet if you put it in a competition it is a front runner.

[ScoutR]

If you give it a catchy title and blow it up large my government might be interested in it

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voice_of_Fire

[arith]

That's interesting Wendy; of course it isn't a red stripe on a blue background but a red stripe and two blue stripes on a white background. Worth every cent I should think.

[carregwen]

That's interesting Wendy; of course it isn't a red stripe on a blue background but a red stripe and two blue stripes on a white background. Worth every cent I should think.

I think the stripes are going the wrong way. Turn it 90deg CCW (or CW, I suppose)

[arith]

Yes I can see now.

[JK6065]

You might need some work on your night shots

anyway, I'm waiting for some new work of yours. I always like watching and analysing them.

[Colin Southern]

OK, just kidding

Here's 3 from last night ...

[flipmode]

Colin,

Those are AWESOME!!! The reflections are very nice and keeps it very well balanced. I'll need to pick your brain soon when it comes to night shooting. I haven't experimented yet as I'm still studying natural light. There's so much night life here in Vegas that I need to start practicing night photos such as these.

Are you just shooting with slow shutter speeds, high ISO and a tripod? I don't have an external flash so I'm wondering what kind of night shots I can get without one. Any tips on getting started would be great.

Thanks and GREAT shots!

Chris

[arith]

Certainly a lot of wood in the first, I think that has got to be cheeky, giving a blank lead in to such a high image. It is a great idea for a show, but I'm not into movement so it would have to be a light show, from blank to image 1.

I'm just being silly as usual you have a special thing. Don't like the borders

[Colin Southern]

Colin,

Those are AWESOME!!! The reflections are very nice and keeps it very well balanced. I'll need to pick your brain soon when it comes to night shooting. I haven't experimented yet as I'm still studying natural light. There's so much night life here in Vegas that I need to start practicing night photos such as these.

Are you just shooting with slow shutter speeds, high ISO and a tripod? I don't have an external flash so I'm wondering what kind of night shots I can get without one. Any tips on getting started would be great.

Thanks and GREAT shots!

Chris

Hi Chris,

Thanks for the kind words

I do a lot of long exposure work, but these are just short exposures - just a second or 2. Long exposures smooth things out; but that can also introduce problems ... (1) with yachts, if you expose for more than a few seconds then the yachts will move (especially with long masts) and (2) sometimes the water creates a certain type of rippled reflection and if you use a long shutterspeed then it just averages it out too much.

Besides - these were just some quick snaps on the way home

In terms of helpful advice, the two most important things I can think of off the top of my head is "use a tripod" and "expose for the mid-tones, not the highlights" (with extreme contrast scenes the lights are going to blow anyway, so just concentrate on getting the midtones right (if you shoot RAW - and the midtones look OK on your review screen - then chances are that you'll be able to work with what you have).

[Colin Southern]

Certainly a lot of wood in the first, I think that has got to be cheeky, giving a blank lead in to such a high image. It is a great idea for a show, but I'm not into movement so it would have to be a light show, from blank to image 1.

I'm just being silly as usual you have a special thing. Don't like the borders

Hi Steve,

I'm afraid that most of what you wrote went straight over my head , but thanks anyway! To be honest, my borders don't excite me overly either, but they'll have to do until I design something better. Hopefully the consistency makes up for whatever they lack in originality!

[CNelson]

Nice shots Colin.....Of course I like Nelson Harbour best. You have not lost the knack for landscapes. I liked the first shot as well but it would work better with a different crop and a little less contrast.

Chuck

[Colin Southern]

Nice shots Colin.....Of course I like Nelson Harbour best. You have not lost the knack for landscapes. I liked the first shot as well but it would work better with a different crop and a little less contrast.

Chuck

Thanks Chuck

To be honest, I'd just left work to head home - about 8:30 ish (again) - tired (again) - thinking that the kids will be wondering who the strange man is (again) ... and of course, as soon as I start the journey it just happens to be high tide on a calm night with georous reflections. I initially just drove past (so shot #1 is what I would have got) - but then I kicked myself in the butt - turned the car around - and went back to see if I could get anything worthwhile (only took 24 shots) ... and ended up with 3 that I'm quite happy with.

Just goes to reinforce the rule; Shoot it when you see it because the next day it'll be different.

[ScoutR]

Look, like you've still got it. I like all 3. I think the second one needs just a tad more light on the bridge though. For instance the tone on the left of the bridge looks a bit lighter to me and if it was that tone all the way across the bridge might stand out more, or it might ruin it. I don't know. It just looks a little dark here, but I still like it.

Wendy

[Colin Southern]

Look, like you've still got it. I like all 3. I think the second one needs just a tad more light on the bridge though. For instance the tone on the left of the bridge looks a bit lighter to me and if it was that tone all the way across the bridge might stand out more, or it might ruin it. I don't know. It just looks a little dark here, but I still like it.

Wendy

Hi Wendy,

Thanks for that

Is this any better? (I've had to re-work it from the original again as I accidentally saved after down-sampling (doh!), so it might look a bit different anyway.

[ScoutR]

Is this any better? (I've had to re-work it from the original again as I accidentally saved after down-sampling (doh!), so it might look a bit different anyway.

Actually, I think I like the original better. I like this shot, but to me the bridge just does not show up enough. I thought it was because it was so dark, but I think it is because of the angle. There is too much along the same line as the bridge - the shoreline and the trees - so the bridge does not stand out enough (to me) I still like it but it's almost as if it would be better without the bridge and just concentrate on the shoreline and reflections in the water???

Sorry I can't explain myself better, but lightening it up did not do what I expected.

Wendy

[Colin Southern]

Actually, I think I like the original better. I like this shot, but to me the bridge just does not show up enough. I thought it was because it was so dark, but I think it is because of the angle. There is too much along the same line as the bridge - the shoreline and the trees - so the bridge does not stand out enough (to me) I still like it but it's almost as if it would be better without the bridge and just concentrate on the shoreline and reflections in the water???

Sorry I can't explain myself better, but lightening it up did not do what I expected.

Wendy

Hi Wendy,

I would have loved to have been able to shoot it without the bridge there, but at a minimum I'd have had to setup in the water with waders - but I suspect the bottom would be too muddy. My boat would be the other option, but I wouldn't be able to keep it steady enough, plus it would disturb the water ... so that's probably about as good as it's going to get So the best I could really do was to let it mostly fade into the night, with just enough to provide a bit of an anchor for the shot, but without too much distracting detail (I converted it to a monotone for much the same reason).

How's this version?