Secrets Of Effective Landscape Photography?

[Don Hoey]

Originally Posted by dv2

As previous posters have said, I agree it is more about composition than equipment. And perhaps try not to include everything in one picture. Leaving unnecessary things out is more difficult, but will benefit the picture in my opinion.

Danny

Totally agree.

Tom posted this superb picture which is a perfect example of the above comment. http://www.worldphotographyforum.com...=500&ppuser=49


Don

[nirofo]

After reading the recent posts on this thread I thought I would have a look at my photographic notes to see what focal lengths I have used for my landscape pictures, I was quite surprised, the majority are taken between 35mm and 70mm! Very few were taken much wider than this although I have focal lenghths down to 20mm. I think the reason for this is the huge expanse of country the wider angles portray, for instance distant mountain ranges look like molehills on a 20mm, even 24mm is too much for large landscapes. At the other end of the scale I find I quite often use the 120mm end of my 24-120 zoom, I have on occasions used my 500mm lens to cram in the detail on a distant landscape, see The Old Bridge at Forss on web page: http://www.worldphotographyforum.com...500&ppuser=135

nirofo.

[RichardArran]

Essential things for landscapes.

1. Patience

2. Planning

3. Luck

4. A wide angle lens

5. Grads and a polariser

6. A good level of fitness

[miketoll]

Composition and light are the key. Choose the lens to suit the picture. I read somewhere that the art of landscape is deciding what to leave out. Personally the way I see the world I use a telephoto 95% of the time and pick out a part of the landscape, others will be attracted to the wide angle view. As the OP has the telephoto lenses the thing to do is add a wide angle option.

[petrochemist]

Originally Posted by RichardArran

Essential things for landscapes.

1. Patience

2. Planning

3. Luck

4. A wide angle lens

5. Grads and a polariser

6. A good level of fitness

I guess my landscapes have generally missed out on the first two of these
Some of my favorites from film days involved pulling the car over to the side of the road, getting out, snap, and back in the car before my passenger/other road users complained.
More recently I've had some chances to take 5-10 minutes considering a shot - but only rarely.

I have to admit the one attempt I've had with Grads proved a complete disaster. Post processing using a shadows & highlights feature is so much better. (Grads don't come shaped to fit mountians).

The polariser is probably in my view the most useful of all filters - and definitely come's into its own for landscapes/water if your desperate polaroid sunglasses can work as least for compacts (They were used in my best two digital landscapes in around Milford sound in New Zealand - unfortunately I doubt I'll be going back)

[miketoll]

Originally Posted by petrochemist

More recently I've had some chances to take 5-10 minutes considering a shot - but only rarely.

Well, if you will have three children! (I, with a little help from my wife , had five)

[petrochemist]

Originally Posted by miketoll

Well, if you will have three children! (I, with a little help from my wife , had five)

FIVE? Some people never learn!

Strangely enough, it's only since having the children that I've had the chance to take 5 minutes. My wife now has to stay behind with the kids when I'm working at a race-meeting over the weekend.

If I stagger my 'coffee breaks' on route to the scenic spots, I can just get to the circuit in time to set up. Occationally I'm lucky enough to be able to play with the camera before (and even during) the racing.

[jzhao1688]

Get a Canon EF-S 10-22mm lens to take the full advantage of the cropped sensor. Wide angle lens is also good for landscape shots