Shoot portrait or landscape format?

One of the first decisions we make as photographers when taking a picture is to shot in portrait or landscape format. Portrait versus landscape depends much on the scene and photographic motif. The right choice of format should add to an image, rather than detract from the picture. Most photographs are taken in landscape format.

A horizontal picture usually appears calmer and allows the viewer to explore the motif and photograph, as the eye naturally wanders from left to right in accordance with people’s reading ability in the western hemisphere. The horizontal photo appears more natural to the human eye, which comprehends wider easier than higher.

Making the Image – Photography eBook by Dan Bailey

Making The Image, written by veteran outdoor and travel photographer Dan Bailey, is a 50 page eBook that will guide you towards making more powerful photographs. By exploring how the human visual system responds to the world, it breaks down imagery into individual concepts, such as light, color, balance and viewpoint.

Making the Image also explores the definition and the methodology of creativity as it applies to different types of image and image making, which can help you take a more active role in your photography.

Richly illustrated with full page imagery, and horizontally formatted, so it’s optimized for computer monitors and iPad, Making The Image lays out a clear approach to helping you produce photographs that will capture your viewer and be remembered by your audience.

Click here to visit Dan Bailey Photography or see more of our photography ebooks recommendation.

Planning your Landscape Photography trip

In this article we will look at the approach I take when planning a landscape photography field trip, I will describe each stage from initial preparation to the final image; some may be obvious, some less so.

1. Landscape Photography – Preparation Generally

I start by selecting a landscape photography location, (if this is a new area I like to study maps, guide books and normally contact the local Tourist Information Centres for leaflets, etc). I then use the 1:25000 Ordnance Survey map covering the proposed location to target a potential area for landscape photography. I check sunrise / sunset times and the suns position at sunrise, midday and sunset to decide when is the best time of day to be there. Also, if applicable, refer to the local tide table. It is always a good idea to inform someone of your intended field trip route, destination and time frame. Record the Grid Reference for future use.

For this late summer afternoon landscape photography trip I chose the small village of Croggan on the Isle of Mull. Looking at the map I could see that the sun would set behind the mountains to the west at this time of the year and I could include part of the coastline with a rising tide in the foreground to provide a lead in into the picture. Access to my chosen area was relatively easy with only requiring a little walking from the road.

If your chosen landscape photography area is less accessible then it is essential that further preparation be done, venturing into remote areas requires fitness and additional skills, the ability to map read and navigate for example.

It is always a good idea to check the weather forecast prior to setting off on a landscape photography trip. An adverse forecast may not stop you from going but at least you will be prepared. Local knowledge is a bonus; certainly here on Mull the weather can often vary from one end of the island to the other so local knowledge or having a network of contacts can be of enormous benefit.

2. Prepare Kit & Equipment

Kit for a landscape photography trip will depend on your chosen destination, its ease of accessibility or its remoteness. Typically for a full day of landscape photography work I would carry the following :

• Camerac rucsac
• 2 Camera bodies
• Wide angle zoom 17-40 mm lens
• Fixed 24 mm lens
• Mid range zoom 24 – 105 mm lens
• Short telephoto zoom 70-200 mm lens
• Hand held Sekonic lightmeter with a one degree spot
• Electronic Cable release
• Memory cards, spare batteries
• Polariser and ND Graduated filters
• Tripod, karabiner, canvas bag (to fill with stones for adding extra weight and stability to the tripod)
• Camera cleaning kit and minor repair kit
• GPS, compass, map and whistle
• Note book & pen or digital recorder
• First Aid Kit including Space Blanket
• Plastic bags for protecting gear etc in wet weather
• Waterproofs, hat and fingerless gloves
• Food and drink

3. Arrive at location

I always plan to arrive at the my landscape photography location in plenty of time then find somewhere safe and convenient to park giving due consideration to local residents, farmers etc.

4. Assess area visually – risk assessment

Before leaving the car I have a look around, make sure all is secure and nothing left behind sitting on the car roof for example, trust me it does happen. I know Croggan to be a very safe place to work, but other places are less so. Remember you are carrying a lot of expensive equipment. Having decided on the general area to do landscape photography I then do a more specific risk assessment, again this will vary depending on where you are but it helps to concentrate the mind making you more aware of your immediate surroundings. As Croggan is a coastal location with a very rocky coastline the obvious risks are remoteness, slippy rocks and tidal water.

4. Assess scene visually – photographically

This is now a crucial moment as we now need to identify the exact position from where to compose our image. I take time to look around and visualise what I want, I use the camera to view the scene with different lenses from different angles, low down and high up, trying both vertical and horizontal formats. Doing it this way allows freedom of movement without the constraints of a tripod. Finally I decided on a spot a few metres from the waters edge with some prominent rocks in the foreground. With this combination of foreground rocks, setting sun and rising tide I am happy with my choice.

View across Loch Spelve at twilight

5. Compose the image and position tripod

Ensure that all the elements in your final view are what you want in the scene. Check all around the frame, it is surprising just how often something creeps into the image, remember also that the coverage of most camera viewfinders is typically about 96% of the final image. Only when I have my preferred composition do I finally commit to placing the camera on the tripod. The location of the tripod is crucial, not only photographically but from a stability point of view; it needs to be positioned securely. In many situations I use a karabiner attached to the underside of the tripod to hang either my camera bag or a bag of stones collected from nearby.

6. Select the f Stop and set Hyperfocal Distance

Hyperfocal Distance is point of focus needed to ensure sharpness from half that distance to infinity. It is determined by both aperture selection and lens focal length. For the landscape photography image and composition I have in mind I decide to use a 24mm lens and aim to achieve maximum depth of field (depth of field is the distance from the nearest to furthest part of an image that appears to be sharply focused, it will change with lens selection and point of focus). Fixed focal length lenses have a usable hyperfocal scale on them whereas zoom lenses do not so referring to Hyperfocal & Depth of Field Tables (that I have for all of my lenses) is useful. To achieve the depth of sharpness I want I select an aperture of f11 which will ensure sharpness from 2.5m to infinity when set to focus at a Hyperfocal distance of about 5m (the minimum focus is always half of the Hyperfocal distance).

Having set the point of focus, looking through the viewfinder the image looks out of focus, to actually see what will appear in our image we need to use the Depth of Field preview. This takes a little getting used to as the preview with the lens stopped down to f11 will look very dark indeed. Here we need to be patient and allow our eye to adjust to the reduced light in the viewfinder. After time our eyes will adjust making the view appear brighter, then we can visually inspect and confirm that the f stop selected does actually provide the depth of field we require.

View across Loch Spelve, a 30 second exposure

7. Set exposure

I usually use the Evaluative metering mode setting on the camera. For the majority of instances this works just fine. However, there are times when a high contrast scene will require a little more effort and I will the use either the spot meter on the camera or a 1 degree hand held Sekonic lightmeter to check the exposure difference between the highlight and shadow areas.

If the contrast difference exceeds 6 stops I will add a Neutral Density graduated filter to reduce the intensity of the highlights, the strength of filter required is determined by the amount of brightness above the acceptable 6 stop difference.

I may also add a polarising filter, I always use these filters with care, yes they help to increase saturation and reduce glare but they can also darken skies too much. Using them with ultra wide angle lenses can cause a significant fall off in sky tone that I find unpleasant.

During this particular landscape photography shoot I had no need for a ND grad filter as the sun had set behind the horizon and the contrast range was less than 6 stops. However, I did add a polariser, in this instance to slightly reduce reflection on the water. It also had another benefit, a polarising filter set to maximum will darken the image by about 2 stops which meant a 2 stop decrease in shutter speed. For this particular landscape photography image I wanted the incoming tide to appear silky as it flowed around the rocks, reducing the shutter speed ensured that this would indeed be the case.

8. Wait for the ideal moment

All we need now is that right moment, I waited for the afterglow of sunset combined with an incoming wave to maximise the amount of water in the foreground. Before I took the shot I had quick final look around the viewfinder before tripping the shutter via the cable release.

9. Persistence

Hopefully at this point the shot is in the bag but don’t relax just yet, use the opportunity to seek out further images. A slight change in camera height, changing from a horizontal to a vertical composition (or vice versa) can all add variety and increase your photo opportunities. Only when you have exhausted the potential of an area can you confidently decide to call it a day.

10. Finally

Enjoy your photography, have fun and be safe.

Adobe Photoshop learning resources

Adobe Photoshop learning is important as Photoshop has redefined digital imaging with powerful photography tools and breakthrough capabilities. It is, in the right hands capable of creating powerful images.

There are many Photoshop learning resources available on the internet for introducing, experiencing and learning the depth and quality of this amazing programme. It is undoubtedly the industry standard for photographers and designers.

I have put together a small selection of websites offering Photoshop learning that I have used in the past, keep readily to hand and found useful. They offer advice, latest development news and tutorials that will assist you in developing your skill and understanding of Adobe Photoshop learning.

List of Photoshop learning resources

Adobe Photoshop – AdobeTV

This is often my first port of call when I am looking for assistance or ideas, Adobe has a comprehensive selection of video tutorials on AdobeTV including some excellent videos by Julieanne Kost who is a Digital Imaging Evangelist at Adobe Systems.

Photoshop Cafe

Colin Smith is founder of the world’s most popular Photoshop resource site, PhotoshopCAFE.com, which boasts over 20 million visitors. He is also a best-selling author, trainer, and award-winning new-media designer who has caused a stir in the design community with his stunning photorealistic illustrations composed entirely in Adobe Photoshop. Colin is also known as a pioneer of HDR photography.

National Association of Photoshop Professionals

NAPP teaches tens of thousands of people every day how to use Adobe Photoshop. It is a storehouse of valuable up to date information with news, reviews and tutorials being presented by some of the industries finest exponents. Although much of the information is freely available at the site it is well worth the investment to sign up and become a member.

Tutorial9 – Photoshop’s Toolbox

This is a specific tutorial for newcomers to Adobe Photoshop, it introduces the Photoshop Toolbox. First impressions of Photoshop can be daunting so this tutorial gives a very useful insight into what each of the tools are and what they do.

Photoshop Essentials

All of the Adobe Photoshop tutorials on Photoshop Essentials are written by an Adobe Certified Expert with Photoshop beginners in mind, though it covers much more than just the basics. So if you’re looking to learn a professional photo retouching technique or create a complex photo effect every step is fully explained! The website is suitable for photographers, graphic or web designers, amateur or professional that actually enhances your Photoshop learning.

Adobe Photoshop CS5 Teaching Resources

Further to Adobe’s recent announcement on Photoshop CS5 here is a list of The Best Online Adobe Photoshop CS5 Teaching Resources compiled by the highly regarded and inspirational photographer John Paul Caponigro.

Visit John Paul Caponigro’s Blog for full details.

Website Recommendation – Julieanne Kost

An excellent resource for Adobe Lightroom users, the website of digital imaging evangelist Julieanne Kost has a wide selection of tutorials to ensure you get the best from this programme.