Landscape photography lessons. Coursework: Photographing landscape photography. Don't try to "draw" the scenery with your camera

A few years ago I became interested in landscape photography. This is a fantastic hobby, very useful and able to teach a lot. I do not yet consider myself a professional in this field, but I have a few useful tips, which can be useful for those who are just starting to get acquainted with the world of landscape photography.

Why you need to study the shooting location

If you are planning a photo tour, it is important to do some preparatory research. Use the Internet to find as much information as possible about the future location of the shooting. Try to identify potentially interesting places and find out the best time to shoot - some places are most photogenic at certain times of the year, while others are all year round. Try to avoid peak tourist seasons as popular locations will get in the way of your shots.

There are some great utilities to help you prepare for your trip. Google Maps and Google Earth will allow you to get an idea of exactly how everything looks there, and in some cases even take pictures without getting up from your computer! Detailed view is not yet available for all points, but at least you can get a rough idea of the places you are going to visit.

Another great utility for the landscape photographer is The Photographers Ephemeris. This component will prompt you exact time sunrise and sunset and moon on any day anywhere in the world. Moreover - it will show you the direction in which the sun or moon will be at this time. Based on this information, you can plan your shoot more carefully.

Whether you're planning to shoot on a trip or close to home, take a look at the photos taken by other photographers in the area. This will give you ideas for shooting locations. But do not just try to copy their successful photos, have your own view of things.

Conduct field reconnaissance

The research work does not end with the beginning of your trip. While the internet allows you to plan and prepare your trip, there is no substitute for walking around the location in terms of finding locations to shoot from. Use the middle of the day for this study, when the light is too hard to shoot. This will allow you to present the shots and their composition before you go to shoot. The last thing you want to do when the light is right is to frantically search for the best vantage point.

This is the most time-consuming and boring part of the photo tour, but if you don't have an organizer or don't know the place well, it's a necessary evil.

Getting a great composition

After you have found an interesting place, you still have to decide how to compose the shot. This is a very subjective area and it's hard to give precise recipes for what's good for composition and what's bad. At best photographers it seems that the eyes are arranged in such a way that they immediately see from what angle and from where it is best to take a picture that will attract the viewer. There are a few rules to follow, but on the other hand, a number of outstanding photographs break these rules, so don't take them as dogma. However, keep these in mind:

Avoid clutter. Include in the frame only what you want to show the viewer. Most the best photos usually simple and clean. If unwanted objects such as electric poles, cars, roads, buildings, etc. enter the frame. - try another angle where they are not visible. Small objects can be removed in post-processing, but large objects will distract the viewer.

Simple compositions are usually the best.

Include an interesting foreground. When shooting a sunset, you should not rely only on the beauty of the sky. Objects in the foreground such as rocks, water, etc. balance the photo and draw attention to the picture.

Lots of boulders create an interesting foreground.

Leading lines are a great way to draw attention to a photo. Piers, docks, and roads are obvious examples, but look out for rock formations as well.

Using stones to create leading lines.

Avoid placing the horizon or focal point in the center of the frame. Use the rule of thirds as a framing guide.

And do not forget to regard all of the above as recommendations only. Rules are made to be broken!

Waiting for the light

After the work on the study of the area is completed - it's time to move to the selected location and wait for the correct light to release the shutter. What happens next does not depend on you in any way and you just have to rely on mother nature in everything.

The best time to shoot is around sunrise and sunset, which photographers commonly refer to as golden hours. At other times during the day, the light is usually too hard and flat, making photos look dull and faded. There are, of course, exceptions, but most beautiful landscape photographs are taken during golden hours.

Once you've composed your shot, all you have to do is wait for the right light. This is easier said than done! There are days (in fact there are many such days) when mother nature doesn't want to play with you and shows you a sunrise or sunset that isn't as beautiful as you expect. In my opinion, this is the hardest part of being a landscape photographer - no matter how much effort you put into preparation and planning, how well equipped you are, how experienced you are as a photographer - if you don't have the right light, you won't get beautiful photos.

Moments like this are hard to live through - coming back empty-handed after waking up at 4am to shoot a sunrise is never fun - but when it's done, little things like that are quickly forgotten. There is nothing better for a landscape photographer than when the light is good and you capture this magic on camera.

It's worth it when everything works out.

Lighting types

Depending on where the sun is located, there are different types of lighting. The type of light you use is sometimes dictated by the landscape you are shooting, but sometimes you can use different compositions and therefore lighting. It is generally accepted that for landscapes side lighting is most suitable, in which the sun is located to the left or right of the camera. This is due to the contrast between light and shadow created by directional light and adding depth to the shot. However, both backlight and frontlight, when the sun is behind you or in front of you, can also make good photos.

I often shoot against the sun as I believe that is where the most intense colors are concentrated. To do this, it is better to wait until the sun is low enough above the horizon to avoid light and sun glare in the frame. When the sun is higher - side lighting is more preferable.

Side lighting creates long shadows, adding shape and texture to photos.

The front light highlights the clouds beautifully.

Shots with the sun in the frame usually look impressive if glare is under control.

Equipment

One of the questions I get asked a lot (especially by non-photographers) is what kind of camera and lenses do I use. For me, this is a bit of a strange question - sort of like asking an artist what brand of brushes he uses, or a builder what brand of hammer he has. The fact is that neither the camera nor the lenses have a very noticeable effect on the final result. Yes, it's true that high-end cameras produce higher resolution photos with less noise, and better lenses produce slightly sharper photos, etc., but if you don't print huge prints, then this is not so important.

By the way, now I use Canon 40D, and lenses most often are Sigma 10-20 and Tamron 17-50. However, some of my earlier shots were taken with the Canon 350D, which is inferior in functionality to any entry-level camera today, but gives more than acceptable results.

Filmed onCanon 350D.

A tripod is a necessary piece of equipment due to the fact that many shots are taken in low light conditions, which leads to slower shutter speeds than can be shot handheld. Another advantage of a tripod is that it allows you to compose your shot in advance, as well as bracketing (multiple shots of the same shot at different exposures).

Exposure bracketing is important when it is not possible to capture the entire dynamic range of the frame in one shot. For example, at dawn or dusk, the sky may be several stops brighter than the foreground. As a rule, the brightness difference is too large for the camera, so a compromise is necessary. Either save the shadows at the cost of losing the highlights, or vice versa - in any case, some of the details will be lost.

By taking several shots with different exposures of the same frame, you can assemble the frame in post-processing through HDR or layer blending. For this kind of processing it is desirable that the camera stays still between shots - that's why a tripod is so important. Almost all SLR cameras have an auto exposure bracketing mode that can be enabled through the menu.

HDR image obtained from 3 frames.

Until now, the most important part of my equipment - filters. In particular, gradient filters. These are square plates, in which one half is light and the other half is dark with a gradient transition between them. The dark part is neutral gray and is designed to reduce the amount of light in that part of the frame (usually the sky). They are produced different density(from 1 to 4 stops) and are also available in soft and hard versions. Soft ones have a smoother gradient transition and are used if the foreground overlaps the sky (for example, mountain peaks), while hard ones have a sharper border and are used when there is no strong overlap of the sky with the foreground.

I use gradient filters for almost all of my sunset/sunrise photography, where 3 and 4 stop hard filters are most applicable. They balance the difference between the brightness of the sky and the foreground and allow me to limit myself to one shot instead of several that are then collected on the computer. I find it more correct to create photos in the camera than to spend extra time processing photos and getting the result I want.

gradient filters. On the left with a hard border, on the right - with a soft one.

A 3-stop hard gradient filter balances bright skies with dark foregrounds.

Another filter I use is a polarizer. The two main uses of polarizers are to reduce glare (for example, from water) and to enhance color intensity (for example, from blue skies or autumn foliage). This filter cannot be simulated in post-processing.

A polarizer can enhance the color of autumn leaves.

The third type of filter I use is a powerful Neutral Gray (ND) filter. Unlike gradient filters, it is all dark and reduces the intensity of light throughout the field of the frame, and not in separate places. An ND filter is usually used to use a slower shutter speed than the available light will allow. This is especially useful for shooting flowing water, as long exposures give the water a smoother, ethereal look that many photographers love.

ND filters are available in various strengths, usually up to 3 stops (they reduce the amount of light entering the matrix by 8 times). However, much stronger filters are also produced, such as the B+W ND110. This is a 10 stop filter and it reduces the amount of light by 1000 times! Such a strong filter gives some creative options for shooting in lighting conditions where the light is usually too harsh for landscape photography, especially with moving clouds and flowing water in the frame.

Lake Hayes, Queenstown. Shot with 10-stopND filter on a sunny day.

The use of a 10-stop ND filter allows you to shoot dawn with long exposures.

post-processing

Since I shoot in RAW format, all my pictures are post-processed, to one degree or another. RAW frames contain raw, uncompressed information received by the camera. In contrast, the JPEG format involves conversion and post-processing (sharpness, saturation, contrast, and other parameters) in the camera. So when people brag about their photos "straight from the camera" and "no processing" - it usually means that they shot in JPEG and left the processing of photos to the camera's automation. While this is by far the most convenient option, and for some types of photography where you want to get shots quickly, it's essential, but I think it's best to have control over how your shots are processed.

The main benefit of shooting in RAW is that you get more information to work with. After converting an image to JPEG format, a lot of information is lost forever, and the RAW file contains all the information that the camera was able to get. This gives you more freedom to adjust exposure and other settings, allowing you to process the file in a variety of ways. This can come in handy when your processing skills improve (or better software tools become available) and you want to re-process old photos. RAW files are sometimes referred to as "digital negatives".

The degree of post-processing is determined by your personal taste. Some prefer minimal processing such as sharpening, noise reduction, and minor enhancements to contrast, curves, and saturation. Others prefer to use their artistic vision to give their photos a surreal look (this is especially the case for many HDR enthusiasts). Personally, I prefer to let the natural light speak without interrupting it with post-processing. However, if the natural light was too average or I'm in a creative mood, I can use other processing techniques. Most of my shots are in the minimally processed category.

Good light minimizes the need for handling.

A more creative look with post-processing.

Summary

Taking good landscape photos is easy if you do it smartly. In essence, it is enough to come to the right place at the right time and, knowing a few simple tricks, take a picture. The most important thing is to get out of the house more often and take pictures. The best way to learn something is to make mistakes, and don't forget to have fun filming!

In photography, a landscape is not just shooting views and not a protocol-accurate reproduction of one or another corner of nature. No wonder they say that a landscape photographer should be not so much a botanist as a poet! And if we are talking about creating an artistic photograph, we have the right to demand from its author an accurate selection of material, fidelity in understanding the material and the meaning of artistic creativity. Truthfulness, poetry, picturesqueness of the photographic image (Ivanov - Alliluev, 1971).

An artistic landscape created by means of photography should evoke the same deep feelings in the viewer as a landscape made by means of painting. And there are many such works that meet these high requirements in photography (Ivanov - Alliluev, 1971; Levkina, 2013).

Modern landscape photography is very diverse. The landscape has been preserved and is developing, in which its authors follow the examples of classical examples of painting. Here, of course, one cannot speak of thoughtless imitation and simple repetition of the techniques and effects found by the painters. Photography does not lose its independence, the specific features of modernity. But analogies in plots and pictorial structures still remain, they are quite obvious. Such landscapes are interesting in that they develop artistic taste, demonstrate painting skills, and evoke associative representations in the viewer (Ivanov-Alliluyev, 1971; Levkina, 2013).

Features of landscape photography

It is generally believed that landscapes can be photographed in all weather conditions, from bright sunlight to flashing thunderstorms, and the most important thing in landscape photography is to get up early to catch the morning light, since the morning sky is the clearest and most transparent (Harman, 2011) .

The most important feature in landscape photography is the lack of science of artistic landscape photography. There is no book in the world of photographic literature called The Art of Landscape Photography. The reason is simple: the art of photography is so multifaceted and complex that this science turns out to be a metascience. As it is written in the book by L.D. Kursky, Ya.D. Feldman "Illustrated manual for teaching photography": "The main feature of landscape photography is constructive. Unlike a still life, no adjustments are possible here. It is impossible, for example, to remove a mountain slope that interferes with the overall composition, it is impossible to change the location of the whole. Thus, work on the composition of the plot is limited to the only technique of choosing a shooting point and choosing a lens with the desired focal length. There may be many of these points, and each of them has its own peculiarity, its own individuality. Each landscape has several plans: near, far and medium. Their appearance is associated with a reduction in the scale of objects receding into the depths of space, towards the horizon line. Comparison of the scales of linear forms is the linear perspective of a photographic image (Belov, 2012).

Lighting is an essential part of taking a picture. Light is one of the most defining sources of our sensations. It is considered as the main means of creating an artistic photographic work (Dyko, 1977).

The individuality of a landscape depends mainly on the unity and integrity that a well-chosen lighting effect gives to nature (Belov, 2012; Dyko, 1977; Wade, 1989).

Light makes it possible to see the real-existing world. Wherein important role plays the originality and attractiveness of lighting, as it happens at different times of the day: at dawn, in the morning, at noon, in the afternoon, during sunset. Also, the time of year, temperature, landscape of the area are important when photographing. As a result, we can conclude that a landscape photographer has a lot of unusual and difficult to solve problems (Belov, 2012).

First of all, the following paradox awaits him: being directly at that point in space from where a stunning landscape opens, a person with a camera experiences a powerful, versatile influence of the surrounding nature. His gaze simultaneously covers 180 degrees of perspective, and if he looks around, then all 360. In a photograph, the perspective, as a rule, is limited to 60 degrees with a typical lens focal length of 28 mm (Ilyinsky, Petunina, 1993; Belov, 2012) .

Secondly, the photographer is affected by visual, sound and olfactory images. Something is constantly happening around: birds sing, flowers smell, the stream murmurs, the wind blows. Tactile sensations also play an important role in general perception: under our feet we feel sharp stones, tree roots and other uneven landscapes, we can touch the rough or smooth bark of trees, we can roll a snowball out of snow in our palms (Wright, 2010; Wade, 1989).

The materiality of the landscape is clearly visible in the foreground, the texture is clearly visible a meter or two from the photographer: blades of grass, stones, leaves of trees are drawn in detail. The paradox lies in the fact that instead of this multitude of delightful perceptions and sensations, the photographic result will be some kind of banal photograph or a flat picture on the monitor, conveying only a small part of everything that was felt at the moment of shooting (Belov. 2012; Morozov, 1985).

Another of the great difficulties that the landscape photographer faces is the disappearance of the third coordinate. In the landscape, the depth of space, as a rule, is many kilometers! And in the picture, the image is flattened, it becomes two-dimensional. How to restore a three-dimensional picture of nature? Linear perspective will help us with this (Lapin, 2005).

Perspective comes from the Latin word perspicere, to look through. The patterns of linear perspective were developed by many Renaissance artists. These include Leonardo da Vinci and Albrecht Dürer. For example, Leonardo da Vinci established the basic patterns of image reduction. The science of depicting spatial objects on a plane or any surface in accordance with those apparent reductions in their size, changes in the outlines of the form and light-and-shadow ratios that are observed in nature. In other words, this is: a way of depicting three-dimensional bodies, conveying their own spatial structure and location in space.

Fig.19.

Fig.20.

The perspective of how science appeared in the Renaissance, since at that time the realistic trend in the visual arts flourished. The created system for transmitting the visual perception of spatial forms and the space itself on the plane made it possible to solve the problem facing architects and artists. Many of them used glass to determine the perspective, on which they circled the correct perspective image of the required objects (Lapin, 2005).

AT fine arts and photography, various uses of perspective are possible, which is used as one of the artistic means that enhance the expressiveness of images. Depending on the purpose of the perspective image, perspective includes the following types: direct linear perspective, reverse linear perspective (Morozov, 1985).

Direct linear perspective. A kind of perspective calculated from a fixed point of view and assuming a single vanishing point on the horizon line. Subjects scale down proportionately as they move away from the foreground. Direct perspective has long been recognized as the only true reflection of the world in the picture plane. Taking into account the fact that linear perspective is an image built on a plane, the plane can be located vertically, obliquely and horizontally, depending on the purpose of perspective images (Fig. 21) (Kursky, Feldman, 1981).

Fig.21.

"Birch Grove".

An example of the transfer of space in this photo is represented by a linear perspective. The path in the birch grove and the ditch decreases and narrows proportionally as it moves away from the foreground. Trees also get smaller as they get further away.

Reverse linear perspective. A type of perspective used in Byzantine and Old Russian painting, in which the depicted objects appear to increase as they move away from the viewer, the picture has several horizons and points of view, and other features. When depicted in reverse perspective, objects expand as they move away from the viewer, as if the center of the vanishing lines is not on the horizon, but inside the viewer himself. The reverse perspective forms an integral symbolic space, oriented towards the viewer and suggesting his spiritual connection with the world of symbolic images. Since under normal conditions the human eye perceives an image in direct rather than reverse perspective, the phenomenon of reverse perspective has been studied by many specialists (Fig. 22) (Belov, 2012; Levkina, 2013).

Fig.22.

What role does perspective play in photography? Linear perspective - plays a huge role in the work of the photographer. In photography, to obtain a linear perspective in a picture close to real, lenses with a focal length approximately equal to the diagonal of the frame are used. To enhance the effect of linear perspective, wide-angle lenses are used, which make the foreground more convex, and to soften, long-focus lenses are used, which equalize the difference in the sizes of far and near objects (Lapin. 2005).

Despite the two-dimensional nature of photography, the sense of volume in a photograph influences its perception, so it is important to use perspective techniques to achieve a three-dimensional perception of a photograph (Lapin, 2005).

There are several ways in which linear perspective manifests itself in a photograph. All of them are based on the composition of a photograph and the features of human vision (Lapin, 2005; Morozov, 1985).

One of the obvious laws of linear perspective is that objects appear smaller as we get further away from them. To learn how to apply this law, it is enough to find a shooting location with repeating objects, for example: a row of trees, poles or a long wall, steps and railings of stairs in parks (Fig. 23) (Belov. 2012).

Fig.23.

In order for linear perspective to show itself in the picture, you need to get very close to the first object in this row so that it seems huge in the photo. If this effect is achieved, the rest of the objects in the repeating row will appear much smaller, which will enhance the impression of depth (Fig. 24) (Lapin, 2005; Belov, 2012).

Fig.24.

Another method of expressing perspective is to use lines extending deep into the image to convey volume in the image. Objects that form two converging lines (such as a railroad) work well for this method. To enhance this effect, you need to choose a low shooting point. At the bottom of the survey, the lines will appear very wide and tend sharply into the depth of the image towards the vanishing point (Fig. 25) (Harman, 2011; Wade, 1989).

Rice. 25.

One of the best ways to show linear perspective in a photo is to include objects of various sizes. For example, from a particular point of view, people in the photo will appear very small, and if they are standing at the foot of a mountain, then the viewer will understand how huge this mountain is. In the same way, you can use trees, animals, cars or other objects, the relative size of which is very different compared to mountains or other spacious landscape (Kursky, Feldman, 1981, 1991).

All these methods are the result of the photographer's observation. AT real life linear perspective is perceived through distance. If you use different plans in a photograph, emphasizing that one of the objects is closer to the camera and the other is farther away, then the picture will seem three-dimensional (Belov. 2012; Lapin, 2005).

Based on the foregoing, we can draw the following conclusion: it is required to select the composition of shots in such a way that a reduction in these dimensions is noticeable in the frame. A good way to emphasize the expressiveness of the depth of space is to use a wide-angle lens, while the degree of reduction of objects in the frame increases dramatically: the tree in the background is already sharply reduced in size, and in the third plan the object completely turns into a dot. This phenomenon creates the illusion of remoteness and depth of space (Morozov, 1985; Belov. 2012; Dyko, 1977).

The next technique for photographing a landscape is to use the possibilities of color-tonal perspective, color (Wade, 1989).

Each of us is familiar with a natural phenomenon when, along with a decrease in the shape of objects (with an increase in the distance between the object and the observer), color contrasts also decrease. Modern photographic art has reached such perfection that its best works, deep in thought, original in visual solutions, have acquired the features of genuine artistry. These works give grounds to talk about the original handwriting of photo artists, about the style of their work, about searches in the field of artistic creativity and about such an important category visual arts, like color (Buimistru, 2010; Ivanov-Alliluev, 1971).

The concept of “color” came to photography from painting, where color is understood as the nature of the relationship of all the color elements of the picture, the consistency of colors and their shades. The external expression of color is the picturesqueness and colorfulness of color combinations. But the meaning of color solutions is in their use to express content, main idea author. Therefore, the appearance of certain colors and tones on the picture plane is always motivated and expedient, and they are used for a truthful, expressive, emotionally impressive depiction of reality. Exactly at

in this sphere, the true beauty of color, its artistic value, is born (Buimistru, 2010).

The photographer works on the coloring of color photographs in a completely different way than the artist-painter. But the goal before them is the same, and the final result obtained by various means has much in common. Both the photographer and the artist strive to convey the truth of life, to reveal the topic in a picturesque and expressive way. Both operate with colors, achieve color harmony, richness and consistency of color shades (Ivanov-Alliluyev, 1971).

Colors and tones of the subject of shooting does not require any special evidence for the assertion that the colors and tones of the selected subject are the basis for the coloring of the future photographic image (Wright, 2010; Wade, 1989).

The chain of mountains (Fig. 26, 27, 28) on the horizon seems to be a bluish color transition to the sky, on the contrary, bright colors, and especially the contrasts of light and dark, prevail next to the observer. When removed, the color "shrinks" as it were, giving something like the main mood of the picture. For example, look at a tree: due to the color, its crown seems almost uniform, although individual detailed forms become more and more distinct. If we squint our eyes a little, these detailed shapes will become clearer and there will be stronger contrasts of light and dark. Our eye brings the big picture closer. The same happens when studying a landscape, in which, with increasing depth of space, a light blue color in the distance mixes into all color vales (color refraction with blue and white) (Buimistru, 2010; Wade, 1989).

Fig.26.

Fig.27.

Rice. 28.

It turns out that with the help of color and geometric constructions on the plane of the picture, you can depict the whole space (Belov, 2012).

As mentioned above, in the section on perspective, objects get smaller as distance increases. It turns out that objects also lose their color brightness; it seems that objects in the distance are shrouded in a blue mist. As you get closer to the viewer, the color contrasts become stronger, the contrasts of light and dark are more clearly defined, additional contrasts "suppress" the contrasts of warm and cold tones. It follows from this that red, orange, yellow (warm colors) colors act as optical approximations. Cold greens, blues are like neutrals, and blues are like distant ones. Therefore, the blue sky or dove-gray distances are always perceived as distant objects, greenery steadily occupies the middle plan, but what to place in the foreground needs to be thought out with. It can be red and brown stones, red

or yellow flowers or other objects in the named color scheme. It turns out the foreground is warm, the middle is neutral, and the back is cold (Buimistru. 2010, Belov. 2012).

But the most defining thing here is the observation of the corresponding image situation, due to a uniform change in brightness, for example, the transition from blue to white, an additional impression of spatial depth in the frame appears. Remoteness (Belov, 2012; Morozov, 1985).

From the above, we can conclude that tonal perspective is one of the important means of conveying space in a photograph and at the same time an important component of the overall color of a photographic work. So landscapes do not turn out flat, but rather seem more voluminous. The depth of space appears (Dyko, 1977; Buimistru, 2010).

Good lighting is also of great importance for the beauty of the frame. This raises the problem of exposure metering, so for safety

complex landscapes, which have a huge brightness latitude, need to be shot with correction: first with the correct exposure, and then, just in case, with two overexposures and two underexposures. For some reason, amateur photographers like to shoot landscapes from 11 am to 3 pm in midday lighting. The sun at the same time is almost vertically above the head of the photographer and provides the most unfavorable illumination of the landscape. Professionals shoot only in the morning light - from 7 am to 11 am or in the evening from 3 pm to 7 pm (at these hours the sun gives beautiful side lighting) (Kharman, 2011; Morozov, 1985).

Impressively effective is the backlighting that occurs with the oncoming rays of the setting sun. In order to correctly set the shutter speed of the aperture, the exposure meter is covered with some object - let it capture the rest of the space, except for the sunbeam (Morozov, 1985; Wright, 2010; Wade, 1989).

Conclusion: the competent use of light by a photographer can create a masterpiece from shooting the most ordinary landscape, and inept use can ruin beautiful landscapes. Light expresses the mood of nature, which is easily transmitted to the viewer. Bright sunlight gives a joyful mood, cloudy weather causes minor feelings and thoughtfulness, and diffused light in the fog evokes a pleasant feeling of mystery (Belov, 2012).

In addition to all of the above, in the landscape, as in any other genre of photography, the composition of the frame is of great importance. To create a harmonious composition of the frame, you must, first of all, choose a good shooting point or move the camera a little to the side in order to achieve some unexpected effect by capturing new objects in the frame. The basic rules of composition are based on the peculiarities of the gaze of a person, a viewer, who moves across the frame from left to right, stopping before the edge. The main rules are highlighting the main thing in the frame. Before you take a picture, you need to calmly consider the landscape and choose the main object on which the photographer's attention is focused. The photographer determines for the Saami what images and phenomena in the life of nature he should convey to the viewer (Levkina, 2013; Dyko, 1977).

The rule of the golden section. This rule was used even by the builders of the Egyptian pyramids. It is based on that. That certain points in a picture composition automatically attract the attention of the viewer. Regardless of its image format. There are four such points and they are located at a distance of 3/8 and 5/8 from the corresponding edges of the frame (Fig. 29, 30) (Belov, 2012; Kursky and Feldman, 1981).

Rice. 29.

Rice. thirty.

According to the golden section rule, you need to place lines and objects not in the middle of the frame. And a little on the side. When applying the rule of the golden section, it is necessary to remember the horizon line. Which should be on one of the lines of horizontal thirds: top or bottom. This rule is called the "rule of thirds" (Fig. 31) (Belov, 2012; Kursky, Feldman, 1981).

Rice. 31.

The horizon line in this photo is at the top of the horizontal thirds. The horizon line should not divide the image into two equal parts. It is necessary to compose the frame so that the sky occupies either one third or two thirds of the frame. The ideal ratio of sky and landscape proportions is 1:2, but it is necessary to remember about exceptions (Lapin, 2005; Belov. 2012).

Diagonal rule. This rule states that the important elements of the image should be set along the diagonals of the frame. The viewer's eye does not move parallel to the edges of the frame, but diagonally. Consequently, the arrangement of individual lines of the scene along the diagonals is perceived harmoniously and allows you to link the contents of the frame (Dyko, 1977; Levkina, 2013).

Diagonals are "ascending" and "descending". Ascending diagonals are directed from the lower left corner to the upper right and carry an optimistic meaning, hope and development (Fig. 32). Descending diagonals, directed from the upper left to the lower right corner, carry a pessimistic attitude, a sense of completeness (Fig. 33) (Dyko, 1977; Levkina, 2013; Belov, 2012).

Rice. 32.

"Beginning of life"

Rice. 33.

"Janhot. Road to the sea"

Rice. 34.

Diagonals are represented by mountain slopes.

The main feature of mountain landscapes is that there are more than enough natural diagonals in the mountains (Fig. 34) (Belov, 2012).

If you look around, you can see that the world around us is filled with horizontal-vertical axes, which is why it is so important and necessary to break this boring order (Fig. 35) (Belov. 2012).

Rice. 35. Frame Diagonal Rule. Rising Diagonal. "A family"

At first glance, landscape photography is a very simple type of photography. It seems that it is enough just to go outside with the camera, choose a worthy object and press the shutter button. However, after seeing your first footage, you may be disappointed. Find out below about what to pay attention to when shooting landscapes and how to get great shots.

Landscape lens

Let's start with the fact that there are no lenses designed exclusively for landscape photography. A picture taken with a long-focus lens has less geometric distortion, but, unfortunately, a smaller viewing angle. Short-focus (wide-angle) optics are suitable when you need to get a larger viewing angle, depth of perspective transmission, or build a panoramic image. At the same time, the geometric perspective distortions inherent in such lenses can be used as an artistic effect. For landscape photography, you can purchase wide-angle prime lenses such as 14mm or 18mm. An alternative and cheaper option would be to purchase a zoom lens (10-20mm, 12-24mm, 18-35mm). Finally, a kit lens (18-55mm) can also be used, which gives you more flexibility in choosing your subject and is a great choice for a beginner photographer.

It should be noted that lenses designed for narrow format cameras have a focal length scale in terms of the angle of view for a standard 35 mm film frame. Therefore, in order to estimate the angle of view of a lens for your digital camera, it is necessary to take into account its crop factor .

Light filters

In addition to the lens, you will need filters for landscape photography. They will greatly improve your pictures. For landscape photography, it is best to use gradient and polarizing filters.

A gradient filter whose top is darkened and the bottom is completely transparent. Gradient filter allows you to reduce the brightness of a washed out, inexpressive sky or emphasize its texture in cloudy weather.

A polarizing filter is used when you need to highlight the blue sky, clouds against its background, or emphasize the reflections in the water.

When choosing filters, it is important to keep in mind that their use on ultra wide-angle lenses (18 mm or less) can lead to an undesirable effect of uneven frame illumination and vignetting.

Composition

Before you start shooting, you need to remember the basic rules for building a composition. Try not to position the horizon exactly in the middle of the frame. It is desirable to build the composition in such a way that it is closer to the upper or lower third of the frame. Avoid the central layout of the objects you are focusing on. Since ancient times, the rules have been well known, according to which an object located near the point of the "golden section" has the most harmonious perception. Having mentally divided the frame into three equal parts with two vertical and two horizontal lines, compose your frame so that the accented object is in the area of one of the points of their intersection. If there are several such objects, never place them on the same line.

When shooting a landscape, divide the frame into three well-defined shots - front, middle and back. With this construction of the composition, your picture will acquire the necessary volume.

Light

Watch out for lighting. The most favorable time for shooting is before 10 am and after 5 pm (in autumn and winter, these boundaries naturally narrow). At this time, the lighting is the softest and most even. Use a polarizing filter to expose clear, cloudless skies. With it, you can achieve a deep and soft gradient, from light smoky to deep, velvety shades (Photo 1).

Use a gradient filter to reduce the brightness of overcast, colorless skies and bring out the texture of clouds. This will give your picture extra dimension. When blue sky fragments are turned on in a cloud break, the effect of the gradient filter on them will be equivalent to the effect of the polarizing filter (Photo 2).

Try not to overload your frame with unnecessary details. Sometimes the simplest composition can add volume to a frame. For example, in this frame (Photo 3), with the help of people, it was possible to revive the composition, and with the help of just one detail - a stone in the foreground, arranged near the point of the "golden section", - to achieve volume.

Feel free to experiment with metering, especially in difficult lighting conditions. In landscape photography, maximum depth of field is very important, so when shooting handheld, it is preferable to set the aperture to F8-11, and if you have a tripod, you can reduce it to F22.

panoramas

Finally, practice shooting panoramas. Here you should be guided by several rules. All future frames of your panorama should have the same scale of the subject being photographed, so do not focus closer or further than it. The aperture value should be left constant. Frames need to be done with some overlap on each other. Otherwise, due to the lack of information at the edges of the frames, the panorama stitching program will not be able to assemble the final image. You can use your camera's bracketing feature to avoid exposure errors.

As an example (Photo 4), we can cite a panorama assembled from two frames with a relative aperture of F8 and a lens focal length of 28 mm. At the same time, the lens was focused to infinity, and the shutter speed for all frames was 1/125 second.

Before this post, I only wrote about travel, but today I will break the tradition and share with the readers of LiveJournal a small article about shooting landscapes, which I wrote for one of the photo magazines.
I didn’t explain in detail all the nuances and load photo terms, so I explained in simple language what aspects need to be taken into account in the process of shooting and in preparation for it.

The landscape theme is closest to me, so I want to talk about shooting in this genre in my article.
I must say right away that I have never studied this craft anywhere, I do not have a diploma of a graduate of a photography school. Everything came by itself. I bought my first DSLR three and a half years ago and still use it today. During this time, I managed to take several dozen good shots and write more than 50 photo essays. Someone even thinks that I can shoot masterpieces, but from the outside, you probably know better.

Unfortunately, I don’t have so many opportunities and free time to travel yet, but at the first opportunity I try to break out of the web of everyday life somewhere far away from the city into nature, taking my camera with me. First of all, I'm going to relax my soul, unload emotionally and be distracted. I have no thoughts in my head to shoot a masterpiece at all costs, rather, on the contrary, it seems to me that before that I had already given out the maximum of my capabilities and there will never be a better shot than before.
Very often we travel with the whole family or with friends...

Childhood spent in the summer in the countryside, apparently, left an imprint in my mind, so I shoot many of my landscapes in the Russian outback. I really like the greatness and diversity of Russian nature, the monuments of wooden architecture of extraordinary beauty, remote and half-abandoned villages and rickety huts and fences familiar to every Russian person ...
These pictures really impress me!

Professionals, on the other hand, believe that the "landscape" genre does not quite suit many of my photographs: some sites, as well as the organizers of most photo contests, define my pictures in the "architecture" or "cultural heritage" section. But I photograph what is close to me and pleases the eye, and it doesn’t matter to me what genre it is called. I would call my work simply "Photo for the Soul".

To the traditional question: "How is it filmed?" I can talk long and hard, but in the format of this publication, I would like to briefly go over the main points that allow me to take good photos.

Getting ready to shoot

I did not take a single more or less decent shot by accident. All my travels and short outings are well planned and prepared...
The most important aspect in landscape photography, I think, is the choice of shooting location (the so-called location). You can take as many pictures of a beautiful view of the park from the window as you want, trample the shore of a nearby lake in search of the perfect shot, or shoot a sunset near the nearest grove. You may be able to make a few good photos, but you will receive the most beautiful works only by moving in time and space.

AT school years I was seriously involved in orienteering, participated in all-Russian and international competitions, and along the way was also involved in tourism, so I am relatively well versed in maps. This helps me a lot in choosing a location and preparing a route. I would even say that studying maps and terrain is a hobby of photography.
The current possibilities of the Internet are truly limitless, so all ideas are born after studying information from the worldwide network.

On the maps Google maps, Google Earth, Wikimapia, Panoramio (dead to die) - I look at photographs and unique places from satellites. On many roads, by the way, in Google maps you can "ride" in a virtual machine and preview the surroundings in advance. I look for interesting notes and articles on popular sites for photographers, travel forums, as well as in networks. There is a lot of information about the monuments of wooden architecture on the Sobory.ru website. Separately, I would like to mention reserves, national and natural parks. These territories, by definition, should be of interest to landscape painters. I put all the information received together and get the best route.

To get to some locations, it is sometimes necessary to provide additional means of transportation, such as a boat, bicycle or skis.
If possible, it is better to visit the object before shooting, conduct reconnaissance and "try on" angles - this will not be superfluous.
I visit both objects of "pilgrimage" for photographers and places where photographers have not yet reached. I like the second option a lot more, because the output is often an unexpectedly pleasant result and always a unique picture. In those areas where dozens or hundreds of shots have already been taken before me, I try to approach shooting outside the box and bring something of my own to the picture.

Choosing the Time to Shoot

This is the second point I would like to talk about. I take most of my shots during the so-called "regime" time: about an hour after dawn and an hour before sunset. Soft and warm light gives the image richness and saturation of colors and details the texture of objects. Transitions between bright and dark areas are smoother.
In addition, in the morning and (rarely) evening hours, there is a high probability of fogs forming, which emphasize the depth of the image, beautifully scatter light and blur the contours of objects, making photographs more mysterious and fabulous.

Naturally, it is important to understand where the light source will be at the time of shooting. To do this, on the Internet, I look at the exact time of sunrise and sunset, and then, focusing on the sides of the horizon, I superimpose the direction of movement of the luminary on the map.
And, of course, the most important thing is the weather.
When the chosen shooting point is not far, it is enough just to look out the window and at the promises of weather forecasters on the phone. And if I have to travel for a long time, then I get acquainted with the forecast from at least three sources and look at the proposed map of the movement of atmospheric fronts. It helps to correct the route right in the direction of travel.
After analyzing the above points, I already have a clear timetable in my head and approximate pictures that will subsequently appear on the matrix of my camera. I must say that almost always it turns out to carry out the plan, but in some places you have to return again ...

Technical component

I shoot with Sony A65 and three lenses: Sony CZ16-80, Minolta 70-300, Samyang 8mm. There is also a portrait fix Sony SAL-50F18.
The first lens is universal, I shoot about 80% of all frames with it. It has excellent sharpness and color reproduction.
I mainly take landscape shots on a aperture covered up to f / 8 - f / 13 (this ensures maximum sharpness throughout the frame) with the lowest possible ISO value in auto (not always) focus mode. I set all these parameters, including shutter speed, in manual mode. If there is a need to get beautiful rays from the sun in the frame, you can cover the aperture and a little more.
I record the frame on a memory card in jpg and raw format, and I need the second one only for safety net, if I suddenly have to draw out shadows or lights. From the shadows, information is restored much better than from the overexposed areas, so most often I shoot the landscape with underexposure.

Forgive me, many photographers, but I rarely use a tripod. It is clear that at night, in low light, etc. conditions without it anywhere. But during regime hours, the light changes rapidly and, as a rule, it is enough for me. Sometimes you even have to run from one shooting point to another in order not to miss the moment. But I love to run and extra charging never hurts :) The tripod in this situation significantly reduces efficiency. Sometimes I shoot with exposure bracketing, but here, as a rule, I don’t need a tripod. Even panoramic shots in 90% of cases I do with my hands.

About panorama shooting

I do some of my work in panoramic technique - I stitch together several frames taken from one point with an overlay. Such pictures in the final version look like quite ordinary ones. And the point here is not at all the desire to shoot scenes for posters or get transcendent pixels, just a panorama gives volume, depth and sharpness to the entire frame, allows you to direct the viewer’s gaze from the foreground to the middle and background, create the effect of being in the frame, and, of course, gives wider coverage.

I really like photos with an interesting foreground, so I try to build a frame (be it a panorama or a single shot) from there. Stones, flowers, leaves, etc. can be used as the foreground. If there is nothing to catch the eye, you can improvise by dragging, for example, some snag.

Treatment

I post-process the frames in Photoshop Ps5. I mainly correct the shadows, highlights, contrast, saturation, apply filters and sometimes the technology of expanding the dynamic range of the image (HDR). I do not welcome photo collages. In Photoshop, I also stitch panoramas, mostly in automatic mode. Hands finalizing inconsistencies and geometry.
It should be noted that the use of a photo editor allows you to improve the frame, but the source must be of high quality. If the picture frankly did not work out, then no editor will do anything good out of it.

I am critical of many of my shots. It so happens that at the time of shooting you lose sight of some moments, and simply neglect some nuances. After some time, you begin to understand what could have been done better.
Here, in a nutshell, is all. But perhaps I missed something.

Summarizing all of the above, I want to say the following: if you are into photography, do it with soul, be creative and improve your skills. Choose your location responsibly, plan your route, study the weather…

I wish you all good luck, interesting trips and beautiful memorable shots!

36091 Improving knowledge 0

Shooting landscapes can be divided into several components, the main ones being landscape photography and urban landscape photography. The first part of our lesson will be devoted to landscape photography.

Shooting landscapes is one of the most difficult and problematic areas of photography. I will say that for me, an experienced photographer, shooting a landscape still causes difficulties. It's not that difficult from a technical point of view - just have a tripod, a wide-angle lens and pay more attention to exposure. So what makes this kind of photography so challenging?

First of all, landscape photography must be creative in order to capture the mood and convey it to the viewer. If the technical side of the issue can be described, then the creative component of photography can only be advised - you need to develop your vision for truly unique shots.

Equipment

Let's start with the simplest. Which lens to choose? While great photos can be taken with any lens, it is still preferable to use wide-angle lenses. They allow you to capture the space of the landscape, emphasized perspective, which adds depth to the image. If you are using dslr camera with an APS-C sensor, then pay attention to the wide-angle with a FR of 10-20mm; for full-frame cameras, there is a choice of 12-24mm, 16-35mm, 17-40mm lenses. The zoom lens is comfortable to use, however best quality provide lenses with a fixed focal length. In the range of EGF 12-24, a wide viewing angle is provided, and 16-35 and 17-40 provide a significantly smaller viewing angle, but they provide less optical distortion, especially at the corners of the image. Using ultra wide-angle lenses and a fisheye lens will make your shots more expressive and original. But shooting all the frames only by “fishing” will not be interesting, so it is good as an addition to the main lens.

When shooting landscapes, small apertures are almost always used to obtain a large depth of field: usually f / 11-f / 16. It is recommended to avoid very small apertures such as f/32, as this will result in poor image quality due to diffraction (an effect that reduces the sharpness and contrast of an image).

When shooting landscapes, use only manual focus, especially when shooting subjects in the foreground close to the camera.

The ISO sensitivity must be set to the lowest that the camera allows, usually ISO 100-200. It is not recommended to use the ISO 50 extension available as an option on some cameras due to the reduced dynamic range. Shooting at ISO 100, the image will be virtually noise-free, with a wide dynamic range and excellent image quality, which can be sharpened in processing without fear of strong noise. Shutter Speed: As you can imagine, the combination of a small aperture and low ISO values will give you a long shutter speed. Depending on the illumination, the shutter speed can be from a fraction of a second (1/250 or 1/500) to several seconds or even minutes.

If you are serious about landscape photography, you should understand the need to use a tripod. A tripod is the main element that provides sharp, detailed shots, especially with long exposures. Moreover, a tripod allows you to carefully select and think over the composition. Using a tripod, it is possible to use a special technique that allows you to take amazing pictures: at sunrise or sunset, take a couple of shots of the same scene - the first exposure to the sky, the second to the foreground, then combine them - you get an original frame with the widest dynamic range. When shooting handheld, it will be impossible to shoot two absolutely identical shots.

When shooting landscapes, it is recommended to use filters - polarizing, and. UV and protective filters are useless as they can reduce image quality, reduce sharpness, and increase the chance of flare. When choosing filters, it is important to keep in mind that their use on ultra wide-angle lenses (18 mm or less) can lead to an undesirable effect of uneven frame illumination and vignetting.

Getting ready to shoot

In many ways, the success of photography depends on how well you prepared for it. You need to carefully consider what might interfere with the shooting or force you to return. The more possible nuances you take into account, the more likely it is that you will focus entirely on shooting. Solve organizational issues: how will you get to the shooting location, where will you stay. If you are not planning to stay overnight, you still need to consider an overnight stay - you may not calculate the time, circumstances may change.

Dress in a way that clothes and shoes do not create inconvenience. Take an umbrella or a hooded jacket with you. Consider protecting your equipment in case of heavy rain. Have a flashlight handy. However, try to get out of the forest or mountains before dark, as spending the night there is not the best option. Get a map of the area, navigate by it and by objects that cannot be confused. It's good to have a compass at your disposal.

Don't forget to bring water and food with you. It is better not to go to distant and deserted places alone. Make sure the account mobile phone had money and his battery was fully charged. If you go by car, check the "spare tire", fill the tank with gasoline, do not leave in a broken car. Tell friends, relatives exactly where you are going (going) and the estimated time when you will return.

Check camera settings, battery charge, and memory card space before shooting. It is optimal to shoot in RAW by setting the white balance setting to auto, then you will select the desired balance in the converter. By varying the white balance settings, you can achieve more attractive colors.

Light

Light is an essential element in landscape photography. The right light can transform even a nondescript subject, while the wrong one can ruin even the best scene. Interestingly, many novice photographers believe that a clear sunny day and a cloudless sky are excellent conditions for shooting - but they are not - these are the worst conditions you can imagine for shooting landscapes. The best light is not bright, midday, but the soft light of sunrise or sunset. Shadows are crisp, colors are warm, rich and pleasing to the eye. Experienced photographers call this time .

You need to get up early and stay up late to capture the landscape in this light, but the result is worth it. Sometimes, you can get fantastic shots even before sunrise - it's quite possible to take beautiful landscape shots even at night. When possible, capture the moon in the frame - it will make it more interesting.

If you can’t or don’t want to wait for sunset or sunrise, shoot at noon - this is another strategy for getting better lighting. If the sky is cloudless, try to exclude it from the frame as much as possible and, conversely, if the clouds form an intricate pattern, be sure to make the sky part of the composition. A polarizing filter in this case will help emphasize the contrast between the clouds and the sky and make the colors more saturated.

Another opportunity to get great shot- black and white frame. A photo taken even in low light can be a great shot by converting it to black and white, but not all shots will benefit from "discoloration". In black and white, frames that are rich in textures, edges, and other contrasting elements clearly win, while others may look “flat”. In any case, do not hesitate to experiment with contrast during post-processing in a graphics editor (not in-camera!).

Midday shooting, at sunset or sunrise, is not the only time a photographer can take high-quality picture. Even when the sky is covered with clouds or in heavy rain, you can get a great shot. Clouds and stormy skies will add the appropriate mood to the photo, allowing you to give landscapes an unusual look.

Mood

The same places can look very different. Weather, time of day and many other factors affect the environment - it is never the same.

The two pictures show the same waterfall. The first picture was taken in the summer, on a sunny day - the waterfall is almost invisible, and the light is not very pleasant. In short, this is a typical shot taken by a typical tourist. The second picture was taken on a day when no one would have thought to visit this waterfall. A cold autumn day, fog and rainy weather, which intensified the waterfall, filled the picture with mood - it fascinates.

Do not be afraid to shoot in the rain or snow - professional lenses and cameras are dust and moisture resistant (you can find out from the description of your photographic equipment), and even if not, you can get 100% protection from moisture by buying a special plastic or polyethylene casing.

Use a gradient filter to reduce the brightness of overcast, colorless skies and bring out the texture of clouds. This will give your picture extra dimension. When blue sky fragments are included in a cloud break, the effect of the gradient filter on them will be equivalent to the effect of the polarization filter.

Seasons

Each season of the year brings its own gifts to the photographer, so don’t put off shooting landscapes only for summer vacations.

SHOOTING IN AUTUMN, IN CLOUD WEATHER
When photographing rain, it is necessary to stop the lens a lot in order to shoot at a slow shutter speed. In this case, the raindrops will turn out in the form of stripes that will create the impression of rainy weather in the picture. You just need to make sure that rain drops do not get on the lens. Droplets will result in blurry images.

Spectacular landscapes can be shot in foggy weather. The impression of fog can be enhanced by placing a mesh of rare silk fabric in front of the lens. To convey the depth of space, some dark object must be placed in the foreground frame.

WINTER LANDSCAPE
On bright, sunny days, the contrast of the landscape is very high, which is caused by a combination of dazzlingly bright highlights in the snow and, say, dark trees, especially conifers.

It is better to photograph the winter landscape in the morning or in the evening, when the oblique rays of the sun create elongated shadows - this enlivens the composition and well emphasizes the texture of the snow.

Snow in a winter shot should be well-detailed. Therefore, when photographing a landscape in which snow takes up most of the frame, the exposure is determined by measuring the brightness of the snow. If the snow and dark objects in the scene are equivalent from a visual point of view, the exposure is determined by their average brightness, but taking into account the greater detail in the snow compared to dark objects.

Composition

1. Rule of thirds

Good composition is an essential part of landscape photography, but it is the most difficult task. There are a few "rules" that will help you improve your composition, but you must constantly develop your "creative" eye in order to get decent shots.

The most common mistake beginner photographers make is placing the horizon in the center of the frame, resulting in a static and unbalanced image. The first step in improving composition is shooting the landscape according to the rule of thirds. We have already covered it in our previous composition lessons, but it will not be superfluous to remind. It's very simple - mentally divide the frame into three parts horizontally. And shoot in proportions 1/3 foreground, 2/3 sky or vice versa - 2/3 foreground, and 1/3 sky. In other words, create an asymmetrical composition.

Naturally, the rule of thirds will not be a panacea for all photographs, but you need to remember about it.

2. Foreground and perspective

One of the most effective ways to create a strong composition is to use a wide angle of view and place an object (a flower, a stone, etc.) in the foreground. This object, combined with the perspective enhanced by the wide angle lens, will give a sense of depth.

Depth of field should include all objects. Therefore, it is recommended to set the aperture value to f/11 or f/16.

3. Other elements of the composition

In nature, there are many elements that help create an expressive composition - diagonals are the most influential of them. Use diagonal lines to draw the viewer's attention to the subject. If you take a closer look, you will see that everything around is subject to certain guides. Look for guides and try to fit them into the composition.

Patterns (repeating shapes) and textures are other elements in the composition. It is not easy to see natural patterns in nature, but various textures are common: small particles of sand, tree bark, stones and many other interesting objects will help make the picture more interesting.

The main thing in the frame

Determine what will be the main thing in the frame. It can be a lonely tree, a rock, a mountain, a picturesque forest, a slope, a road. Using the composition grid on the LCD monitor (viewfinder), divide the frame into thirds and position the main subject at the intersection of the vertical and horizontal grid lines.

Try to make sure that there are three plans in the picture: foreground, middle and far - so the landscape will look more voluminous, and the space will be transferred better. The foreground must be drawn clearly, in detail, the background may well be blurry, hidden by atmospheric haze.

Try not to make the landscape "empty". Empty space is best filled, if possible. In the sky, this filler can be clouds. In the foreground - shrubs, tall grass, stones, leaves, branches, animals.

Do not try to put everything you see in one frame at once, get rid of the random and monotonous space that inexpressively fills most of the frame - water, sky, foliage. Leave only the most important, beautiful and interesting. Look for open spaces in the forest.

Too dense foliage, branches create variegation, small highlights and very thick shadows that look like “black holes” in the photo - such pictures look worse than a carefully thought-out composition.

If you can't find the fill, crop the image to highlight the more interesting part of the landscape. You can walk a little and take different shots - straight or at an angle, from a low point. Climb a hill, a hill, any building - from there you can take a multi-dimensional panoramic picture.
When choosing a subject, look for the main element of the landscape that will be emphasized, as well as the way that the environment will emphasize and complement it. When composing a shot, make sure that the subject fits harmoniously into the plot. For example, the tree should not grow from the bottom of the frame - leave some space at the bottom; don't cut off the top of the mountain, leave some "air".

When photographing a landscape, always pay attention to the fragments, because it is not at all necessary to shoot only wide shots. A careful look can highlight an interesting part of the landscape, beautiful and expressive details. But do not get carried away with strong zooming - here you need to maintain the integrity of the fragment, otherwise the picture will turn out to be an abstract piece torn from the general plan, devoid of meaning.

Panorama

You can use the bracketing feature in your camera to avoid exposure errors.

Shooting water

If it is necessary to photograph water, covered with ripples or a small wave, then it is taken with counter-side illumination at an angle of 35-45 ° to the optical axis of the lens.

Water against the light is photographed when the rays from the sun, hidden by a cloud, fall on the water, creating expressive brilliant stripes. But you need to make sure that the sun does not fall into the field of view of the lens.

The sea is better to shoot from a high point. Then the water space occupies a significant part of the frame, the photo is more expressive.

The surf is usually photographed from a low point with a shutter speed of at least 1/1000 s.

It is better to remove flowing water with a short shutter speed. In this case, there is a slight blurring of the image, which creates the impression of water movement.

Mountain landscape

In the mountains it is better to shoot early in the morning. During these hours, the air environment is transmitted most effectively. Cloudy weather also contributes to more expressive shots.

On sunny days, the subject should be chosen with a dark foreground, the brightness of which determines the exposure. In this case, the distances will be somewhat overexposed and come out on the print lighter than the foreground, which will emphasize the depth of space, fill the landscape with a feeling of air, spaciousness.

Side lighting is considered the best, as it emphasizes the shape of the mountains, and the haze illuminated by oblique rays creates the impression of depth. When the sun is behind the camera, the image becomes flat. When - in front, the picture turns out to be very contrasting, details, especially in the foreground, disappear.

Photographing a mountain landscape during the day at a high position of the sun brings out the details of the image, without sufficient contrast.

When determining the exposure, it must be taken into account that the intensity of sunlight increases with height in the mountains, and it acquires a different character than on the plain. With height, there is a decrease in the brightness of shadows and an increase in the brightness of light areas of the landscape. Therefore, when shooting a distance without a foreground, the shutter speed is reduced compared to shooting on a flat area: at a height of 500 m by 1/4, 1000 m - by 1/2, 2000 m - by 3/4, 3000 m - by half.

To get glare on the surface of the glacier, you should photograph with backlight.

The main question of the topic: how to learn to see beautiful landscapes?

A beautiful landscape is based on the fact that the plot unites everything in the frame and subordinates the environment to a common idea - the author's thought, creating a certain mood, emotions, and conclusions in the viewer.

Good luck to you and all the photographic!

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