Best suited for landscape photography. We shoot portraits in nature. Landscape is, first of all, light

For me, landscape photography is exactly the shooting of a natural landscape. There are many rules for shooting landscape photos, many tutorials, textbooks, but you cannot start shooting a landscape only after studying them. You must first get carried away with landscape photography, and then, evaluating, drawing conclusions, finding new techniques and adjusting the results, you can refer to the experience of fellow landscape painters, and not only photographers, but also artists. The artist creates an ideal composition, spending a lot of time, the task of the photographer is not to lose it in a relatively short time, since, being carried away by creating more and more new frames, it is very easy to lose the meaning of photography. What is this meaning. In my opinion, the meaning of landscape photography is to convey what made the photographer dwell on this particular subject - beauty, harmony, which must be preserved even when introducing a creative handwriting into photography.

Near the village of Popovka. Saratov region. The post-processing of the color of the photograph makes it similar in style to the works of the artist I.I. Composition and color tones of the photograph help to achieve this stylization. Sony A300, 10mm, F8, 1/200 second. Gradient filter. Tripod.

And this handwriting can be completely different. Remember the works of the great Shishkin and Aivazovsky. These are completely different artists, with different, completely dissimilar handwriting. However, both Shishkin, with his almost documented beauty of nature, and Aivazovsky, with his fantastic amber-emerald waves of the Black Sea, were able to put the greatest meaning in their creations, which can now influence the mood of the viewer and call out various emotions. A real landscape painter does not even need to know the laws of composition and the concept of the golden ratio. All this, even without knowledge, is reflected in his paintings. So I, when I was already shooting a landscape with might and main, did not even know these concepts, but these laws were embedded in my photographs. The nature must be felt, and no landscape painter will refute this, since I doubt very much that someone took up practice only after studying the theory. And not so long ago, when the people still had the Internet and video tutorials, many simply could not know these rules, but applied them. And about them later ...

Now I would like to start the first questions. Namely - which one. There should be no questions about cameras - almost any camera is suitable for a landscape. For those who are fond of landscape photography, it is desirable that the sensitivity of the camera's matrix starts from about a hundred units, which in this genre almost never change, since the highest technical requirements are imposed on the landscape - a minimum of noise, a maximum of detail. In general, you shouldn't get hung up on the camera. My landscapes were shot on Sony Alpha 450 and alpha 300.

A little more attention should be paid to the choice of the lens, and not so much its technical properties and aperture, but the focal length. Technical properties everyone chooses according to their goals - whether he photographs for himself in a collection, prints calendars, and maybe meter-long banners, or demonstrates work on the Internet with a resolution of 1.5 megapixels. There are several points of view and relative focal length in landscape photography. Someone claims that 35mm would be ideal (24mm for APS - C ), some think it's 24mm (16mm), while others like to shoot at even wider angles, such as 14-18mm (10-12mm). In this case, we mean focal length not equivalent, but to obtain approximately the same viewing angle. So, if we need one angle of view at full frame and crop, we need to take a 24mm lens for full frame and 16mm for crop ( APS - C).

The dispute over the focal length for a landscape is equal to the dispute over the choice of the camera manufacturer. The meaning is as you like. There is such a point of view that when we admire the landscape, and we have a desire to photograph it, some detail is responsible for this, inscribed in the landscape, and not the whole composition. Thus, if we want to convey what we have seen, we need to finish the frame only with this detail, building a composition on it. Perhaps, but not always. The adherents of this theory are close to the focal lengths of fifty and a 35mm lens.

Stepan Razin's cliff. Photo taken with a 10mm wide-angle lens on the left, and a 75mm telephoto lens on the right. In this case, it is more profitable to show the rock with a telephoto lens.

There is another theory, the opposite - the composition of the landscape should include the widest picture. Yes, instantly we can look only pointwise (in general, this statement is true only for men, who do not know - female vision has a different character), but the speed of perception is enormous, and in moments we can examine the whole picture, and not one of its details. I personally am a supporter of the latter theory, and wide-angle lenses are closer to me in landscape photography.

Popovka. The wide angle (10mm crop) allows you to convey the space and volume of the natural landscape.

These theories are opposite, but not mutually exclusive. It all depends on our taste and the meaning that we want to put into photography. A wide angle is able to convey space, a narrow one - scale. Perhaps it all lies in the psychology of perception and needs. But, in any case, when shooting, for example, mountains, we try to convey their scale and grandeur rather than space, and for this it is more reasonable to use a long-focus lens, and the angle in width can be fully preserved by creating a horizontal panorama of several frames. If you shoot mountains from a plain, that is, not directly in the mountains, but where mountains form a background, at a wide angle, then their size will become negligible, relative to the frame as a whole. Shooting directly in the mountains, you can also use wide angles to show the huge spaces between the peaks.

Stepan Razin's cliff. Datura Mountain. Shooting the mountain at a wide angle (20mm), we can easily lose its size against the wide background of the surroundings.

Stepan Razin's cliff. Datura Mountain. The telephoto lens (75mm) will help to convey the scale, namely the height of the mountain. Panorama from four vertical frames.

When shooting steppe, fields, meadows, on the contrary, it is better to shoot wide, conveying space. A telephoto lens will make the plain flat, it will bring not only any object closer, but also reduce the space. In width, the frame can capture very little space, and in depth everything that is up to the horizon, and tens of kilometers of real space will be compressed into airless layers in the photo, and the foreground will most likely be completely lost.

Popovka. A landscape shot with a telephoto lens is likely to be very flat, many layers to the horizon will be tightly compressed and form stripes. The horizontal distance in the village will be only a few hundred meters, and the distance to the horizon will be tens of kilometers.

The composition depends only on the vision of the author, and in each case it can be complete. Don't think in patterns.

Lines in the frame play an important role. With their help, space is transferred. Lines in a photograph can be roads, power lines, forest plantations, ravine edges, or hillsides. The gaze clings to the lines, and with them it is directed either to the centers of meaning, or to space. So, if in the frame there is a road leading into the distance, the gaze will certainly follow it, and the more the road meanders, the more interesting the plot.

Volsk. Osinovka. It is very easy to find the spotlight in the photo. The gaze will immediately slide along the road into the distance. The lines of clouds and the lines of electric poles will come to the same place. The road here has many lines - ruts, footprints, grass on the side of the road, and all the lines gravitate towards the center. The influence of lines is enhanced by a wide shooting angle (10mm).

And imagine that the road passes horizontally through the frame, what will happen in this case. But nothing, just throwing a glance at the image, consciousness begins to follow the road, and instantly goes beyond the boundaries of the frame. Therefore, at the level of instinct, landscape painters depict a road that goes into the distance, and does not lead the gaze out of the frame. The more lines follow in one direction, the better the rhythm is seen. Composition should not only capture the eye, but also hold it. It is best to place complete geometric shapes in the frame for this.

Popovka. The dam looks like a complete geometric figure, which will help to keep the gaze within its framework.

Now about the golden ratio. For a long time, I myself have not heard about this concept, since I did not study at an art school, I did not read manuals for landscape painters and did not watch video tutorials either. However, I have always understood that in a traditional landscape, the sky should be 2/3 of the image, and the earth should be 1/3. This creates a feeling of freedom, but if you leave 1/3 to the sky, it will immediately begin to put pressure on the composition. TV people even have an application for this science - Western TV channels shoot reports in Russia, actively using the rule of thirds - the golden ratio. Leaving 1/3 to the sky, they create pressure on the subconscious, including dirt, debris, dogs, etc. in the frame. And if, in addition, you shoot from a height of your waist, you can create such a feeling of alienation that you immediately want to flee from here. Do not believe me - turn on their channel and wait for the report. Although if the sky occupies 1/3 of the picture, the lower third will be occupied by the earth, and the central forest or mountains - the composition will turn out to be quite normal. Learn to influence the viewer.

A true landscape painter sees the composition. It also adds weight to the painting, so it is important to keep the composition in balance. Let's say we shoot a field and a tree standing alone in it. How will we build the composition. The sky, of course, will take up 2/3 of the space. The field is the lower third, while if there are hills or mountains, or a forest in the distance, we will send them to the territory of the sky. Where will we place the tree? Let's try it in the center and it gets too heavy. And if you place it a third to the right or to the left, the composition will acquire balance, move it a little closer to the edge, and the composition begins to gravitate to the side, immediately a feeling is created as if the horizon is obstructed. If, at the same time, a strong wind blows from the left and bends the branches to the right, then we can place the tree only a third to the left, so that there is room in the frame for movement, in this case the wind. Or if the trunk of the tree is tilted to the left, then it is more correct to place the tree a third to the right. The slope of the tree trunks in the photo symbolizes dynamics, as we mentally draw the movement in the frame.

Let's look at an example on a simple composition:

We move the ground down by a third, and the image becomes more "comfortable" for us. However, the perception still weighs on the tree, which has settled in the center.

Moving the tree to the left third, we get an image that just wants to fill up to the left. There can be no comfortable viewing.

Placing the tree in the right third, we get a blockage to the right, which seems even larger due to the bending of the trunk.

Placing a tree between the center and the left third gives an almost perfect composition, but let's check how the tree will look to the right of the center:

And in this case, the composition seems even more harmonious. There is space on the left - air. We are accustomed to reading from left to right, and we also read the image. Therefore, in movement we come to the center of attention - the tree. Under normal conditions, a trunk bent to the right could play against this composition, but in our case the whole tree has the shape of the number "9", and the position of the crown compensates for the blockage of the trunk.

There are rules for building a composition, but it is not necessary to memorize them. It is only important to know that a good composition is one in which viewing the image becomes comfortable and keeps the viewer's gaze within the photograph.

Now for the technical side of the issue. As I mentioned, the most commonly used lens when shooting landscapes I use is a wide-angle lens - 10-20mm sigma. The optimal aperture value for landscape photography is F 8. A higher value decreases the resolution of the lens, a lower value loses sharpness at the edges. For almost all systems F 8 is optimal.

A tripod is often an attribute for landscape photography - to avoid shaking, which is especially noticeable at high resolutions. In cloudy weather, when you need to significantly increase the shutter speed, the tripod will become necessary tool... And you certainly can't do without it if you need to take several pictures of the same place with different exposures to create HDR images.

Light filters are auxiliary tools in landscape photography. Most often these are Polarizing, Gradient, and ND filters. When and what they are used for.

It makes sense to use a polarizing filter in landscape photography in sunny weather. The essence of his work is to remove reflections from non-metallic surfaces - from foliage, which makes it more saturated and brighter, from the surface of the water, making it completely transparent, and other surfaces. When using a polaric, the sky also becomes more saturated, darkens, which makes it possible to clearly identify the line of clouds, which at the same time become lighter and acquire volume. Many authors say that the right time to use a polarizing filter is post-dawn morning and pre-sunset evening, when the Sun is low above the horizon, and using it at noon is detrimental to the picture, since the darkening of the sky is uneven. Here again, I don't quite agree. Often I use a polaric during the day, but not when the sky is clear, but when cumulus clouds appear on it. They allow you to divide the blue sky into parts - making the uneven polarization almost imperceptible. At the same time, the colors become bright and saturated, which helps to make the landscape extraordinary.

Taking pictures without a polarizing filter (left), and with a filter (right). The difference is visible immediately, the polaric adds saturation to the photo. The blue sky is darkened, which gives it depth by drawing clouds. The shooting was carried out for half or three days, at an angle of 45 degrees to the Sun - in this position the rollerizing filter works at its maximum.

But in the evening and morning hours, I do not feel the need for a polaric, since it is important here to convey the natural beautiful colors of sunrise and sunset, and the strength of polarization in such a light is very doubtful.

A polarizing filter is the first thing I buy after purchasing a landscape lens. I consider it an indispensable tool for a landscape photographer.

Gradient filters are used in other conditions. Gradients are different - according to the density of the enlightenment of the dark part, according to the sharpness of the transition from the light part to the darkened part, in shape. Most often, I use a gradient on cloudy weather to dim an overly bright sky and preserve its detail, saving them from overexposure and falling out of range. The downside is that the gradient cannot follow the shape of the landscape, and the shading turns out to be linear, that is, trees, mountains, etc. can fall into its area. Or you have to sacrifice part of the sky above the horizon.

ND filters are used to take longer exposures under equal conditions, without closing the aperture or waiting for darker times of day. ND the filter reduces the amount of light passing through the lens. These filters are also different - with varying degrees of strength and design. A filter with variable strength will become very convenient for a landscape painter. These filters are used mainly for experiments with water - shooting waterfalls, surf. In this case, the streams moving over time become more like streams of fog than streams of water.

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Landscape photography can be divided into several components, the main of which are landscape photography and cityscape. The first part of our tutorial will focus on landscape photography.

Shooting landscapes is one of the most difficult and problematic areas of photography. I will say that for me, an experienced photographer, landscape photography 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, you need to be creative when shooting a landscape in order to be able to capture the mood and convey it to the viewer. If the technical side of the issue can be described, then regarding the creative component of photography can only be advised - you need to develop your vision of truly unique photographs.

Equipment

Let's start with the simplest. Which lens should you choose? While great photos can be obtained with any lens, it is preferable to use wide-angle lenses. They allow you to capture the space of the landscape, emphasizing perspective, which adds depth to the image. If you are using DSLR camera with APS-C sensor, then pay attention to the wide-angle with FR 10-20mm; for full-frame cameras there is a choice of lenses with 12-24 mm, 16-35 mm, 17-40 mm FR. The zoom lens is comfortable to operate, however best quality will provide fixed focal length lenses. In the range of EGF 12-24, a wide viewing angle is provided, while 16-35 and 17-40 provide a much smaller viewing angle, but they provide less optical distortion, especially at the corners of the image. Using ultra wide-angle lenses and a " fish eye»Will make pictures more expressive and original. But it will not be interesting to shoot all frames only with “fishy”, 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 degrade image quality due to diffraction (an effect that reduces image sharpness and contrast).

When photographing landscapes, only manual focus should be used, especially when photographing objects in the foreground close to the camera.

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, which is 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 that can be sharpened during processing without the fear of loud noise. Shutter speed: As you can imagine, the combination of a small aperture and low ISO values ​​will give a slower shutter speed. Depending on the lighting conditions, 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 seriously interested in landscape photography, then you must understand the need to use a tripod. A tripod is a key element for delivering sharp, detailed shots, especially at slow shutter speeds. Moreover, the tripod allows you to carefully choose and think over the composition. Using a tripod, it is possible to use a special technique that allows you to take stunning 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 shot with the widest dynamic range. When shooting handheld, it will be impossible to shoot two absolutely identical shots.

When taking landscape shots, we recommend using filters - polarizing, and. UV filters and safety filters are useless as they can reduce image quality, reduce sharpness, and increase the likelihood of glare. When choosing filters, it is important to take into account that their use on ultra-wide-angle lenses (18 mm or less) can lead to the undesirable effect of uneven illumination of the frame and vignetting.

Preparing to shoot

Much of the success of your photography depends on how well you prepare for it. You need to think carefully about what might interfere with filming or make you come back. The more possible nuances you consider, the more likely you are to focus entirely on shooting. Solve organizational issues: how will you get to the shooting location, where you will stop. If you are not planning to stay overnight, you still need to consider the option of overnight stay - you may not calculate the time, circumstances may change.

Dress in such a way that clothes and shoes are not uncomfortable. Take an umbrella or hooded jacket with you. Consider protecting your vehicle in case of heavy rainfall. A flashlight should be at hand. However, try to get out of the forest or mountains before dark, since spending the night there is not the best the best way... Get a map of the area, be guided by it and by objects that cannot be confused. It's a good idea to have a compass at your disposal.

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

Check the 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 using different white balance settings, you can provide more attractive color reproduction.

Light

Light is an essential element in landscape photography. The right light can transform even a nondescript subject, and the wrong one can ruin even the best scene. Interestingly, many aspiring photographers believe that a clear sunny day and cloudless sky are excellent conditions for shooting - but this is not the case - these are the worst conditions you can imagine for shooting landscapes. The best light is not the bright midday light, 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.

It is necessary to get up early and go to bed later to capture the landscape in this light, but the result is worth it. Sometimes it is possible to take fantastic pictures even before the sun rises - it is quite possible to take beautiful landscape pictures even at night. Whenever possible, capture the moon to make it more interesting.

If you don't have the ability or desire to wait for dusk or dawn, shoot at noon 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 to emphasize the contrast between clouds and sky and make colors more saturated.

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

Shooting midday, sunset or sunrise is not the only time a photographer can take high-quality snapshot... Even when the sky is overcast or in a pouring rain, you can get a great shot. Clouds and stormy skies will add the appropriate mood to the photograph, allow 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 summer, on a sunny day - the waterfall is almost invisible, and the light is not very pleasant. In short, this is a typical photo taken by a typical tourist. The second photo 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 is mesmerizing.

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 purchasing a special plastic or polyethylene casing.

Use a gradient filter to reduce the brightness of the cloudy, colorless sky and the appearance of the cloud texture. This will add extra dimension to your shot. When you turn on the blue sky fragments in the break of the clouds, the effect of the gradient filter on them will be equivalent to the action of the polarizing filter.

Seasons

Each season gives the photographer its own gifts, so don't postpone shooting the landscape just for your summer vacation.

SHOOTING IN AUTUMN, IN PASMY WEATHER
When photographing rain, it is necessary to strongly aperture the lens in order to shoot with long exposure. In this case, the raindrops will appear as stripes, which will create the impression of rainy weather in the picture. You just need to be careful not to get rain drops on the lens. Drops will result in blurred images.

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

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

It is better to photograph a 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.

The snow in the winter shot should be well defined. 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 subject are of equal visual value, the exposure is determined by their average brightness, but taking into account the greater elaboration of details in the snow compared to dark objects.

Composition

1. Rule of thirds

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

The most common mistake aspiring photographers are placing the horizon line 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 considered it in our previous tutorials on composition, but it will not be superfluous to remind you. It's very simple - mentally divide the frame into three parts horizontally. And shoot in the 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 (flower, stone, etc.) in the foreground.This object, combined with the perspective enhanced by the wide-angle lens, will give a sense of depth.

The depth of field must be able to accommodate all objects. Therefore, it is recommended to set the aperture values ​​to f / 11 or f / 16.

3. Other elements of the composition

There are many elements in nature that help create an expressive composition - the diagonals are the most influential of these. 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 subordinated to some guides. Look for guidelines 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 more 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, rock, mountain, picturesque forest, slope, road. Using the composition grid on the LCD monitor (in the 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 shots in the picture: foreground, middle and far - this will make the landscape look more voluminous, and the space will be better conveyed. The foreground should be drawn clearly, in detail, the background may well be blurred, hidden by atmospheric haze.

Try not to make the landscape "empty". It is better to fill the empty space, if possible. In the sky, this filler can be clouds. In the foreground are shrubs, tall grass, stones, leaves, branches, animals.

Do not try to place everything that 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 glare and very thick shadows that look like "black dips" in the photograph - 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 pictures - straight or at an angle, from the bottom point. Climb a hill, a slide, any structure - from there you can take a multi-dimensional spatial panoramic photo.
When choosing a subject, look for the main element of the landscape that will be accentuated, as well as the way in which the environment will emphasize and complement it. When composing the shot, make sure that the subject fits harmoniously with the subject. For example, a 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 general shots. A close 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 preserve the integrity of the fragment, otherwise the picture will turn out to be torn from general plan an abstract piece devoid of meaning.

Panorama

Finally, practice taking panoramas. Several rules should be followed here. All future shots of your panorama should have the same scale of the subject, so do not focus closer or further away from it. The aperture value should be kept constant. Frames need to be done with some overlap. Otherwise, due to the lack of information at the edges of the frames, the panorama stitching program will not be able to collect the final image.

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

Shooting water

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

Water against light is photographed when rays from the sun, hidden by a cloud, strike the water, creating expressive shining stripes. But care must be taken to keep the sun out of the field of view of the lens.

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

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

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

Mountain landscape

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

On sunny days, the subject should be chosen with a dark foreground, the brightness of which determines the exposure. In this case, the distance will be somewhat overexposed and will appear on the print lighter than the foreground, which will emphasize the depth of space, fill the landscape with a sense of air and 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 - from the front, the picture is very contrasting, details, especially in the foreground, disappear.

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

When determining the exposure, it is necessary to take into account that the intensity of solar illumination increases with altitude in the mountains, and it acquires a different character than on the plain. With height, there is a decrease in the brightness of the shadows and an increase in the brightness of the light areas of the landscape. Therefore, when shooting distance without a foreground, the shutter speed is reduced compared to shooting on flat terrain: at an altitude 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 in 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, conclusions in the viewer.

I wish you success and everything photographic!

Where to begin

I perfectly understand that not all beginners can be surprised by such terminology as shutter speed, aperture, focal length. Nevertheless, I advise you to first study the "Tutorial of Photography" ("Landscape" is a direct continuation of it), and at the same time refresh the terminology on the "Photo Dictionary" page, so as not to return to the explanation of key concepts: it is more convenient (and more useful) than run every time on the links and back. And most importantly, it is useful not only for reading how to shoot a landscape. As I understand it, you also intend to take pictures, and not just read :)

Lens

You can shoot a landscape with absolutely any lens, from a fish-eye to a telephoto lens. And if you have only one lens with which you get great pictures, then you should not buy another one - especially “for landscapes”. And then the text should be taken solely for acquaintance, and not run to the store for wide optics to "fit more into the frame."

In general, I advise non-professionals to shoot any subject with one lens and learn to do it so that all ideas come out with a bang. For

Buying expensive optics (or a new camera) will never add skill to anyone.

And yet there are some rules to be aware of. Before you start shooting landscapes, you need to choose the “right” lens from your collection (or the right focal length if there is only one lens). For owners of point-and-shoot cameras, compacts and other cameras with non-removable optics, the question does not disappear. Their lens is firmly built into the camera, but they also need to be able to use it. Set it to the "wide angle" position, "zoom out" is not necessary here. More precisely, this is not always necessary. Next, we read together with the "mirrors" how to properly shoot a landscape :)

So, take a wide-angle lens, or put the existing one at the minimum focal length. Wide-angle optics provide a wider field of view, sharper focus and are therefore more commonly used for landscapes. Of course, at a medium angle and in telephoto (and even a very long telephoto lens), you can also shoot landscapes with not the worst result, because a lot depends on your intentions. Still, the landscape is often shot at wide angles, since the landscape implies spaciousness and depth of field throughout the field (which is difficult to achieve with long-focus optics).

We will consider all examples on a specific (and quite budget) model: the Pentax DA 16-45mm f / 4 lens. Consider that I promoted it :), but owners of Canon and Nikon should not get upset, or fall into a "religious dispute"! Your technique is no worse or even better! Let's get down to business. We are now interested in the numbers on the 16-45 lens. This is the focal length. Since I have a digital SLR, and the aspect ratio of the frame (matrix) of the Pentax is about 1.5, we multiply 1.5 by our numbers and we get an equivalent focal length (EFR) of 24-68 mm. I did this recalculation so that you can match your focal length with it. Who didn't understand: I strongly recommend that you read the Focal Length in 35mm Equivalent (EGF) again :), since only the equivalent focal length will be indicated below. As a result, we have a lens with a wide angle (anything less than 35 mm is "wide"), a small teleposition of 68 mm and a constant f4 aperture for different ends of the "zoom". As you can see, this is not the most outstanding "zoom", but its wide angle is quite decent.

What is distortion

So, let's put the lens in the widest position, in this case it's 24mm. Of course, you should not shoot portraits at a wide angle, since a wide-angle lens (even an expensive one!), Due to its design, can give (and does!) Geometric distortions, or as they say, "distortion". What is distortion?
This is the distortion of the image in the lens due to uneven magnification of objects from the middle of the lens (lens group) to its edges.

And now the same thing, but simpler: when straight lines look crooked, the central part of the image is bulging, the background seems farther than it really is, and the perspective is distorted :) Why is this happening? In any lens, in general, everything is worse at the edges, there is only one consolation - with distortion, the sharpness of the image is not disturbed. Of course, in a specialized wide-angle fixture, distortion is minimized, but even there it is still there.

In the image, geometric distortions are clearly visible with the naked eye, the shooting was carried out at the widest angle (EGF = 24 mm). It is especially noticeable how the house on the right is littered to one side, which looks more like the Leaning Tower of Pisa than a residential building. What if he falls? :) How to shoot a landscape and live your whole life with this grief in your heart? Is distortion a disadvantage of the shot? or lens? Of course, the lens is involved (and the wider the angle, the more distortions), but there are a lot of creative questions, and no one knows the exact answer.

One thing is certain: distortion is always less of a drawback than a poorly composed frame :)

Well, for completeness of sensations:

Lack of distortion is always less of an advantage than a well-composed frame :)

And already in the case of an ultra-wide-angle fisheye lens, distortion from the category of shortcomings smoothly turns into undoubted advantages :) And in general, there are pictures where in this way they try to emphasize the expressiveness or dynamics of the plot. At the end it is worth adding: distortions in themselves are very bad :) Well, they explained ... completely confused! - another will say. In fact, the situation is like this. An empty and deserted highway. There is no traffic light, but you need to go to the other side. You will, of course, go - do not wait, in fact, when the traffic light is on :) but break the rules road traffic- this is very bad ... it is better not to violate! And the conclusion? And the conclusion is simple: everything comes with experience! :)

To reduce distortion, or vice versa, to increase its effect (for example, for artistic purposes), you need to know that such distortions are especially pronounced if you shoot such a frame from bottom to top, where there are vertical lines (pillars, trees, walls of buildings, etc. .) And especially if these lines are located closer to the edges of the picture. Distortion is significantly reduced if you zoom in (increase the focal length). And, of course, no one forbids the use of high-quality optics, such as
The SMC Pentax DA 15mm f / 4 AL Limited lens, or a similar wide-angle and high-quality prime, also exists with a wider angle (and powerful aperture). Optics of a similar class are available in many other systems, but I am not able to write & aacute reviews of all the "landscape photographers" due to lack of time. There is only one common drawback of such lenses - the price hits on the spot, and not in the eyebrow, but in the eye. But even the most expensive of them cannot perfectly correct the distortion. Therefore, many people correct distortion in Photoshop, and we will return to shooting landscapes with our 16-45 / f4.

Landscape and aperture

In general, a wide angle is good for landscapes, while a focal length of 50mm and above is optimal for portraits. For landscapes, as a rule, the diaphragm is covered - so that everything is sharp, "from the navel to infinity", as is often the case with compact cameras: in landscapes there you can not cover the diaphragm at all :). DSLRs are more difficult to use (whatever they say in advertising!) - a fast lens can blur the foreground when focusing on distant objects. And not even very high-aperture, as in our case - see an example:

Landscape №1. Path to the sea.
aperture f4, shutter speed 1/2000, EGF 39 mm.

Zooming in on the image, we can see that the pebbles in the foreground are slightly blurred. Why? It is known that all kinds of distortions increase towards the edge of the lens and decrease towards its center. Covering the lens with a diaphragm, we make only the central part of the lens working. Those. we reduce distortion. These are the laws of optics. This also applies to sharpness - as the aperture decreases, DOF (depth of field) increases. I will not torment you with proofs: believers are looking for materials in the Bible, or believe everything the preacher says; atheists will take a physics textbook and find formulas for constructing optical systems and the properties of a simple lens in the optics section; photographers just trust their experience - the choice is yours :) Let's get back to the picture. Here the aperture f4 was set as wide as possible for this lens, as a result the depth of field is small and the stones in the foreground did not "hit" this depth of field - they are slightly blurred. Why is the foreground blurred? Because the focusing was carried out at a rather far distance from it (along the coastline). To "focus" on the pebbles, it was necessary to focus on them, and then everything else would be blurred - both the sea and the coastline. But what if we want to have a sharp frame across the entire field? That's right, shoot the landscape with a soap box! And the unfortunate owners of DSLRs will have to think very hard with their heads :) - for example, about how to hold down the aperture: for this you have to read the instructions, and then study the camera, and then look for where this lever or wheel for controlling the aperture is, and even think in which position this wheel to turn, and what do the numbers mean, which will change and what sharpness this will result in - in general, everything is not at all so fun ... :)

But seriously, the very short shutter speed used in the picture allowed us to cover the aperture up to 11 (in this case, all the light rays that form our picture pass closer to the center of the lens lenses!), And then we would get a sharp picture from pebbles in the foreground - to the sea inclusive. At the same time, a shutter speed of 1/250 sec was obtained, which is more than enough for static shooting. In theory, at a focal length of 39 mm, a shutter speed of 1/60 sec would be enough, but I do not recommend reaching the extreme values ​​(both shutter speed and aperture) without special need.

Landscape number 2. Path from the sea :)
aperture f8, shutter speed 1/500, EGF 24 mm.

Blurring the near (or far) part of the picture in a landscape is not necessary at all. That is why I advise you to cover the aperture even on a compact - to develop the habit called "correct photography". For a DSLR camera, this is a necessary reality - unless, of course, you want to deliberately blur part of the image. On the right, you can see a similar example, but made with a clamped aperture and focusing on palm trees and girls :) ⇒

Yes, yes, this is the same path, but now it no longer leads to the sea, but back :) But now we are not interested in palm trees and girls, but in something completely different. In this photo, both far and near are sharp enough. It is easy to verify this by enlarging the image to compare the clouds with the nearby pebbles of the path.

Here the aperture could be closed up to 11 - a shutter speed of 1/500 of a second made it possible to do this, turning to 1/250, which would also be quite enough for a wide angle. With such good lighting, it is very comfortable to photograph landscapes, almost any camera, including a soap dish on the machine, and, I think, any photographer can handle this :)

It is generally accepted that landscapes are best shot with the camera horizontal. However, as can be seen from the last two pictures, they may well extend from the bottom up! If the plot requires it (and he demanded it here!), Then with vertical (they also say "portrait") photography, the landscape looks no worse than horizontal.

What is hyperfocal

A thirst for sharpness to the horizon is almost a sine qua non for landscape photography. How to focus correctly? The easiest way to do this is by setting the lens to infinity (the icon next to the distance scale). In this case, everything will be sharp from a certain border to the horizon, which allows you to fully concentrate on choosing a composition, without being distracted by focusing the lens. However, in this case, the depth of field will be slightly less than the maximum that the lens can provide.

Here, you can focus not at infinity, but directly at the mentioned near border, so that the horizon remains sharp enough, and the near border of the depth of field moves even closer to the foreground. This is called hyperfocal alignment.

Therefore, when shooting a landscape, it is important to remember:

Hyperfocal focusing provides maximum sharpness from half that distance to infinity.

Sometimes this half is just not enough for the sharpness of the foreground. There is a simple formula for practical calculations, which, to be honest, I never use myself :-)

H = F 2 / D * C, where

H - hyperfocal distance
F - focal length (not EGF, in meters)
D - aperture number (denominator)
C - circle of confusion = 0.043 / 1500 / k (i.e. 1/1500 of the diagonal length of the film in meters, k is the crop factor of your camera).
We get the hyperfocal distance in meters.

In landscape photography, it is extremely inconvenient to do such calculations, so you can combine the "infinity" symbol on the lens scale with the division of the depth-of-field scale, which corresponds to the set aperture. If there is no scale (almost always with new optics!), Then learn to determine the distance by eye. In general, nothing unusual, everything is as always :)

Below is a table of hyperfocal distances for some cameras, typical focal lengths in EGF (for clarity of comparison) and most landscape apertures. The distance must be divided by 2. For example, on a DSLR with a 50 mm lens and F8 aperture, the focusing on the hyperfocal will be 7 m, which means we get DOF from 3.5 m to infinity. As you can see, the smaller the matrix, the wider the angle and the more the aperture is clamped, the more opportunities to capture both the near and far plan in sharpness.

Hyperfocal in meters
Matrix size	EGF	F2.8	F4.0	F5.6	F8.0	F11	F16	F22
36x24 k = 1	24 mm	7	5	3,6	2,5	1,8	1,3	0,9
APS-C k = 1.5	24 mm	4,8	3,3	2,4	1,7	1,2	0,8	0,6
APS-C k = 1.5	28 mm	6,5	4,6	3,3	2,3	1,7	1,1	0,8
APS-C k = 1.5	35 mm	10	7	5	3,6	2,6	1,8	1,3
APS-C k = 1.5	50 mm	21	15	10	7	5,3	3,6	2,6
APS-C k = 1.5	100 mm	83	58	42	29	21	15	11
Compact 1 / 1.8 "k = 4.8	28 mm	2	1,4	1	0,7	-	-	-

In this situation, the compact is best of all here (not even with the smallest matrix). A real landscape painter! I did not give compacts with smaller matrices, they already have everything from sneakers to the horizon. It's okay, these cameras have a lot of other problems :)

How to shoot a landscape in summer :)

And shooting a landscape in summer is easiest because good lighting happens much more often than in winter, and the colors are more saturated. But nobody canceled other subtleties of landscape photography.

Shot # 3 is quite typical: sharpness at infinity is especially important for landscape photographs, in which the background is as important as the foreground. But the shooting of the magnificent Ladoga landscape at the source of the Neva was carried out for greater showiness from a very low point, which made it difficult to get the depth of field from the stones (close to the camera) - to the horizon, much from these stones distant. Setting to infinity did not help: everything was fine except for the foreground, which stubbornly did not want to get into the depth of field even with such a clamped aperture.

But setting the hyperfocal at a distance closer than infinity helped - focusing on a stone in water (I estimated the hyperfocal by eye). The aperture was clamped down to f11 (I didn't want to clamp it narrower than f13-16 due to possible diffraction) and, of course, the widest angle helped. As a result, the depth of field moved to the nearest stones, while continuing to reach the horizon.

Focal lengths for landscapes are usually chosen less than standard, this provides both the greater depth of field inherent in short-throw optics, and wide-angle ("more space will fit into the frame"). In landscape No. 3 all the possibilities were used: the "correct" hyperfocal, sufficient aperture, the widest (for the given lens) angle was taken.

Of course, the landscape can be shot at a longer focus: it all depends on what you want to shoot, on the angle, on the ability to get closer. For example, I did not have such an opportunity - to "frame my legs" while photographing landscape No. 4 - because I would have drowned with the camera, and I wanted to get a larger parachutist, because he is an important "detail" of the landscape ... :)

The following landscapes are shot at wide angle. If a gorge with a mountain river (No. 5) was shot at a long focus, then either a cloud or a river would fit into the frame, because it can be extremely difficult to step back. In the mountains, an abyss often gapes behind you, or an impregnable wall rises as a block: not a step back, without a wide-angle lens, there is nothing to do here! But it can be even worse: when your shoes are torn in the mountains, things can end much more sadly than your legs shattered in blood. Yes, and you will have to break them much more if you jump barefoot with a camera over a pile of rocks, and, of course, not in order to immediately return back, but in order to take a more beautiful angle :)

It is not uncommon to hear that a photographer takes pictures of landscapes only twice a day: in the morning and in the evening. That's right, sunsets and sunrises are incredibly beautiful. But still, the main highlight is the expressive sky! Reflections of clouds on the water can bloom even the most ordinary-looking pond, in which case the midday shooting can be a lot of fun.

In general, you already understood how to correctly shoot a landscape. We develop a route, we don’t jump into the abyss, we don’t climb into the water, we don’t climb the rocks, and, most importantly, we carefully choose the lens and shoes :)

Photo # 7 tells us about shooting the sunset in the evening. Here you need to remember that the sunset can quickly disappear, so you need to select the shooting point in advance in order to determine the angle - what and how will be in the frame (and, of course, so that the place is not occupied by photographers who have come running from all over the area! :)) - in in general, be prepared.

We set the exposure right away, measure it across the sky, because at sunset we need a good drawing of the very top of our wonderful landscape. A well-exposed lower part of the frame is of no use to anyone in a whitewashed sky and without any sunset. You will learn about such blunders and measurement methods at the end of the page.

So, since this kind of lighting requires slow shutter speeds, it is best to use a tripod, or set the maximum aperture. Because There was no tripod at hand, I chose the latter, as a result of which I got a perfectly acceptable shutter speed. And I turned on the flash for the foreground to fix and at the same time highlight the impact of the wave on the stone for greater effect. As you can see, sometimes you can shoot a landscape with a flash :)

Landscape №7: The Ninth Wave :)

7.

Aperture f4, shutter speed 1/60 s, EGF 24 mm.

A typical example of a multi-plan shot with close, medium and long plan. Do you know what is the most difficult thing about this photo? This will protect the lens from salt water splashes :) A protective filter screwed onto the lens can be a great help for a photographer in such situations.

How to shoot a landscape. Tips for capturing typical landscapes:

8.

aperture f8, shutter speed 1/500 s, EGF 27 mm.

I will not list further common tips: avoid symmetry in the frame, do not cut the picture (or the head) in half with the horizon line ... be sure to use the "rule of the golden ratio" (or the simplified "rule of thirds") to place the semantic centers of the photo off-center , and on lines a third of the distance from the edges of the frame, or the intersections of these lines ...

Take only multi-plane shots, with mandatory focusing (sharpness) in the foreground.
First, symmetry can often have its own charm, especially when it comes to converging perspective lines. In addition, many photographers deliberately use perspective geometry regardless of whether there is a lack of symmetry. Or lack of presence :) Perspective can not only emphasize the depth of space, but also direct the wandering gaze of the viewer to the desired point in the frame (in the not devoid of meaning center). For example, like this:

Urban landscape: perspective :)

9.

Secondly, each photo may have its own semantic centers - different from the third ... a normal person will not place, say, a lonely tree (or person) all the time at the same point in the frame. Nevertheless, such tips for shooting a landscape (and not only) are almost always given ... I will say more simply - in order to take excellent pictures, you can follow the rules just as much as you can break them - and still get an excellent result. As well as not receiving :) If everything were so simple - follow a simple set of rules and get a masterpiece - the photo would have to be buried ...

Imagine, a certain critic comes to a photo exhibition and says: "Oh, this is a great still life, an apple coincides with one of the points of the golden ratio - what an unsurpassed composition! But admire - a completely disastrous picture, just a disgusting portrait - because the background behind is not blurred (! But a landscape worthy of Aivazovsky's brush: the horizon line is not centered, but, as expected, shifted by a third from the edge of the frame! Pay attention, gentlemen, the next photo is a real masterpiece, everything is sharp to the very horizon ... "
However, it smells strongly of insanity, doesn't it? :) Nevertheless, I see nothing wrong with knowing these rules and applying them creatively, but not stupidly following them always and everywhere. I would advise beginners to start shooting by observing these rules rather than denying them, but very carefully and unobtrusively. I will allow myself to philosophize a little, so you can safely skip the next paragraph :)

The photograph should, first of all, express any idea, idea, or worldview of the photographer; or be at least just beautiful (and, of course, technically high-quality), but even all of the above is in no way a guarantee of a masterpiece ... And the amount of money earned by a professional for pictures is by no means a measure of values ​​- this is a measure of the values ​​and prestige of his customer, advertising, for example, toilet paper :), or stale in warehouses and unclaimed, but already made (in a large batch!) unsuccessful model of army boots :) And money is also a measure of the punctuality of the photographer's execution of the order and the promotion of his name ... This is by no means a stone into the garden of professionals, this is just a stereotype of cultural and moral values market economy:) The non-commercial photographs of your humble servant should not be considered as some samples of creativity, in any case, these pictures should not be such samples, since they were selected purely for educational purposes.

How to shoot a landscape in winter

There is nothing worse and more boring than photographing in winter ... Fingers freeze on the camera shutter button. It's a low season, there is no greenery, no bright juicy colors, but there is only the despondency of the cloudy sky and the cold-gray melancholy of the snow. The icy air suggests a sad thought, will the jacket crack from the frost, will it crumble with frosty rags right under the feet of the dumbfounded photographer ... :) Maybe even abandon photography until summer, and the camera on the mezzanine? However, the next example is much more to my liking than any other brightly colored summer picture, as well as a white winter landscape that is painfully sharp in my eyes. We all chase sharpness so hard, don't we?

Landscape №10. Winter evening.

10.

Lens 50 / 1.4, ISO = 400, aperture f2.4, shutter speed 1/6 s, EGF 75 mm.

This winter evening was shot with a high-aperture "portrait lens" at ISO = 400, and without a tripod. Let me remind you that if the sensor sensitivity is not explicitly indicated, then ISO = 100 is the default :) Why is the aperture set to 2.4 when the lens aperture allows it to be opened up to 1.4, thereby reducing the shutter speed by more than two times, or ISO?

The perspective of the plot (or perverted design) was such that I did not want to blur the foreground even more, which was inevitable with the maximum aperture open. By the way, shooting in such lighting without a tripod is not a sign of laziness and bad photo habits of the author (as you, of course, thought), but the author is simply too cold to run home for a tripod and back for a photograph and ... with frostbitten hands :) I was so confident in the high-aperture power of his lens and tenacious hands that he did not consider it necessary to carry a tripod along with him, or run after it. Okay, you can't be fooled - I confess that I specially took this fix, so as not to take a tripod :) But the point, of course, is not only that. You should know: if you like the "shot" - you need to shoot it right away, because you won't do exactly the same, even if you come back. It will be difficult (or impossible) to find that shooting point, besides, the lighting will change, and in general, everything will be different. But this does not mean that the author calls for clicking everything indiscriminately. You should always ask yourself the question: do I really need this shot? Isn't it worth coming back here later, when the lighting changes and everything will be completely different? :)

An ordinary winter.

11.

Aperture f11, shutter speed 1/750 s, EGF 24 mm.

A couple of helpful tips. In severe frosts, remember that the battery runs out quickly - think about a spare if you plan to shoot a lot, and the camera (and lens) can fog up if you bring it from the street into a warm room without a cover. Do not neglect the hood, it not only helps with the back sun, but also protects the lens from snowflakes. "What is a hood?" - I was asked in one of the letters. Whoever laughs at the question of a beginner does it in vain: we all once learned for the first time what a camera, lens, hood is ...

This is a 67mm threaded hood 16-45 / 4 lens with hood

12.

The green spot spoils a generally good picture. Unfortunately, this does not always happen, otherwise no one would forget to carry a hood on the lens :) And especially in bright sunlight. Naturally, this applies not only to photography in winter!

This is exactly what Alexander Sergeevich would write if he knew about the birth of photography, which was officially recognized 3 years after the death of the poet. And if the hole of the camera obscura can hardly be called a modern lens, then one fact does not raise the slightest doubt: the poet clearly understood a lot about the art of creating a winter landscape! :) And indeed, the low-luminous winter sun can brighten up the picture, thanks to the long shadows and frosty clean air ... The mysterious long shadows that trees cast on the sparkling snow can be the basis for many fairytale winter scenes.

Landscape Winter morning.	Three pines :-)
13. Aperture f8, 1/500 s, EGF 30 mm.	14. Aperture f4.5, 1/1000 s, EGF 36 mm.

High humidity and frost are a sure companion for successful shooting of a winter landscape, but this is unlikely to be confirmed with pleasure by the photographer's whitened fingers, forever frozen to the shutter button :) Therefore, never leave home in such cold weather, if you do not want to ... trees silvery with frost, light-translucent shadows lying on the snow, and wonderfully sparkling in the sun, sparkling with joy crystals of frost! This is a real finest hour for lovers of sharpness :)

Landscape №17: Frost and sun. Landscape # 18: The Star of the Photographer.

aperture f8, 1/1000 s, EGF 31 mm. lens 50 / 1.4, f4, 1/1500, EGF 75 mm.

17. 18.

Brr ... —16-18 Celsius, the star has not yet appeared to the photographer, but the snow in photo # 17 really sparkles beautifully ... But in # 18 there is some incredible mixture of landscape with macro. And why "Star of the Photographer"? After all, an icicle is depicted in the foreground and a drop is captured "at a speed of 1/1500 sec", and the Sun is in the background, in the background.
However, the Sun is a star. The central object of the solar system, an incandescent plasma ball with a diameter of 1 million 392 thousand km, with a temperature of 15 million degrees. And although this star is located about 150 million km from the Earth, it gives our planet energy for all processes, which means the entire biosphere of the planet - life, and lighting - to the photographer :)

We know that photography is impossible without light!

How to shoot a landscape in the fall.

The reasons for unsuccessful autumn shots are not a terrible camera and cheap optics, but the photographer's lack of experience in choosing a subject, the nature of the lighting and even the state of transparency of the air. The air should not be saturated with moisture (and even more so with exhaust gases), but clean and transparent! For expressive photographs, clear, sunny days and no wind are best if you want every leaf to be visible. Choosing the best lighting option determines the success of the shot and makes shooting the golden autumn a pleasure in every way.

Fallen foliage creates an excessive yellow variegation in the foreground and makes it too light, which can impair the transfer of the depth of space. And then the frame is built so that the foreground is in the shadows (of course, there are exceptions to the rules, if, for example, you need to focus the audience's attention on the fallen leaves.) However, falling leaves attract the eye in their own way, they bring dynamics to the plot, create the atmosphere of golden autumn is even more tangible! A riot of crimson, yellow, green and blue colors give birth to a magnificent autumn palette.

No. Leaf fall

aperture f6.7, 1/250 s, EGF 24 mm.

When shooting a landscape during the "golden autumn", the shadows are well illuminated by the reflected light flux from the yellow foliage, so here the shadows turned out to be quite well worked out. Actually, nowhere is it necessary for them to look completely dark in photographs.

Determining the exposure when shooting such autumn landscapes is usually straightforward. The camera does a great job on its own! The only thing I didn't want here was to clamp the aperture harder (it is quite sufficient) so that the shutter speed remains no longer than 1/250, otherwise the falling leaves might get a little blurry. I still doubt whether this decision is correct or not, since local blur on the background of a clear picture could enhance the dynamics of the falling effect. Or not?
That's the problem, now you can't fall asleep from the problem :-)

Autumn is beautiful, sad and rich in colors. As the poet said -

But an illustration of this will be a photograph not of the Boldin autumn, but taken in a completely different place ... where I found myself by the will of fate, desire and the location of the stars ... :-)
The ancient Russian city of Kashin.

No. 19. Kashin autumn!

aperture f8, 1/125 s, EGF 24 mm.

In fact, I do not like autumn (and the lush wilting of nature, too!), So I limited myself to just a couple of photos. To beautifully remove the crimson, you need to wait for a good soft light, then the picture will play with colors even better. Look for good light and then any camera, even a cheap one, will cope with the landscape! And for the absence of lubrication of small parts, catch the moment of calm and, in addition, use a tripod or stop.

But in this situation, I was more interested in finding an interesting angle. You know, when there is no main subject in the landscape, the search for an unusual angle is sometimes as necessary as light and richness of colors combined :-) Otherwise ... the photographer will have a sad time!

How to shoot a landscape in spring.

Shooting spring is very simple: ringing streams, buds, blossoming nature, the first green leaves, flowers, buzzing May beetle and other joys. And my spring at 24 mm at f8 turned out like this ...

20.

Photography of architecture.

When you take a camera in hand, it is sometimes very difficult to determine whether you are shooting architecture or a cityscape ... But the meaning is not in the name, but in the choice of the shooting point, so that the view of your beloved city is not spoiled by advertising signs that even the buildings of the historical center, depersonalizing and killing not only our history, but also a piece of the inner world of each of us - even those who disliked lessons from school :)

There was a time when city blocks were buried in green parks, and mothers walked with strollers near flowering lawns, and the hubbub of happy kids was heard from kindergartens. But this is what happens when money turns into an end in itself, and useful deeds are forgotten to please the golden calf. Now entire neighborhoods are being set up not for people to live, but for making a profit. We are looking at a completely documentary photograph of the near future, where there is no place for people ...

And this photograph is documentary because it is not a collage, not a montage, but a very real photograph, so to speak, a sketch from nature.

Who said that you can't shoot architecture from the bottom up with a wide-angle? Are geometric distortions possible? But a wide angle will be beneficial, emphasizing the lines of perspective converging upward, thereby enhancing the effect of the height of the grandiose buildings. A fantastic mix of an old tower and an ultra-modern glass and steel skyscraper ( water tower of the Vodokanal Museum in photo 24), and the majestically bizarre architecture of the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood - both built in St. Petersburg, and especially for photography with a wide-angle lens :). What? Well, of course I'm kidding!

In both shots, the aperture is open to f6.7, the EGF is 24 mm.

24. 25.

At such a wide angle (focal 24 mm), even a not very clamped 6.7 aperture gives a great depth of field along the entire height of buildings, and already from a close shooting distance. With a wide-angle lens, this is no problem, the difficulty is different.

What if you don't want to shoot architecture from the bottom up? This often happens, and the reasons may be different:

1.frame requires horizontal plotting ... uh-uh ... on the contrary, the plot requires :)
2. want to cover the whole building, not just the top.
3. an architecture without geometric distortions is needed.

Climb into the neighboring building? For example, like this, with a winning overview angle. Well, it's a whole excursion around St. Petersburg: here you have the Peter and Paul Fortress (bastions and the cathedral on the left in the background), and the Neva with a "meteor" on hydrofoils, and the Admiralty (foreground) with a ship on a spire (65 kg, by the way) - one of the symbols of the city, and the Hermitage to the right (green building).

Petersburg, city center.

Aperture f8, shutter speed 1/750 sec, EGF 67 mm.

But shooting from a high point is not always possible. And point 2 was not fulfilled, the whole building of the Admiralty was not completely covered, and it dominates here as the main subject of photography. The solution is obvious, it is on the surface! You should graduate from the Academy of Arts and paint any architecture with brushes on canvas in the perspective in which you intended. I didn’t understand, but what didn’t you like?

Okay, okay ... let's take a camera :)

City landscape, Petersburg, stock exchange building.

27.

Aperture f6.7, shutter speed 1/180 sec, EGF 51 mm.

As you can see, everything is simple - we stepped back and set not the widest focal length of 51 mm, which does not contribute to distortion. And they received an architectural monument of Russian classicism from the French architect Jean François Thomas de Thomone, who created a real ancient Greek temple from Pudost limestone: a rectangular building framed on four sides by a colonnade ... and most importantly, almost without geometric distortions :-)

It is unlikely that the artist in the photograph would have turned out better, because in this case she herself would not have got into the frame, but someone has to draw pictures too, isn't that so? :) Please note that the girl uses a tripod to paint the landscape, and rightly so! okay, let it be an easel ...

What if there is nowhere to go back?
Nothing, set it wide!

Smolny Cathedral.
aperture f7, shutter speed 1/320 sec, EGF 38 mm.

By the way, this cathedral was not filmed with a specialized shift lens (which removes perspective distortions by shifting the lenses parallel to the matrix plane), but with the usual ... compact. The secret of the picture is simple - distortion and noise are removed in Photoshop :) The great Rastrelli, who founded the cathedral in 1748, did not even think that his creation could be painted without a brush and canvas (and then disfigured in the editor) by any dude painter, nothing who understands neither painting nor architecture :) But why go far ... So I look at this Smolny Cathedral and wonder: what kind of dude shoots architecture like that :-) This is incomprehensible to the mind!
The bottom of the building is cut off, which is not permissible for classical photography of architecture and, moreover, for its construction. Well, you must disfigure the masterpiece of the architect ... Honestly, it was not me who was shooting, but the camera! Rastrelli was easier, thank God, he did not have such bad photographic equipment! :-)

Pussy riot and the like! Please do not desecrate museums, churches and cathedrals. Temples should not be seen as places for sacrifice to the gods (which no one has seen), not as a place for trade without taxes, and not a playground for your cheap "political" self-promotion. These are historical sights, architectural creations of great masters and architects of the past. These buildings are our Russian culture and history. The museum is not a place for dancing, sex and other destructive orgies! Do not be a cattle, do not offend my feelings of a deeply unbelieving person and other cultured people! I perfectly understand what performance and freedom of expression are. Exactly until it interferes with others.

Now let's take a closer look at all aspects of architecture photography.

In fact, there are special requirements for this genre, especially in terms of the so-called. documentary or classical photography of architecture. To begin with, let's start with the obvious: the photograph should be elementarily well exposed, the horizon should not be overwhelmed to the side, and the focus should be on the building, temple, monument (i.e., on the subject of photography), and not on the tree in front.

Special requirements are in the exact reproduction of the shape, color of the object and its proportions. Buildings must be completely included in the frame, cutting off the roof or spire is unacceptable! The lower part of the building should also be in the frame, and if it does not fit, try to step back or find a different angle. It is highly desirable that people, advertisements and cars parked nearby are not included in the frame (if possible). Nothing should distract from the main subject of photography! And even if this cannot be avoided, then you need to shoot so that the car does not obstruct a quarter of the building.

The same applies to pedestrians and onlookers ... A person clearly posing in front of the lens in the foreground always distracts attention, even if nothing is blocking, because for classical and, if you will, documentary photography of architecture, this is completely unacceptable. Why? Well, we're talking about the genre of "architecture" now, and not a full-length portrait :-)

As you have already noticed, the author of these photos did not quite fulfill (to one degree or another) the requirements for classical documentary architecture, since he gravitates more towards other pictorial means, which should not bother you. It is possible to draw the viewer's eye to the main subject of shooting in a variety of ways, and not only by the rule of thirds, the golden ratio and other geometry. All you need to know is said, and how you use it, you will decide for yourself.

The next snapshot of the creation of the architect Auguste Montferrand - St. Isaac's Cathedral - I cite as an example of a similar inconsistency with the listed requirements, albeit imperceptible. There are no blunders, however. The foliage frames the temple and even directs the gaze to it, creative issues have been resolved, the color rendition is in order, with the problem of onlookers (striving not just to get into the frame, but also to obscure it) was radically done away with by the Kalashnikov assault rifle by choosing a certain point of shooting and a long wait for a moment of no people :-) And the minuses are in the trees slightly covering the bottom of the building and, in part, the colonnade, as well as in a slight distortion, but Montferrand is not to blame for this :-) In terms of artistic photography, they are not minuses, but the classic approach to the genre of architecture? And yes, and no, and not quite ... And it will pull on a postcard with views of the city.

Petersburg, St. Isaac's Cathedral.

Aperture f8, shutter speed 1/250 sec, EGF 30 mm.

By the way, all this abundance of churches testifies to the fact that under the Soviet regime they were not demolished everywhere and purposefully due to the complete rejection of religion, as it is now customary to assert, but on the contrary, they were preserved. There was rejection, but the temples remained. All the masterpieces of architecture were kept and saved in the USSR at the state expense, as well as everything that was in the property of the state. And museum treasures too, although the media (the mouthpiece of the bourgeoisie) shout that the Bolsheviks have plundered, robbed and destroyed everything. Go to the Hermitage or the Russian Museum, admire the results of looting and destruction.

The next city landscape is really such, because it was filmed in the city, and the theme of architecture in one form or another is always present in this genre. Or should be present :-) Here is the Kazan Cathedral in St. Petersburg (more precisely, the view of its wing from Kazanskaya Street), was built in 1801-1811 by a former serf peasant (!) Voronikhin Andrey Nikiforovich in the Russian Empire style. No, not a typo, not a vampire :-)

At first, this temple served as a godly institution, then a monument of Russian military glory, under Soviet rule - a museum of the history of religion and atheism with rather wonderful and terrible exhibits from the times of the Inquisition (funnels through which water (or molten tin) was poured into the mouths of heretics, "Spanish boots" for crushing the bones of the legs, "weeping" icons with copper tubes behind the eyes, and other historically interesting exhibits about religion), which immediately disappeared from the temple after it ceased to be a museum and again became a charitable institution: first, a joint museum and religious institution, and , finally, a structure that has finally passed away from worldly life.

But not for architecture photography :-) The exhibits were lost, but the temple remained ... The soft evening sun often creates illumination with such a color scheme that will benefit both the most ordinary-looking photography and the magnificent creation of architects.

The left wing of the Kazan Cathedral.
It's right, if you look from Nevsky Prospect :-)

30.

Wide angle, f8 aperture, shutter speed 1/180 sec, EGF 24 mm.

With all the advantages, the disadvantages of a photo in this genre are obvious - it is not suitable for documentary architecture for a number of reasons (you can find it yourself!), But it will be enough for a good city landscape. By God, the author tried his best, highlighted the main subject of photography with both light and color, and hid everything unnecessary in the shadow in order to emphasize the elements of architecture. You can throw a stone at me, but I did not dare to call a tow truck :-) Go for it, you will do better!

Typical mistakes

Below is another sample on how to properly shoot a landscape. Or rather, how wrong it is: the horizon is overwhelmed (the horizon line is not parallel to the frame line), there are other disadvantages - glare, which is especially clearly visible in the enlarged image. Obstruction of the horizon spoils the picture, this is a bad taste. An obvious technical marriage is hopelessly in harmony with a creative marriage: what, in fact, is depicted? What did the author want to show in general, what did he dream to convey to the viewer?
The beauty of nature? A masterpiece of architecture? A jumble of ideas?
Hmm ... It concerns not only the night landscape :)

The horizon is overwhelmed

31.

Let's consider one more defect called "overexposed sky", we will see an example below. Many people also call this terribly ugly thing "small dynamic range of the camera". Or a narrow photo latitude :) It is believed that the dynamic range is a disadvantage of digital cameras as opposed to film cameras. In fact, the film also cannot convey the details well, both in the shadow areas of the plot, and in the illuminated ones. Such an embarrassment usually occurs in bright sunlight due to the high contrast of dark and light areas of the image. And now the real blue sky looks completely washed out in the picture with a well-exposed foreground. Or, on the contrary, the sky is well worked out, and the foreground below is completely dark, no details are visible. Or vice versa :) But you really want a blue sky, a bright sun, and green grass in the shade!

That is why it is not advised to shoot at midday, when the sun is at its zenith and is especially bright. Some people try to extract the missing details in Photoshop, claiming that this can be done without problems from a RAW file, unlike jpg ... Indeed, patience and work in Photoshop will grind everything, however, it is better to solve the problem BEFORE, and not after. Because any graphic editor is such a thing in which a beginner can easily and easily make a bad one out of a good photo, but on the contrary, even with difficulty it will not always work :)

Photo # 32: The sky is completely overexposed ... Photo # 33: How to shoot a landscape correctly.

32. 33.

Photo # 32. There are no details in the sky, everything is blown out. Indeed, the low dynamic range may be the root cause ... But I ignored this fruitless idea and just shortened the shutter speed from 1/180 to 1/750 sec. Without changing the aperture - and got shot # 33. The low dynamic range suddenly became incredibly large! :)

This can be done even automatically - by measuring the exposure across the sky, and not in shadow areas, and shoot. Aim at the sky, it turned out to be the sky. We measured it the other way around - it turned out the other way around :) Quickly, simply and angrily. The disadvantage of this holy simplicity is obvious and lies in the fact that you are shooting either the sky or the earth in shady areas! :) But even here you can cheat by illuminating the close-up shot into the darkness with a flash. In such cases, it should be turned on forcibly, even if the camera's blunt automaton thinks otherwise. Of course, the foreground should be (and in photographs of beginners it is usually not), and should not just be, but be within 3-4 meters, otherwise a weak flash may not reach it. And no closer than a meter and a half, so as not to overexpose the near details ... In addition, do not try to illuminate the Eiffel Tower with a flash against the background of the cityscape - it will definitely not fit :)

Second way. You can take a measurement in the light part of the frame, remember it and take a measurement in the dark area. Auto mode before that, you can use it as a photoexposure meter, i.e. first, find out the opinion of the machine (to establish the initial exposure), and then experiment. Here you should put manual control and, without changing the aperture, set the average shutter speed - between the dark and light parts of the measurements. Then point the camera where you wanted (not just the sky, or a dark area) and take a shot. It is convenient if the camera has a function "remember the exposure" so as not to torment the RAM of your brain. In this case, aim the camera at the desired point and take a picture without switching to manual mode.

There are other ways, for example, exposure bracketing (aka fork, or auto fork) - you get 3 pictures with different exposures: darker, normal, lighter. Then choose the best one :) In addition, many cameras have an exposure compensation function: - / + (darker / lighter). It is sometimes called compensation. It is not out of place to read the instructions for your own camera: whether to turn the wheel, press a button, or rummage through the menu.

In general, there can be many functions, and manual control replaces everything: you just click several shots with the same aperture and different shutter speeds.

Sometimes it's easier than rummaging through the menu, painfully remembering - where did this bracketing go ... Or maybe it's called a car fork? Or maybe it's not on the menu, but on the buttons? Is it better to use exposure compensation? Or is the compensation called correction in the instructions? Or am I looking in the wrong place, or maybe I forgot something? Devil!
One hundred thousand devils, hell, devil and hell! Damn that satanic day thrice and forever when I bought this hellish digital vacuum cleaner from the devil's shop! Burn with blue fire in a wooden coffin. Dog instruction in Turkish-Chinese!

To make things easier, many things (not just bracketing) are easier to do with shutter speed and aperture. Sometimes it seems to me that modern cameras are completely overwhelmed with duplicating (and therefore meaningless) functions that incredibly complicate the menu, and work with the camera, and the learning process ... Forget everything! In fact, the following things need to be learned well in the camera: focal length, shutter speed, aperture, light sensitivity, focusing, flash... Although these things have been improved, they have not fundamentally changed for many decades, for example, autofocus appeared, but no one canceled manual focusing, and sometimes you cannot do without it at all. Do not torture the camera, shoot in aperture priority mode and / or manual control. And everything else - from the crafty uncle with horns ...

However, it so happens that the narrow dynamic range of the camera still interferes with simple human happiness. To achieve a good result with a "bad" sky, you can screw on the lens with a good gradient ND filter - a half-colored glass that allows one half less light to pass through. There are other filters, for example, polarizing, ultraviolet, neutral gray (can be used for other tasks). The light filter itself is "bad" because it costs extra money, bad because cheap filters can impair sharpness, while expensive ones are more expensive :), and besides, it is suitable only for lenses with the required diameter, on which a thread for filters is provided. This means that most compacts (as in the case of RAW) fly by, because they have neither thread nor RAW ... I'm not talking about soap dishes, in which there are no manual settings for shooting at all. The owners of these cameras solve the problem in 5 ways:

You can also be satisfied with the result in different ways. When nothing works, then you need to decide which is more important - light or dark places. Or rather, choose the main subject and try to measure it. If the subject is small, then in advanced cameras you can use "spot metering". If you have a soap dish and there are no such functions as a class, and the object is in the light part, then we trust the automation. If it is in the dark, then you can highlight it with a flash to work out the details in the shadows. However, in landscape photography, you want to shoot everything, and the main subject may simply be absent! Then I advise you to find it, or re-read paragraphs 1 to 5 :) Now you understand why it is very bad when the eye has nothing to catch on in the landscape !?

I would not advise beginners to immediately run to the store and buy light filters for all occasions. Firstly, there are a lot of subtleties for working with filters, and secondly, you need to be able to use filters, certainly understanding how, why and why, otherwise by spending money you will not get the result you were striving for. You need to come to this in about the same way as you came to the conclusion that you just need a DSLR camera, not a compact. Or vice versa :) The only thing that can be unconditionally advised is a simple and inexpensive protective filter that will protect the lens from dust, dirt, splashes and mechanical damage. You can choose it according to the following principle: the more expensive the lens, the more justified the purchase of the filter.

Well, actually, that's all for now, but the topic of "how to shoot a landscape" is, of course, not exhausted by this. Rather, it is a brief information on what and how you can shoot with budget optics. When I have prepared the following materials, I will post them on the site.

Good luck with your pictures!

Yes, travel planning is also a job to help you create beautiful pictures. Wherever you are going to go, you need to prepare properly and collect as much information as possible about these places. Check out satellite imagery and maps to help you understand which mountain peaks, if any, will be highlighted at sunrise or sunset. For example, I shot in Abkhazia:

Look for photographs of the same area taken by other people. It doesn't matter what camera they were taken with. Even shots from a soap dish will help you get a rough idea of ​​where you are going. Try to highlight interesting features of the area that can be captured in the pictures - an unusual tree on the shore of a reservoir, for example.

Explore the area

At landscape photography it often happens that a person tries to capture a beautiful natural event too late. For example, you saw an amazing sunset and started fussing about trying to photograph it somehow. This is the wrong approach, and it will be difficult for you to get good shots.

Therefore, try to always pre-study the surrounding area. For example, if you are staying on the shore of a reservoir, take your time to explore the surrounding area, look for interesting angles, unusual stones, streams, or something else like that.

Take a walk in the woods along the pond, find a higher slope and climb it - so you can find something really worthy of shooting. Do not forget to take test shots while walking, which you can watch in the evening and choose the most interesting places - a kind of backstage. And the next time the sun sets, you will already be in the right place with a prepared camera and without fuss, you can take great photos.

Remember that the landscape is first and foremost light!

One of the main mistakes of amateurs is shooting at noon, when the sun is shining at full power and the lighting is very harsh. These shots always come out pretty flat, and the colors are muddy. Therefore, the ideal time for landscape photography the sunrise and sunset are considered. During these hours, the lighting is especially soft, and the photographs begin to play with different colors.

Bring a compass with you when you are walking around choosing places to shoot - it will help you determine where the sunrise and sunset will be.

The choice of photographic equipment

Always take a tripod with you. Better to take it with you than another lens. A tripod turns even an ordinary camera into a powerful tool that is able to take beautiful landscapes in any conditions. It is important that using a tripod the camera can be set to any height - at least 20 cm, at least 2 meters. The weight of the tripod will only matter to you if you choose to shoot in stormy winds.

In any case, the tripods have a hook on which you can hang a couple of stones in a bag for stability. The lens is best used with a wide angle lens. For landscape photography, it is most suitable.

Don't be afraid to shoot from a low position

For example, if you like interesting flowers or mossy stones, lower the camera on the tripod lower.

This will help you to emphasize the foreground and the photo will become more expressive.

What depth of field to use?

V landscape photography it is important that the entire shot is sharp - both the grass in front and the mountains in the distance. To achieve the desired depth of field, use large apertures, from f / 8 to approximately f / 16. Be aware that the higher the value, the sharper the picture will be. But do not forget that at higher apertures, the sharpness may become worse due to possible photo defects.

How to avoid dynamic range problems?

Dynamic range is a parameter that indicates the difference in brightness between the darkest and lightest parts of the scene. When you shoot sunrises or sunsets, the camera often cannot handle the high dynamic range, and overexposures or dark spots appear in the photo.

To avoid this, simply do not shoot in backlighting. For example, instead of shooting the sunset itself, turn the camera 90 degrees and try to capture mountain peaks or a meadow filled with sunset rays.

How to make a landscape three-dimensional?

We always see a 3D image because we have two eyes. But the camera has only one "eye", and it takes effort to create volume.

The volumetric effect in the picture is created by tonal and spatial perspective. You can enhance the volume with the help of light. The most voluminous landscapes are obtained with side and back lighting.

Try to choose a point for landscape photography so that the photo contains both close objects and distant ones. It is good if there is a smooth transition between the foreground and background, for example, in the form of a stream flowing between them.

Go to bed late and get up early

This is actually a very important piece of advice. Always get up an hour before sunrise and go take pictures, regardless of the weather. Yes, getting out of a warm sleeping bag at 4am can be difficult at times, but it's worth it. Do the same an hour before sunset.

Remember that there are stunningly beautiful sunsets with rainbows after the rain, and you will have to get wet to capture them.

Be patient

Beautiful lighting is rare, and you will have to be patient to wait for it. Successful shots are rare, and you still won't be able to churn out successful landscapes in the hundreds a month, and no amount of advice will help here. The best photographers dealing with shooting landscapes, sometimes it takes 10 days to take a single shot - and all this time they wait for the right light.

Therefore, always calculate the time of your trip. If, for example, you stay in one place for only a couple of days, it will be quite difficult to get a good shot, but it's worth trying!

Now, dear readers, you know how to shoot a landscape and if you don't want to miss new articles about photography, please subscribe to the blog.

by Sophie Ouch

For many beginners, learning photography begins with mastering landscape photography. Perhaps this is due to the silence and slowness, which disposes to a better mastery of technique, understanding of exposure in photography and mastering photography lessons on how to photograph correctly - the same landscape.

Photography lessons are varied, tips can be found for all tastes and backgrounds. But it has long been known that there is never enough information, it is never superfluous for neophytes, and "repetition is the mother of learning", so we remember the important thing!

Landscaping Tips, or How to Capture Nature Properly

1. Making the most of the depth of field

Marc adamus

Although photographers sometimes want to try more creative approaches and experiment with shallow depth of field, it is nevertheless considered a classic in landscape photography to get most of the image in focus. The easiest way to get large DOF is to use the lowest aperture number available for your compact or lens. The smaller the aperture, the deeper the depth of field of the image.

Keep in mind, however, that a smaller aperture opening takes longer or a higher ISO. And sometimes both at the same time.

2. Use a tripod

Leif erik smith

An obligatory attribute in the arsenal of a landscape photographer is. You may need slow shutter speeds to compensate for the small aperture you choose, and thus additional camera stabilization. Not with every shutter speed, when shooting handheld, you can get technically perfect shots. Moreover, a tripod will be useful in the case when the photographer uses remote control to release the shutter.

3. Look for the semantic center of the composition

Mitchell Krog

Any photograph needs a visual center of composition. Landscape shots are no exception, because when shooting nature, the absence of a semantic point results in a boring and rather empty shot, in which, as they say, "the eye has nothing to catch on."

pkarwski

The focus can be anything - a building or structure, an interesting tree, a boulder or a mountain peak. Do not forget to only monitor not only the focus, but also where you have a significant object. The reference rule of thirds, although violated periodically, has not yet been canceled!

4. Think foreground

Daniel Řeřicha

One of the elements that helps your landscape take place is a well-formed foreground. Place your meaning points on the front of the shot and you can convey the depth of the image.

5. Don't forget to turn on the sky

Trevor cole

Another almost inseparable element of the answer to the question of how to shoot a landscape is the sky and its reflection in the water. The secret to landscape photography in most cases is that the sky or foreground dominates the image. Look at your images, if they are not, then most likely they are considered boring and of little interest.

Ryan Dyar

If during your photo shoot the sky turned out to be uninteresting, do not let it prevail - move the horizon line to the upper third of the picture, just make sure that the photo does not lose even more from this.

Andrei Baciu

But when the sky is full of dramatic clouds or colored with uncharacteristic shades, air space can become your ally. Give it plenty of room in your picture and you will see how beneficial such a deviation from the rules can be.

Remember filters. Using polarizers can add color and contrast to a photograph.

6. Operate the lines!

myredcar

The most important question that landscape photographers usually ask themselves is: "Will the viewer see the picture in full, as I see it?"

There are many ways to capture the natural beauty of nature through static image capture. To do this, there is a technique with which active lines are included in the composition of the picture. At their expense, the photographer can redirect the viewer's gaze from one point of the frame to another, rather than create a kind of closure of space, "looping".

The use of lines gives a certain algorithm and adds scale and volume to the photographic image. The lines themselves can be a point of interest and create your own "patterns" in the photo.

Danskie dijamco

7. Fix the movement!

Most people think of landscape photography as a calm and passive picture. However, the landscape is the landscape of strife, and you can convey movement (of the same water, for example), which will fill the picture with dynamics and create a mood that is interesting to many viewers, who will enjoy admiring not only relaxing landscapes, but also considering the riot of elements and the fury of nature.

Andrea Pozzi

For example, try to "catch" the wind blowing in the trees, the movement of waves on the beach, the movement of the water flowing under the waterfall, to record the dynamics of flying birds and floating clouds overhead.

Carol dorion

"Fixing" means that the photographer must use slower shutter speeds (sometimes on the order of a few seconds). Of course, high shutter speeds will provoke more light to enter the camera's photosensitive element, but for the correct use of this fact you have options: choose the aperture value or take photos at the beginning of the day or in the evening, when, in principle, there is less light outside.

8. Work in tandem with weather and time

The golden rule of landscape photography is: "A scene can change dramatically at any given time, depending on the weather."

Andrei Baciu

Many aspiring photographers tend to take a photo walk on a sunny day because they think this is the best time to create photo masterpieces. In fact, a cloudy day, or even a rainy and thunderstorm, besides the possibility of getting your camera wet and your feet wet, gives you the broadest opportunity to get great photos filled with mood and ominous overtones.

Bill church

How do you shoot a landscape in this weather? Look for storms, winds, fog, dramatic clouds, sun through clouds in dark-dark skies, rainbows, sunsets and sunrises and work with these changes in weather and conditions, rather than wait for the next sunny day with a dull blue sky.

Greg Gibbs

And one more wonderful piece of advice from a professional landscape photographer: "Never shoot during the day. There can be no more boring photographs. Your golden time is at dawn or dusk. There is no better light when landscapes come to life."

9. Dithyrambs to the horizon

Christian bothner

Most old advice, but it is good because it does not lose its relevance today. Check the horizon line before finally pressing the camera shutter release.

It should not divide the frame clearly in half, it should not be tilted, it should not be completely absent from a landscape shot. Of course, the rules are there to be broken, but in the case of the horizon, the rule of thirds works more clearly than ever.

Tramont_ana

10. Change your point of view!

Even when the vastness of unprecedented beauty is spreading before your eyes and it seems that you just need to raise the camera and a beautiful image will appear in it by itself ... stop. And think about it. Look at the terrain through the lens, turn in one direction and the other, change the angle, shift the horizon line, or try to include additional elements in the composition.

Auttapon Nunti

Do not rush to press the shutter button, you will always have time to do this when photographing the landscape!

 

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