Page 56 - Learning How to Photograph with your DSLR Camera 2nd Edition Jan 2021

Lesson 12: Landscape Photography

Landscapes are one of my favorite photographic subjects as there are so many ways to
shoot a landscape differently and landscapes can inspire certain awe at their
magnificence. It also gives me the opportunity to slow down, take my time and enjoy
the time spent outdoors. Planning is essential for any landscape work and thought
should be given to the location, angle of view, position of the sun, obstructions, time of
day etc. There are some helpful tools I employ to have more success in getting the shot
I have envisioned.

As a general rule, most photographers prefer the early morning or evening hours where
there will be more color and contrast. Mid-day or a bright day usually ends up looking
hazy and flat. The Golden Hour refers to the last hour of sunlight where the sun cast
hues of golden rays that are exquisite. The morning light can be different with a
beautiful array of colors and hues that light the sky. The Blue Hour refers to the hour
after sunset and because it has a blue, twilight affect on the landscape. For this you are
going to need a tripod. This does not mean you cannot shoot later, you can before the
sun becomes overpowering or by adding filters to block some of the light.

Filters

Filters are a great option to extend your shooting time with a Polarizing Filter or a ND
(Neutral Density) filter. A polarizing filter reduces glare, makes blues bluer which works
perfectly for days with blue skies, over water or reflections. You do lose up to 1 stop or
more of light if you add one, so adjust your exposure accordingly.

A ND filter is a filer that is more opaque to almost completely black such as a 10 Stop
ND filter. This type of filter blocks light coming through the lens which allows longer
shutter times. These come in options like a ND2, ND4, ND6, ND8 and ND10. The higher
the number, the more light is blocked, with the number indication how many stops it will
reduce. So, a ND6 filter will reduce light by six stops and so on.

In my opinion, there is no need to buy a lot of filters, but if you do make sure they are of
good quality. Cheaper glass or Resin filters may introduce color cast in the image like a
brown or red hue as well as other optical impurities. My recommendation is start with a
good Polarizing Filter and a couple of ND filters like a ND6, ND10.

Uses for a ND filter:
• Blurring water motion (e.g. waterfalls, rivers, oceans).
• Reducing depth of field in very bright light (e.g. daylight).
• Using a wider aperture to stay below the diffraction limit.
• Reduce the visibility of moving objects.
• Add motion blur to subjects.
• Extended time exposures.

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