Need help with Landscape Photography!

I've been so busy with the new studio recently I was wondering if I still remembered how to shoot landscape ...

... Sadly, it seems that I've forgotten :(

https://www.cambridgeincolour.com/fo...0&d=1272364079

Chin up,Colin:).I'll get you started back on track.
#1...remove lens cap.:D

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Originally Posted by Colin Southern

I've been so busy with the new studio recently I was wondering if I still remembered how to shoot landscape ...

... Sadly, it seems that I've forgotten :(

https://www.cambridgeincolour.com/fo...0&d=1272364079

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This is very good. It has a negative capability that transcends the ordinariness of the natural landscape, taking the subject matter to a more elevated two-dimensional abstraction of reality.

Have you thought of cropping it?

Got the right aspect ratio. Just forgot the camera. I bet if you put it in a competition it is a front runner. :)

If you give it a catchy title and blow it up large my government might be interested in it

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voice_of_Fire

That's interesting Wendy; of course it isn't a red stripe on a blue background but a red stripe and two blue stripes on a white background. Worth every cent I should think. :)

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Originally Posted by arith

That's interesting Wendy; of course it isn't a red stripe on a blue background but a red stripe and two blue stripes on a white background. Worth every cent I should think. :)

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I think the stripes are going the wrong way. Turn it 90deg CCW (or CW, I suppose)

Yes I can see now.

You might need some work on your night shots :)

anyway, I'm waiting for some new work of yours. I always like watching and analysing them.

OK, just kidding :)

Here's 3 from last night ...

http://www.pbase.com/cjsouthern/imag...2/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/cjsouthern/imag...0/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/cjsouthern/imag...7/original.jpg

Colin,

Those are AWESOME!!! The reflections are very nice and keeps it very well balanced. I'll need to pick your brain soon when it comes to night shooting. I haven't experimented yet as I'm still studying natural light. There's so much night life here in Vegas that I need to start practicing night photos such as these.

Are you just shooting with slow shutter speeds, high ISO and a tripod? I don't have an external flash so I'm wondering what kind of night shots I can get without one. Any tips on getting started would be great.

Thanks and GREAT shots!

Chris

Certainly a lot of wood in the first, I think that has got to be cheeky, giving a blank lead in to such a high image. It is a great idea for a show, but I'm not into movement so it would have to be a light show, from blank to image 1.

I'm just being silly :( as usual you have a special thing. Don't like the borders :D

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Originally Posted by flipmode

Colin,

Those are AWESOME!!! The reflections are very nice and keeps it very well balanced. I'll need to pick your brain soon when it comes to night shooting. I haven't experimented yet as I'm still studying natural light. There's so much night life here in Vegas that I need to start practicing night photos such as these.

Are you just shooting with slow shutter speeds, high ISO and a tripod? I don't have an external flash so I'm wondering what kind of night shots I can get without one. Any tips on getting started would be great.

Thanks and GREAT shots!

Chris

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Hi Chris,

Thanks for the kind words :)

I do a lot of long exposure work, but these are just short exposures - just a second or 2. Long exposures smooth things out; but that can also introduce problems ... (1) with yachts, if you expose for more than a few seconds then the yachts will move (especially with long masts) and (2) sometimes the water creates a certain type of rippled reflection and if you use a long shutterspeed then it just averages it out too much.

Besides - these were just some quick snaps on the way home :)

In terms of helpful advice, the two most important things I can think of off the top of my head is "use a tripod" and "expose for the mid-tones, not the highlights" (with extreme contrast scenes the lights are going to blow anyway, so just concentrate on getting the midtones right (if you shoot RAW - and the midtones look OK on your review screen - then chances are that you'll be able to work with what you have).

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Originally Posted by arith

Certainly a lot of wood in the first, I think that has got to be cheeky, giving a blank lead in to such a high image. It is a great idea for a show, but I'm not into movement so it would have to be a light show, from blank to image 1.

I'm just being silly :( as usual you have a special thing. Don't like the borders :D

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Hi Steve,

I'm afraid that most of what you wrote went straight over my head :eek:, but thanks anyway! To be honest, my borders don't excite me overly either, but they'll have to do until I design something better. Hopefully the consistency makes up for whatever they lack in originality!

Nice shots Colin.....Of course I like Nelson Harbour best. You have not lost the knack for landscapes. I liked the first shot as well but it would work better with a different crop and a little less contrast.

Chuck

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Originally Posted by CNelson

Nice shots Colin.....Of course I like Nelson Harbour best. You have not lost the knack for landscapes. I liked the first shot as well but it would work better with a different crop and a little less contrast.

Chuck

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Thanks Chuck :)

To be honest, I'd just left work to head home - about 8:30 ish (again) - tired (again) - thinking that the kids will be wondering who the strange man is (again) ... and of course, as soon as I start the journey it just happens to be high tide on a calm night with georous reflections. I initially just drove past (so shot #1 is what I would have got) - but then I kicked myself in the butt - turned the car around - and went back to see if I could get anything worthwhile (only took 24 shots) ... and ended up with 3 that I'm quite happy with.

Just goes to reinforce the rule; Shoot it when you see it because the next day it'll be different.

Look, like you've still got it. :) I like all 3. I think the second one needs just a tad more light on the bridge though. For instance the tone on the left of the bridge looks a bit lighter to me and if it was that tone all the way across the bridge might stand out more, or it might ruin it. I don't know. It just looks a little dark here, but I still like it.

Wendy

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Originally Posted by ScoutR

Look, like you've still got it. :) I like all 3. I think the second one needs just a tad more light on the bridge though. For instance the tone on the left of the bridge looks a bit lighter to me and if it was that tone all the way across the bridge might stand out more, or it might ruin it. I don't know. It just looks a little dark here, but I still like it.

Wendy

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Hi Wendy,

Thanks for that :)

Is this any better? (I've had to re-work it from the original again as I accidentally saved after down-sampling (doh!), so it might look a bit different anyway.

https://www.cambridgeincolour.com/fo...6&d=1272429674

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Is this any better? (I've had to re-work it from the original again as I accidentally saved after down-sampling (doh!), so it might look a bit different anyway.

https://www.cambridgeincolour.com/fo...6&d=1272429674

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Actually, I think I like the original better. I like this shot, but to me the bridge just does not show up enough. I thought it was because it was so dark, but I think it is because of the angle. There is too much along the same line as the bridge - the shoreline and the trees - so the bridge does not stand out enough (to me) I still like it but it's almost as if it would be better without the bridge and just concentrate on the shoreline and reflections in the water???

Sorry I can't explain myself better, but lightening it up did not do what I expected.

Wendy

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Originally Posted by ScoutR

Actually, I think I like the original better. I like this shot, but to me the bridge just does not show up enough. I thought it was because it was so dark, but I think it is because of the angle. There is too much along the same line as the bridge - the shoreline and the trees - so the bridge does not stand out enough (to me) I still like it but it's almost as if it would be better without the bridge and just concentrate on the shoreline and reflections in the water???

Sorry I can't explain myself better, but lightening it up did not do what I expected.

Wendy

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Hi Wendy,

I would have loved to have been able to shoot it without the bridge there, but at a minimum I'd have had to setup in the water with waders - but I suspect the bottom would be too muddy. My boat would be the other option, but I wouldn't be able to keep it steady enough, plus it would disturb the water ... so that's probably about as good as it's going to get :( So the best I could really do was to let it mostly fade into the night, with just enough to provide a bit of an anchor for the shot, but without too much distracting detail (I converted it to a monotone for much the same reason).

How's this version?

https://www.cambridgeincolour.com/fo...7&d=1272437053