Learning Landscapes - Please post your BIG picture dramatic landscape images

I agree with what Mike said about adding local contrast. It's a nice image that would really shine with the addition of some clarity and maybe a gradient filter in Lr or PP software of your choice.

But just to annoy you, here's one shot by a friend :D ...

http://i41.tinypic.com/1gkw09.jpg

Thanks Colin.. Can you please clarify what "hook under the cloud" means so I know what it means when I see it. Perhaps you have a photo to show this? Thank you.

Nice to know. Thank you for sharing.

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Originally Posted by Colin Southern

Looks like the sun was still out. For the best colour you have to wait for it to hook under the cloud, but with cloud like this it often just doesn't happen.

Don't think for a moment that you can get a winner "on demand" with shots like this; I've got lots of shots like this that "just don't fly".

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You're in a mountainous area, Christina. Even when the sun is just barely above the mountain tops, it's not low enough that it is casting the super warm colors that will occur when it gets lower. You might lose all of the light in the forest on the right, in which case you need to look for a different photo. This is one of the reasons mountain photography is so darned difficult.

Take a look at Galen Rowell's Mountain Light. Especially make note of his descriptions of what he went through to find and capture mesmerizing light.

Looking through my photos to find BIG landscapes. I don't have many. I guess these are a little bigger. I do like B&W :)

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2891/9...a5d73daf_b.jpg
Portreath by Rob.J.Davis, on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7305/9...8a476e44_b.jpg
P1080095.jpg by Rob.J.Davis, on Flickr

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Originally Posted by Christina S

Here is an image of the overall scene which should be beautiful but doesn't work and just looks blah. Here I focused on the mountain peaks in the center of the image thinking all the lines of the mountains and clouds should lead you to that focal point. Processed in LR, lightened up the mountains and trees, and cloned out some dead branches in the bottom right hand corner (part of the top of the fence)


So the next time I try this scene how should I approach it?

Aperture Priority F 18 SS 1/10 sec ISO 100 Tripod, mirror up and remote release.


http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/...cskycccopy.jpg

Thank you.

PS the lines in the clouds should also lead to the mountain peaks in the center...

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Hi Christina, just my observation but when I look at your image I want to see either more of the reflection in the lake or more of the huge cloud overhead (or both =). Next time try waiting a little longer to see if the lighting gets more interesting. Don't hesitate to stay in one spot for an hour or so during sunset, periodically taking pics as the light changes, this can really make the difference.

What an annoying friend. I like the symmetry in that shot.

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Originally Posted by Mike Buckley

You're in a mountainous area, Christina. Even when the sun is just barely above the mountain tops, it's not low enough that it is casting the super warm colors that will occur when it gets lower.

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Another good reason to avoid living in areas with mountains. Being a prairie type I have always said mountains just block the view. People seem to spend a lot of time climbing them to get a view, I just climb onto the roof of my truck. Now I can add they also block the sunrise and sunset.

Christina; for what it's worth I agree with Mike's comments about the crop and warming. And it not being Bleh

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Originally Posted by Christina S

Thanks Colin.. Can you please clarify what "hook under the cloud" means so I know what it means when I see it. Perhaps you have a photo to show this? Thank you.

Nice to know. Thank you for sharing.

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It's when the clouds are high enough and the sun is low enough that it light the clouds with beautiful warm light from below.

Often only lasts a few minutes, and will occur after the sun has appeared to have set for someone on the ground

That "friend" shot above is a classic example.

PS: If you're shooting landscape, NEVER pack up and go home as soon as the sunsets; long exposures and best colours and best dynamic range always occur AFTER sunset.

If you can packup your gear without a torch you're probably leaving too soon!

http://i42.tinypic.com/f51svd.jpg

Blue Mountains
EPL-1, 24mm, ISO 100, f/4.4, 1/640s

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Originally Posted by Sponge

Nice one Frank, that island looks familiar :)
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3825/1...24e6958a_h.jpg

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Yup! Your shooting position was right below mine. There is a set of steps leading up to area just above where you got this image Patrick.

This view is from Mirador on the island of Lanzarote in the Canary Islands. Lanzarote was probably the first Canary Island to be settled by the Phoenicians around 1100 BC. Mirador is on the north end of the island and is about 480 meters above the ocean.

The first island to get a look at from the Mirador is the island of La Graciosa . Behind La Graciosa we can see the Montaña Clara and the Roque del Oeste and finally the isle of Alegranza. Last but not least we need a far view to the East in order to catch sight of the Roque del Este.

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Originally Posted by IzzieK

What I do Binnur, when it is a tip that I can learn from, I copy and paste the message/s in my word processor so that I have something to work on later on. I also have a folder of little tips which I write by hand and pick and choose from those short tips so I can pick on that piece of paper which will relate to my shooting plan for the day. For an example, in the morning I wanted to just stay home and shoot hummingbirds. I have a handwritten piece of paper which tells me the shutter speed and aperture tips for shooting hummingbirds that I can easily pick up. This saves me from going to the internet and accessing a particular message that contains those tips.

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An excellent tip, Izzie. One additional thing I do is to copy/paste a link to the source of the information so that if I need additional detail I didn't think to get on the first go-around, I can easily get back to the original source.

Frank, your 2nd shot looks like Yellowstone N. P.?
There's alot of beautiful photos here, thanks for my viewing pleasure.
Nancy

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Originally Posted by Nancy Moran G

Frank, your 2nd shot looks like Yellowstone N. P.?
There's alot of beautiful photos here, thanks for my viewing pleasure.
Nancy

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Absolutely correct Nancy. That is the Firehole River in Yellowstone.

Zion National Park, Utah (at sunset)

http://rpcrowe.smugmug.com/Other/DES...on%20010-L.jpg

Cedar Breaks Utah

http://rpcrowe.smugmug.com/Other/DES...ks%20002-L.jpg

Painted Desert, Arizona

http://rpcrowe.smugmug.com/Other/DES...ert%2001-L.jpg

My contribution to the thread is an image of Koko Crater.

http://i43.tinypic.com/2r6ocaa.jpg

Maybe not as wide or vast that you were hoping for but improving my landscape images is a goal of mine for this year as well and I am following this thread with interest.

Thanks Christina and all other CIC member for such great thread. Here is my contribution of a night view. I did try to use a few basic composition elements: rule of third, foreground, leading line.

http://i40.tinypic.com/2kqb0z.jpg

Southern Utah Fall 2012. Only had my Nikon 7000 a few months, no filters, pp. Yup, we went down the road in 2nd photo!
Nancy

http://i42.tinypic.com/2m6mlbl.jpg

http://i40.tinypic.com/2ln7rte.jpg