How to compose a landscape?

I myself have a good eye for compositions, i would like to say thats one of my strong points. But i cant simply depend upon what i believe in so i have done some research on how to compose a landscape and what it should consist of, information taken from http://landscapephotographytoday.com/composition/

The people who look at your landscape photographs will normally like some of your pictures better than others, but they can’t always express why. Quite often, the landscape pictures that stand out are those they have been thoughtfully composed. When you see a beautiful scene, you can just start snapping digital photos right and left, and you will end up with a bunch of okay pictures. However, if you take time to compose your landscape photo, you will bring back a number of pictures that are outstanding.

 The Rule of Thirds

One of the oldest rules of photography is the Rule of Thirds. According to this rule, you should divide the scene you see in the viewfinder into three equally spaced vertical parts and three equally spaced horizontal parts.  The key parts of your photograph should be placed along these lines or their intersections. When you do this, it creates more tension, energy and interest in your landscape photo.

To put it in simpler terms, normally avoid placing the main subject in the direct center of your photograph. Instead, place it at about the one-third mark from the edge of the photo. In the picture I took of a Paris metro station sign (above), I placed the sign off-center, both vertically and horizontally, which makes a more interesting picture than if the sign were centered in the exact middle.

At the same time, I often find it hard to follow the Rule of Thirds both vertically and horizontally in the same picture. Photography is my hobby, not my profession. I’m not composing pictures for a photo contest. Rather, I’m usually on a trip or outing having fun. If I have to worry too much about my composition, it takes the fun out of photography for me. I took the cityscape picture below from the Eiffel tower in Paris. I ignored the Rule of Thirds because I felt the picture looked better with the grass mall area in the center of the picture. However, I followed the Rule by placing the horizon two-thirds of the way up from the bottom of the picture. Nevertheless, I ended up with a fairly ordinary photo, not a great photo. Sometimes the scene before you doesn’t allow the creativity that another scene allows.

 Try to avoid placing the horizon in the center of your landscape photographs. Normally, it should be either about one-third of the distance from the bottom of the photo, or two-thirds of the distance.  If you want to emphasize the sky, then make it one-third up.  If you want to emphasize the landscape, place it two-thirds of the way up. Obviously, don’t be overly concerned about following this rule exactly. Just try to avoid putting the horizon in the exact middle of your landscape picture, dividing the photo in half. And if it’s an overcast day, try to show as little of the sky as possible in your landscape photo.

 Emphasize the Subject Through Reflection

 

One of the nicest ways to emphasize your subject is to capture a shot where the main subject is reflected in a pool of water.  It’s not often you get the opportunity to emphasize your subject in this manner. But when you get the opportunity to do so, the results can be spectacular. 

Sometimes you have to go to a bit of extra work to get just the perfect shot.  The photograph above of Chateau Chenonceaux in the Loire Valley, France, took some extra steps to capture.  For one thing, you can’t get that view from on the grounds of the chateau. I learned from one of the locals that there was a way to get to the far side of the chateau (from where the picture was taken) by driving down a winding, unmarked road and then hiking through the woods on public land.  I did that and was able to capture the shot below.

Slow shutter speeds?

This image was taken in Staiths, that day the sea was quite busy i wanted to show the technique of a slow shutter speed. So with this image I placed my neutral density filter 8 and ajusted my light meter readings to the correct exposure, because the neutral density filter was dark it pushed the shutter speed quite slow. This meant it allowed me time to capture a slow shutter speed and capture a misty stillness within the sea. This image was taken with the camera settings F/22 with a 2.5 sec exposure on ISO 100. I know i could of pushed the exposure for longer if i had used both of my Nd filters the 4-6 and 8-9 but then this would of given the image a magenta saturation. 

Shutter speeds?

So after looking at depth of fields i now am going onto look at shutter speeds. Now there are two ways you can go about it you can have a quick shutter speed which catches split second imagery like sport or you can have a slow shutter speed's usually used within water imagery. Long shutter speed's can make waves look calm but exciting at the same time. They can make lakes look still and reflective like a mirror. Here is an example found on:

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.photoanswers.co.uk/upload/2265/images/slow%2520shutter.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.photoanswers.co.uk/Advice/Search-Results/Techniques/Choose-the-right-shutter-speed-to-shoot-waves/&usg=__busq8FPDdUtiPJDDpfK0rlrM2w0=&h=2048&w=3072&sz=6750&hl=en&start=2&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=rNv--wS9VJoDBM:&tbnh=100&tbnw=150&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dslow%2Bshutter%2Btechniques%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Den-us%26ndsp%3D18%26tbs%3Disch:1

Depth of field test?

This is the first test image i took. Although i understood depth of field before the post bellow i thought i would demonstrate my knowledge of it. Here i have taken an image with an F/stop of 4, 1/40 sec exposure and ISO as you can see in the front the image is crisp and in detail where as the background on the bottom right is very very blurry.

here we have the 2nd test shot now this image was taken with the camera setting f/5.6, 1/25th sec exposure and ISO 100. As you can see within the image again you have the main flower in the front again perfectly focused again. But if you direct your focus again to the bottom right of the image you will find if you compare and co

ntrast it is slightly more focused. This is due to the reason that the F stop had been enlarged by two stops, restricting the depth of field.(the larger the f/stop the less depth of field) as u gradually increase the F stop things become more focused.

 

Here we have the 3rd test shot again as explained above you will find that the bottom right of the image is much more crisper than compared to the first test shoot. The reason for this is again as you increase the f/stop the depth of field becomes very shallow . Therefore restricting blur and instead focusing the image more. This is the main reason why landscape photographers shoot there images with the largest f/stop so the images are as detailed as possible. This also allows for more exposure time which allows you to play with techniques like water blur within my next post i will next go on to research shutter speed effects.

Depth of field?

Depth of field can be very useful when shooting landscapes here is a description of depth of field taken from: http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/depth-of-field.htm

Depth of field is the range of distance within the subject that is acceptably sharp.  The depth of field varies depending on camera type, aperture and

 focusing distance, although print size and viewing distance can influence our perception of it.  This section is designed to give a better intuitive and technical

 understanding for photography, and provides a depth of field calculatorto show how it varies with your camera settings.

The depth of field does not abruptly change from sharp to unsharp, but instead occurs as a gradual transition.  In fact, everything immediately in front of or in back of the focusing distance begins to 

lose sharpness-- even if this is not perceiv

ed by our eyes or by the resolution of the camera.

Since there is no critical point of transition, a more rigorous term called the "circle of confusion" is used to define how much a point needs to be blurred in order to be perceived as unsharp.  When the circle of confusion becomes perceptible to our eyes, this region is said to be outside the depth of field and thus no longer "acceptably sharp."  The circle of confusion above has been exaggerated for clarity; in reality this would be only a tiny fraction of the camera sensor's area.

When does the circle of confusion become perceptible to our eyes?  An acceptably sharp circle of confusion is loosely defined as one which would go unnoticed when enlarged to a standard 8x10 inch print, and observed from a standard viewing distance of about 1 foot.

at this viewing distance and print size, camera manufactures assume a circle of confusion is negligible if no larger than 0.01 inches (when enlarged).  As a result, camera manufacturers use the 0.01 inch standard when providing lens depth of field markers (shown below for f/22 on a 50mm lens).  In reality, a person with 20-20 vision or better can distinguish features 1/3 this size or smaller, and so the circle of confusion has to be even smaller than this to achieve acceptable sharpness throughout.

A different maximum circle of confusion also applies for each print size and viewing distance combination.  In the earlier example of blurred dots, the circle of confusion is actually smaller than the resolution of your screen for the two dots on either side of the focal point, and so these are considered within the depth of field.  Alternatively, the depth of field can be based on when the circle of confusion becomes larger than the size of your digital camera's pixels.

Note that depth of field only sets a maximum value for the circle of confusion, and does not describe what happens to regions once they become out of focus.  These regions also ca

lled "bokeh," from Japanese (pronounced bo-ké).  Two images with identical depth of field may have significantly different bokeh, as this depends on the shape of the lens diaphragm.  In rea

lity, the circle of confusion is usually not actually a circle, but is only approximated as such when it is very small.  When it becomes large, most lenses will render it as a polygonal shape with 5-8 sides.

Controlling depth of field.

Although print size and viewing distance are important factors which influence how large the circle of confusion appears to our eyes, aperture and focal distance are the two main factors that determine how big the circle of confusion will be on your camera's sensor.  Larger apertures (smaller F-stop number) and closer focal distances produce a shallower depth of field.  The following depth of field test was taken with the same focus distance and a 200 mm lens (320 mm field of view on a 35 mm camera), but with various apertures:

F/8.0

F/5.6

F/2.8

Example of Magenta color cast

Image taken at Whitby no filters:

Same Image taken with Neutral density grad 4-6 and a graduated Neutral density filter:

I think this is a good example of what the filters have been doing to my images throughout trying to use my Cokin filters. After looking at this image i decided to not use these filters from now on and stick to my trusted Polarizing filter.

Cokin magenta color cast?

now I've had a look on around on the internet for the problems i have been experience with magenta color casts. There are several problems i have come up with:

1. Apparently there are later ranges and earlier ranges of ND filters, the later ranges of cokin filters are well known for having color casts whereas the new range don't experience this problem.

2.Different sensors apparently allow certain color's through the sensor and restrict others hence one color being more prominent like the red color cast. better explanation bellow taken from: http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=141957

The issue is that the Cokin filters transmit IR light more than visible light. Very long exposures will allow a much greater proportion of IR to visible light through, so the images are tinged with IR light, which the sensor will tend to render as red.

This is why some people have the issue and some people don't. Some cameras have stronger IR filters at the sensor than others, and it would appear that different batches from Cokin have different transmission properties.

 Research taken from discussion website:http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=141957

Neutral Density Filter test?

Image taken without any Filters (bare lens) Image taken with settings:

0.5 sec shutter speed

f/22- for no depth of field but focused image(tripod needed)

Iso 100

The image bellow was taken with the Cokin Neutral density filter 4- 0.6, as you can see it has prolonged the shutter speed hence the blurring within the trees. It has also brought out the blues within the sky.It has also increased the greens within the grass and other colors.

this image was taken with the settings:

0.5 sec shutter speed

f/22

Iso 100

The image bellow was taken with the neutral density filter 8-0.9 as you can see again with the neutral density 8-9 i has increased the contrast and tones of the image even more the sky is more blue and the green is slightly more vivd. This filter allowed me more time to experiment,due to the darkness of the filter extending the shutter speed allowing time to add effects. This image was taken with the setting:

0.5 sec shutter speed

f/22

Iso 100

The image below was taken with the neutral density filters used above, the nd 4-0.6 and nd 8-0.9. As from this image you can see that 2 filters has changed the color of the image and given it a magenta tint, as of right now i don't know why its done this but i intend to go onto do some research as to why this happened.I had also noticed that with my filters if i use more than one it also comes out with a pink tint see in the next post for description.

This image was taken with the settings:

1.3 sec shutter speed

f/22

Iso 100

This image below was taken with the neutral density 8-9 and also a neutral density grad hence the darker sky.If this shoot was a landscape this would of been effective.This Image was taken with the settings:

0.6 sec shutter speed

f/22

Iso 100

As you can see with these image's there is a mark on the image i was aware of this at the time. This mark was made from dust on my filters. I learnt from this test that make sure you're filters are spotless with dust before shooting. Unfortunately the Cokin filters attract dust so its hard to keep on top of the dust, but i know to check every time now.

Buying a Neutral density filter?

Rite so after i had done my research on Neutral density filters. I went and bought a Neutral density 8 filter. Which allowed you a good space of time. I waited about a week as it was coming from china. Unfortunately i was stupid and bought a counterfeit filter.So after complaining i went to my local photography shop on post house whynd.I went and bought a neutral density 5- 6 and a neutral density 8-9. After buying these neutral density filters i went and experimented in my back garden as i did before the next post will be a series of test shots which i did to see the difference.

Neutral density filters?

From the you tube video below I learnt about a new filter called the neutral density filter. What i learnt that was although i know to make a landscape in perfect focus in the depth of fields, i knew that you had to set your camera to the biggest aperture your camera would go to like F22-25.This then allows you to have a longer shutter speed, before i knew the details of how to use a neutral density filter i used the technique above but over expose to get a longer shutter speed then darken the image down a lot in photoshop. I never knew there was another way of going about it until i learnt about the neutral density filter. From what i learnt from the you tube video that when you have your camera on F22-25 the neutral density filter allows you to have a much longer shutter speed compared to not using the filter, hence allowing more time to experiment with blurring(of water, sky's,trees blown by wind etc), filters and effects.

How use Cokin Neutral Density Filters?

Experiment one.

Right so I'm wanting to create dramatic landscapes how do i do them? Im going to start with my filters. For christmas i recieved a christmas present from my cusin of some cokin filters here are the images i took and what has been used( this is proof of reserach and self directed learning)

the image bellow is an image of my back garden with no filter:

The next image was the same image but with a Jessops circular polarizing filter:

The next image bellow was taken with the jessop's circular polarizing filter, and a Cokin neutral density graduated filter:

I think with this demonstration you can rapid;y see the difference between and bare lens,a polarizing filter and a neutral density filter. After doing this demonstration I then went onto you tube and researched Cokin filters, different types of filters and  i found quite a relevant video. Within my next post I'm going to try and link the video that helped me quite a bit.

My brief has been decided.

So as you can see the last post bellow is an exact copy of the brief i had been working on and has been verified by my tutor.I choose to do moving landscapes because its something that I'm passionate about i love effective landscapes and for this project i wanted to do something I liked doing. 

So I've named my brief moving landscapes what does that incur then.

I am going to go out of my way and do my best to achieve a dramatic moving landscape. For my final 10 images i will be producing 10 images 5 black and white and 5 in color.

I will research new techniques and methods that i didn't know before. I will be using filters to achieve different effects and feels to my photography. I recently have been doing some test shooting in my back garden experimenting with my filters i will include them into my next post.

My written Brief:Moving Landscapes

Negotiated Learning Plan - Study Proposalv           

FdA

Commercial Photography

Level 2

Module/s

Work Related Final Project

Academic Year

Student Name

Claire Harman

F/T

x

P/T

Please refer to your Module Handbook for the Learning Outcomes

 

Proposal - Title

Moving Landscapes

Date:

23/3/2010

Content: I am going to produce a series of 10 Images in two different styles 5 in colour and 5 in black and white. I will be using graduated filters on my camera itself and I will also research into using graduated filters on Photoshop, to make the sky’s dramatic and neutral density filters to increase colours. I will also be using polarising filters with the grads to increase the colours within the sky and bring out the clouds.  I have chosen to do this to achieve dramatic landscapes with different feelings like movement, stillness, sunsets and even people within my landscapes. At the same time I want the viewer to feel like they are actually in the subject themselves.  I will be travelling to areas with pleasant scenery and focusing my landscapes on my surrounding area, and I have decided to begin with Robin Hood’s Bay . I will be using different camera techniques i.e. shutter speeds to create a blurring of water and clouds. Apertures to create a depth of field, and re-looking into the zone system in digital to achieve correct tones. I will also be researching into landscape photographers. I will produce the following A series of 10 images being a mixture  5 black and white and 5 colour to a professional standard. A well structured researched blog. A DVD with all 10 images on tiff format and web format.
Associated Research I will start by looking into art  landscape photographers like, Marc Adamus,John Blakemore, Michael Kenna,Charlie Waite, and Jason Theaker. I intend to use the library, journals and magazines and the internet.  Once I have got a feel for what I’m wanting to achieve, will research in depth of shutter speeds, apertures, filters. I will also research into well known techniques landscape photographers use.  I will research into the zone system for digital to understand how to get the right tones within my images right . Most important I will look into composition.  I intend to carefully research the markets for this style of photography and gain a greater understanding of how to sell my work
Learning Goals To develop my  skills to be a landscape photographer. To understand how to produce images good enough for stock, my website and other usage. To learn about how to plan and manage and work the light for landscape photography
Refer to Assignment/Project Brief for Assessment Criteria	Staff
	Student

 

Urban landcapes?

I've done some research on urban landscapes, i did do quite a lot of research. And for me this is not a project i want to be doing. For me i found from the research i did, i found Urban landscapes really bland.So i wont be going with this idea.

landscapes?, deserted landscapes?

landscapes is one of my main passions i love achieving a great landscape, but for my last project i want to go out with a bang. But i also didn't want it to look like i settled for doing something simple. Right now I' m seriously thinking about doing landscape but really dramatic landscapes.

Anorexia?

I think Anorexia and other eating disorders are a very big problem in todays society. The problems need to be brought to people sight to help them realize. There is a close eating disorders help clinic near to my town i was planning approaching them to ask iff any of there residents were wanting to work with me to produce documentary photography on the problem the picture bellow is what i was wanting to go for, something tasteful,documentary whilst being respectful.

image taken from:  http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://hypericum.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/anorexia-21.jpg&imgrefurl=http://hypericum.wordpress.com/2008/07/21/anorexia-%25E2%2580%2598bigorexia%25E2%2580%2599-may-have-same-genetic-roots/&usg=__lROGHGwFky3kohZHSQEd4hMqs5s=&h=335&w=237&sz=19&hl=en&start=39&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=cBTOkdKIlMn5xM:&tbnh=119&tbnw=84&prev=/images%3Fq%3Danorexia%26start%3D21%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26ndsp%3D21%26tbs%3Disch:1

War?

I found this image a couple of years ago which grabs my heart every time, it described exactly what i wanted to.I wanted to look at the after effects of war not the battles it's self but the struggles and the pains the families go through afterwards in a documentary style.

Image taken from:http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://edfromct.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/vietnam-memorial.jpg&imgrefurl=http://edfromct.wordpress.com/2009/04/24/australias-day-of-remembrance-anzac-day-april-25th/&usg=__RvYA6ymdTurnYy-f4PJ5Rp994gM=&h=525&w=700&sz=74&hl=en&start=126&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=RceHUwFE5ZYnRM:&tbnh=105&tbnw=140&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dwar%2Bremembrance%2Bwall%26start%3D105%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26ndsp%3D21%26tbs%3Disch:1

NHS drunk and violent problems?

why NHS drunk and violent problems. I recently watched a documentary on the problems which the NHS face on there shifts. They said in the program from about 9.oo onwards at night the staff doctors and nurses call this time the drunk shift. The reason for this as they explained recently in the past few years there has been a rapid increase in drunk and disorderly problems within the NHS. The showed the viewers footage of members of public going into hospitals legless and some un-conscious, and then there were the other types the violent drunks. The nurses and doctors these days are having to face drunken violence within there work place where they should feel safe. They showed us footage of members of publics who were drunk attacking the doctors punching kicking the main people who were trying to make them better. Recently the staff have been having to have training for when these problems accrue so they have some self defense when this happens.

What i was wanting to do was document these happenings because i don't think many people know about these problems. And still yet take alcohol for-granted and go over the top. I don't know if i would be abel to do this idea as doctor patient confidentiality.

Image taken from google search engine: drunk and disorderly.

Racism?

So racism what makes me want to do racism?

 Well with this last project for this term i wanted to go out with a bang and i wanted a really strong subject to show i haven't sat back and chosen the easiest option. I've really been thinking about racism its a subject close to my heart, i find it hard to believe that people these days are still being racist. For me i don't notice a color of a persons skin i see them for who they are inside and i think its sad that people cant see past the color of a skin.

so how would I interpret racism in the form of racism?

well i had two ideas the first being using objects things around me to demonstrate racism as some people demonstrate it like the images found bellow:

Images taken from google search engine searching racism and racism photography.

My second idea which i favor over the idea abov

e (i think portrays me being racist over trying to demonstrate it) is going out on the street binding my time and trying to capture it on the public street. Having a series of of 10 black and white rasicm on the street caught on the camera just like jeff wall:

image taken from google whilst searching Jeff wall.