Photography News | Issue 33 | absolutephoto.com
Technique 26
“Although I usuallyprefer side lighting, I’ll often keeptheapertureat f/16 tocreateanice starburst effect then take one shot as normal, which will include some flare; I then take a secondwithmy hand covering the sun to eliminate the flare and the images can then be blended in Photoshop. To exaggerate the starburst effect, I try andplace the sun peeping round the side of a tree or rock.” It’s worth noting the effect that wide-angle lenses canhaveonsunrisesandsunsets, too.At a wideangle,foregroundelementsareexaggerated and distant details seemsmaller, so you can find scenes look less impressive than toyour eye, and skies less ‘big’. Assess the scene and if this is the case, tryaslightly longer focal length; pushing in from14mmto 24mmcanmake all the difference to the impact of a shot. But if you go all the way to a telephoto setting, remember the dangers of viewing the sun in this way. Sun settings So now you’re at the location, the shot is composed and things are really kicking off. The final stage is to nail that exposure. As noted, this can be tricky, with lots of highlight and shadow detail to contend with, as the sky is much brighter than the rest of the scene. Not only that, in the relative gloom of dawn and dusk, shots will look a lot brighter when reviewing them on screen than they actually are. While exposure blending (taking two locked- off shots and merging them digitally) is a perfectly acceptable way of dealing with this, all the LPotY photographers we spoke to took the troubletousegraduatedNDfilterstobalancethe contrast between sky and land. “Occasionally,”
says Ross, “I will blend, but I prefer to get things right in camera using a single frame whenever possible. The dynamic range of digital SLRs is now so good, that capturing high-contrast scenes is getting easier.” Frank Leavesley echoes this, feeling that the Raw files from his D810, like many full- frame cameras can capture enough information without needing to resort to bracketing exposures; “because it’s possible to pick up lots of detail from the shadows without increasing noise, I tend to underexpose a little to make sure I do not blow out the highlights, where recovery is less easy.” Underexposing slightly is most easily done using your camera’s exposure compensation feature, and dialling in a little negative setting like -0.3 or -0.7, but you can do it in manual mode too, using the exposure metering bar to judge when it’s slightly under what the camera suggests. Try not to go too far though, unless youwant silhouettes. The main time that bracketing and exposure blending (or subtleHDRprocessing) is required is when landscape features like mountains, trees or buildings cut through the horizon as the grad will darken them unrealistically. If you’re unsure, it’s better to shoot more frames and cover yourself against problems, but do it fast as the light and colour will be fleeting. Andy Tibbetts pinpoints the use of Raw processing for greater control of exposure and colour balance, both of which can be extreme with sunsets; “I do make use of ND grads but with mountain locations, these can often cause more problems than they solve because of the unevenskyline. Software suchasLightroomcan
often be far better and more subtle at balancing exposure a physical filter.” When it comes to the colours themselves you need to ensure you set the right white-balance or, according to Frank, “you may find the colour you saw is not there.” If you’re shooting in Raw, the white-balance can be set in processing, but to keep you away from the computer and put the emphasis on shooting, they can be warmed and intensified by setting the white-balance to Cloudy or Shade.
The dynamic range of DSLRs is now so good, capturing high-contrast scenes is getting easier
Above Trebarwith Strand by Ross Hoddinott who timed his shot of Gull Island at just the right point in the year, so that the setting sun was in the best possible position. Left Misty Past by Frank Leavesley showing Corfe Castle in Dorset, taken at dawn. The ruin is a magnet for photographers, so shooting it at sunset, or sunrise can give your shot a point of difference.
Nowenter Landscape Photographer of the Year 2016!
to work. What’s more, local knowledge can be invaluable and a small piece of local woodland can provide as much inspiration as a well- known beauty spot.” Could you be the 10thwinner? With a prize fund of £20,000, a book of best entries and a popular exhibition in Central London, LPotY celebrates all that’s great about the British landscape and showcases the work of many talented photographers, inspiring visitors to experience the joys of British landscapes. The competition is held in association with Visit Britain and the Great Britain #OMGB ‘Home of Amazing Moments’ campaign. Enter online at take-a-view.co.uk . The closing date is 10 July 2016.
weeks for the right conditions, then it can bias how you see the finished result. Getting opinions is very helpful; not too many though,
The UK’s biggest and best landscape photography competition is now open for entries (and not just for sunsets!). With the contest now in its tenth year, we asked founder and judge, Charlie Waite, for his tips on entering and getting your pictures noticed. So, if you want to be the next winner, take note…
just a respected few.” • Find your balance
“A successful image must have balance. A deep black ‘nothingness’ can dominate a photograph as much as unwanted highlights.” • Look for simplicity “Images with clear messages stand out from the crowd. If there’s too much going on and the viewer’s eye does not know how an image should be read, then it isn’t working. Devices, such as lead-in lines, can help to make a cohesive whole, so making your image easier to appreciate. There are occasional exceptions, but simplicity should not be underestimated.” • Go local “LPotY has four categories, so you can enter urban and conceptual views, as well as the more classic landscapes. Around 80% of us live in urban areas so you may even find a winning image on your way
• Get emotional “Why do you enjoy landscape photography? What emotions do you feel when creating an image? It is worth taking a fewmoments to consider these questions and then looking at your work to see if your answers are reflected within. If an image feels emotionally cold to you then it will do to the viewer.” • Be your own biggest critic “It can be very hard to be honest with yourself. If an image has been hard to achieve; if you have driven miles to a location, or waited
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