My First Proper Landscapes

[mark.c]

I got a photography book on landscapes for christmas and i have been reading it ever since.

Anyway, i thought this morning that i would go out and try and put some of the things that i have read into practice.
This was the first time i have really gone out to purposefully to take some landscape photos so im sure that you guys
will have a lot of contructive feedback for me.

I am lucky enough to live in Surrey so I didn't have to drive far to find some countryside.

Here are some of my shots from today 


Full Res: http://www.flickr.com/photos/65901579@N04/6582291643/sizes/l/in/photostream/


Full Res: http://www.flickr.com/photos/65901579@N04/6582359525/sizes/l/in/photostream/


Full Res: http://www.flickr.com/photos/65901579@N04/6582394821/sizes/l/in/photostream/


Full Res: http://www.flickr.com/photos/65901579@N04/6582418621/sizes/l/in/photostream/


Full Res: http://www.flickr.com/photos/65901579@N04/6582445967/sizes/l/in/photostream/

Incase you were interested in the EXIF;
Image 1
Camera: Canon 600D
Lens: Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM @ 21mm
Aperture: f20
Shutter Speed: 1/20 Sec
ISO: 400
Flash: No
Edited With: Lightroom 3

Image 2
Camera: Canon 600D
Lens: Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM @ 75mm
Aperture: f20
Shutter Speed: 1/13 Sec
ISO: 400
Flash: No
Edited With: Lightroom 3

Image 3
Camera: Canon 600D
Lens: Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM @ 170mm
Aperture: f20
Shutter Speed: 1/13 Sec
ISO: 400
Flash: No
Edited With: Lightroom 3

Image 4
Camera: Canon 600D
Lens: Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM @ 80mm
Aperture: f20
Shutter Speed: 1/10 Sec
ISO: 400
Flash: No
Edited With: Lightroom 3

Image 5
Camera: Canon 600D
Lens: Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM @ 220mm
Aperture: f20
Shutter Speed: 0.6 Sec
ISO: 400
Flash: No
Edited With: Lightroom 3

[luxborealis]

You are off to a good start. The first and fourth images are the strongest as they both incorporate diagonals which help to convey three-dimensionality. As well, there are pathways that lead the viewer from the foreground to the background. The second and third photos are flatter in nature as they portray lateral bands of information going across the photo and not "into" the scene.

Any particular reason your aperture is at f/20 for all 5 images (other than for greater depth-of-field)? With an APS sensor, you start to see the effects of diffraction at that aperture (blurred fine detail due to the light rays bending around the small aperture). It's not visible on screen-sized versions of the photos but can soften edges of prints and requires more sharpening than the photo might otherwise require. f/11 or, if needed, f/16 will often cover the DoF you are trying to achieve, especially with wideangle focal lengths.

For me, landscape photography is as much about the foreground and mid-ground as it is about the grand scene. But pulling it all together does take some planning and thought since you are distilling a three-dimensional dynamic scene with all your personal experiences of being there (the smells, the wind, the cold, the warmth, etc)  into a two-dimensional static photograph with no "special effects"! My goal with landscapes is to re-create not just the scene, but the feeling of being there at that point in time. Yes, it's a challenge.

Have a read of an earlier post I wrote on landscape photography at: http://www.luminous-landscape.com/forum/index.php?topic=60494.msg487569#msg487569

And keep looking and seeing and composing and enjoying!

[popnfresh]

Really, not bad at all for a first attempt. Keep shooting at every opportunity and you will steadily improve.

[mark.c]

Thank you both for taking time to reply and also thank you for such a detailed, informative and constructive response.

Yes the main reason for the f20 aperture was to maximise the DoF. I did notice the diffraction you were referring to when i was editing the photos but i wasnt sure what cause it, i do now  I will be opening my aperture up from now on.

I can completely understand what you are saying about the flatter images. Next time i will try and shoot so i have leading lines towards the subject. I think if im completely honest i was being lazy, I stood in one spot and just turned the camera round from that spot 

I was also wondering about the ISO. Is it best to keep the lowest ISO (100), set the aperture to say f11 and just increase the shutter speed?
I guess shutter speed most of the time is the least important variable as we are often not trying to capture fast moving objects.

Thank you very much for the link i will have a good read of that 

As these photos were taken just down the road from me, i am going to go back there today and try and take some similar shots with the tips that you have suggested. I will think more about the composition techniques, close my aperture and i am going to try and get there for the golden hour/hours and hopefully improve on these images, although i know that it will take lots of time and practice.

I will share my updated shots soon.

Many thanks again.

[popnfresh]

I was also wondering about the ISO. Is it best to keep the lowest ISO (100), set the aperture to say f11 and just increase the shutter speed?

There is no "best" ISO or aperture. It all depends on the light, how you want the shot to look and your camera's ability to capture the scene. However, I will say that, in general, most camera sensors have a native ISO of around 200 and most fast lenses (those whose maximum aperture is f/2.8 and under) are at their peak sharpness between f/4 and f/11. Sharpness tends to gradually lessen at smaller apertures due to diffraction. So it's a trade-off. Sometimes you just need the greater DoF of a smaller aperture. And most cameras today do very well at ISO settings between 100 and 1600. But you're not going to gain anything in terms of lower noise or dynamic range shooting at ISO 100 as opposed to ISO 200. I would only use ISO 100 if there was just too much light for me to shoot at my desired f-stop at ISO 200.

[mark.c]

Thanks for all your help guys.
As i mentioned i went back to the same place again this time armed with all of your tips/comments etc and this is what i came up with.
I feel that they are a massive improvement but what do you guys think?
Any suggestions as to how i can continue to improve these shots?


Full Res: http://www.flickr.com/photos/65901579@N04/6596519073/sizes/l/in/photostream/


Full Res: http://www.flickr.com/photos/65901579@N04/6596545297/sizes/l/in/photostream/


Full Res: http://www.flickr.com/photos/65901579@N04/6596581687/sizes/l/in/photostream/


Full Res: http://www.flickr.com/photos/65901579@N04/6596610447/sizes/l/in/photostream/

[shutterpup]

I think your second set is more interesting to look at than your first. Don't know if that helps.

[armand]

There is something missing in many shots, I think the light is not the greatest and maybe the white balance doesn't help either. I have similar shots taken in a flat light and no matter how much I push them in post processing I don't get much out of them.
The third one in the second set however is quite nice, with a better light also. The only thing that could be better is to position yourself so you can avoid those close out-of-focus branches.

[sdwilsonsct]

Hi Mark,
I like #1 in the 2nd series, especially the contrasts in texture and colour between water and grass. I might have focused on this by excluding the horizon or using such a wide angle that the subject dominated the picture with just a distant horizon to provide context.
Have fun!
Scott

[RSL]

Mark, #3 in the second series is quite good. The light's good, the composition is good, and there's a subject to focus on that's a bit out of the ordinary. The rest are roughtly the equivalent of tourist snapshots. Technically they all look good to me, though Slobodan probably could come up with ways to improve them.

[Moritz]

Nice work, Mark! Just a little thought.... may I suggest that you try lowering your tripod / angle of view a bit next time? By going lower you might be able to make things look bigger (and more impressive) than they are plus it gives the view a more interesting perspective if it's not shot from a typical eye-level.

... and what a difference the weather can make! :-)

[HSakols]

It is wonderful you have discovered landscape photography!  You will start looking at the world in a more discerning manner and you will look over your work from the past as you develop your new vision.