 Mary C. Casey |
Landscape Photography: Advice Needed I will be taking landscape-type photographs. I have a 24mm/f 2.8 lens for my Nikon F6, and I am a newbie to all photography! What would you suggest for the best settings/point of focus for landscapes with this lens?
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Bob Cammarata |
Get down low to the ground and critically focus onto something in the foreground ... like a group of flowers, an interesting rock formation, a cactus (or whatever) and compose this element into the lower third of the frame. - A small aperture setting (like f-16) will expand your depth of field (the range of sharpness) from the foreground to the distant landscape. - Make sure you "level" the angle of view you see through the viewfinder to avoid distorted (or tilted) trees and other objects on the sides of the frame. - Also, if the sun is behind you, check carefully to make sure a part of your shadow isn't in the bottom of your composition. I recently acquired a 20mm Nikkor lens and my landscape work has improved dramatically with its wider angle of perspective.
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Joshua J. Jetton |
I would agree with everything Bob C. recommended, but I would also get a couple of graduated neutral density filters - I get them from Singh-Ray but Hoya, Tiffen, Cokin all have them. They are used to "hold back" the bright sky at the top of the frame so that you dont over-expose the sky while exposing the foreground. Good Luck!
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ROBERT F. CUMMINGS |
I HAVE FOUUND THAT IN TAKING LANDSCAPE PHOTOS, NOT ONLY ARE GRADUATED FILTERS A GOOD IDEA, SO ARE POLARIZING FILTERS. SOMETIMES YOU WILL GET A LOT OF HAZE IN LARGE EXPANCE LANDSCAPES, POLARIZERS HELP REMOVE THE EVER SO PRESSENT, BLUE HAZE. ALSO USING DIFFERENT FILMS WILL PRODUCE DIFFERENT LOOKS TO THE SAME PHOTO. SOME FILMS ARE MORE COLD, PRODUCING BLUES AND GREENS, WHILE OTHERS BRING OUT THE WARMER COLORS, LIKE REDS AND YELLOWS. SO IF YOU WANT A COOL PHOTO RESULT, TRY AGFA, FOR WARM SUNRISES AND SUNSETS TRY KODAK. IF YOU ARE SHOOTING DIGITAL, TRY ENHANCING YOU PHOTO BY REMOVING SOME BRIGHTNESS, AND ADDING SOME CONTRAST, THESE ARE OPTIONS IN MOST DIGITAL PHOTO PROGRAMS. ALSO, I RECOMMEND A TELEPHOTO LENS OF SOME TYPE. I USE A 100-300 ON MY LANDSCAPES AND SCENICS. MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, YOU WILL SEE SOMETHING IN A POTENTIAL PHOTO THAT YOU CAN ONLY REPODUCE WITH A TELEPHOTO LENSE, THUSLY MOVING YOUR EYE CLOSER TO THE SUBJECT WITHOUT LITTERING THE PHOTO WITH UNNECESSARY DISTRACTION. REMEMBER, THE SUBJECT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF COMPISITION, FRAMING AND LIGHT ARE NEXT, THEN DECIDE IF YOU WANT TO SEE EVERYTHING FROM FRONT TO REAR, OR JUST SHALLOW AROUND YOUR SUBJECT, THAT WILL DETERMINE YOUR F:STOP. F:22 OR BETTER FOR SHARP VIEWS FRONT TO BACK, AND F:2.5 OR LESS FOR SHALLOW FOCUSED AREAS AND OUT OF FOCUSED BACK AND FORE GROUNDS. I HOPE YOU CAN USE THIS INFORMATION. ROBERT FRANK CUMMINGS
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