Northern Image Photographers Prince Albert, Saskatchewan

LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY
Geoff Payton - 2006

We usually think of a landscape photograph as a wide shot with colourful flowers, lush green trees, and bright blue skies; often with flowing streams or majestic mountains. However, landscape photographs can be much more. They are a representation of the area; it may be wilderness with no trace of man, or it may be the middle of an urban slum. What generally defines a landscape shot is the inclusion of surrounding features; whether it matches, contrasts, or complements the main subject. It helps to give the viewer a ‘sense of place’, an understanding of the subject within its environment. A landscape photograph may include people or animals, it may include vehicles or buildings, but these contribute to the overall image, rather than being featured as the central subject.

There are so many different types of landscapes that the following are merely suggestions to consider. As always, photography is the act of ‘capturing’ light - and the light must be suitable for the subject. Shot at night by moonlight or streetlight; shot during the blazing midday sun; shot during a blizzard or rainstorm; or during the warm golden tint of a sunset; all will provide a completely unique photograph. Different seasons also change the look of the shot; stark tree skeletons; fresh blooms; dusty streets; or snow-drifted shadows.

Filters can modify the existing lighting to some degree: the use of polarizers; graduated filters such as grey, blue, or orange; or warming filters can all change what the camera sees. Even the use of a good lens hood can reduce flare and washed-out highlights, and increase contrast.

Polarizers work best when the sun is ‘off your shoulder’ - when you are shooting at about 90 degrees to the sun angle. Remember to take them off your lens when the sun is not shining, as they will have no effect except to reduce your available shutter speed. Coloured graduated filters can be used to add blue to a dull sky; or a red, orange, or other can be used to produce or add to a sunset shot. Just be careful with filter placement as they will also add colour to everything they cover - red or blue trees just don’t look right! Graduated grey filters can be used to even out the exposure - holding back light from a bright sky so detail can be seen in the darker foreground. They can also be used ‘upside down’ to hold back brightness from a reflective lake, or from snow in winter.

Slower film (50 or 100 ISO), or sensor sensitivity, will show less grain, or noise, and is more suited for landscape photography. When you shoot with a faster film, you are gaining film speed at the expense of larger grain. When you boost the sensitivity of your image sensor by selecting a higher ISO, the image sensor is now able to record a fainter light signal. However, it is also true now that it will record fainter noise, where noise is any signal that is not attributed to the light from your subject. Lower ISO settings mean enlargements will be sharper, with more contrast - but the use of a tripod is strongly recommended. Usually there is little that is moving in a “typical” landscape shot - but if yours includes people, animals, or vehicles, then ISO choice must be considered differently. Moving water, or wind, can also add variables when considering shutter speeds.

The use of different films can also enhance or modify the effect. Some films produce more saturated colour; others can reduce contrast for a more pastel look. Many digital cameras have built-in settings for these same effects (colour modes); ‘Natural’, ‘bright’, ‘landscape’, and ‘vibrant’, for example. Under-exposing slide film by approximately ½ stop can increase the saturation, making colours more vivid. Over-exposing ½ or even 1 stop will wash out the image, sometimes giving a ‘dreamy’ effect. Experiment with different films; if shooting print film, you could also try different processing labs. Due to the nature of the equipment, even the same lab will produce different colours from the same negative printed on different days.

Landscape photographs typically present an image that is in focus from front to back - the use of a small aperture (f16 to f32) will give you the depth of field necessary for this. The use of hyperfocal distance on lenses that still have meaningful distance markings will also help - set the infinity symbol (an ‘8’ on it’s side) opposite the aperture you are using. However, most lenses do not have useful marks - in this case, try setting your focus approximately 1/3 of the distance into the photograph. The depth of field (at whatever aperture) always extends 1/3 in front and 2/3 behind the point of sharpest focus. Without depth of field preview, this may not look right through the viewfinder - shoot it like this, and also the way it ‘looks’ right, and compare later.

Lens choice depends on the particular situation - most landscapes tend to be shot with a wide-angle lens. As always, include what you want in the shot, but make sure to LEAVE OUT what you DON’T want. Watch for vignetting (dark corners) when using filters and/or lens hoods.

The use of wider lenses necessitates careful control of what appears in the frame - make sure to sweep the edges of the frame before you shoot to avoid surprises in the finished image. Watch for clutter, garbage, utility lines, or signs that will distract from the finished product. Experiment with using different shooting angles: low level shots (kneeling or sitting) can include more foreground which adds to the perceived depth of the image. The use of a vertical composition will also add foreground - try to include distinct foreground, mid-ground, and background elements to emphasize the 3D aspect of the photograph. Climb up on a stepladder, or shoot from the roof of your vehicle, to “shoot the usual in an unusual way” (Dennis Chamberlain). Try composing from different viewpoints as well - walk around and look through the camera to determine various combinations. Too often we shoot many photos from the same spot, and later wonder why they tend to look alike. Strive for variety - and notice the difference in lighting from one spot to another.

Pay attention to the sense of balance in the composition - do all parts of the image work together? Does anything in the frame ‘over-shadow’ or diminish other areas? The rule of thirds can also help achieve a pleasingly balanced photograph.

Careful use of subject matter of a known size (people, animals, vehicles, tents, etc) can add a sense of scale to the image. Again, care must be taken that the added subject complements, not competes with, the main subject.

We are fortunate to live in one of the best areas in Western Canada for photographic diversity. An hour’s drive in different directions can provide shots of forests; “big-sky” prairie shots; or rural or urban landscapes. Take the time to explore - and remember no matter how much film you shoot, or memory cards you fill, they’ll make more!