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Taking Great Landscape Shots |
By:
Peter Horner |
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Copyright 2006 Peter Horner
Whether captured on canvas with paint or on film with a camera,
landscapes have always been a great artistic theme. We will
always be inspired by the colour and infinite variety of nature
and the landscapes around us. This article gives you useful tips
for creating impressive landscape photographs, and you'll learn
how to make your pictures more striking.
Capturing the moment
Photography is about freezing a moment in time. You must make
the most of the time that you have whilst you are out taking
photos. If the weather is not right, use the time to explore the
area, assess good viewpoints and work out what time of day will
work best for the shot. Using a compass is invaluable in
determining where the sun sets or rises, but remember that this
changes with the seasons. Preparation and planning will help you
to capture a successful photograph.
Composition
Keeping it simple and not cluttering the shot with too many
elements is a good rule. By removing distractions from your
photographs will help bring more prominence to your subject. It
is also important to include some form of foreground interest,
which may be your subject or it could be used to draw the eye
towards the subject.
There is also a rule that will aid you in creating good
composition, which is called the Rule Of Thirds. In photography,
using this The Rule of Thirds keeps the main subject off centre,
away from the middle of the frame. As a result, a photo looks
more dynamic and interesting. Imagine your image divided into
nine equal parts by two equally spaced horizontal lines and two
equally spaced vertical lines. Placing your subject where any of
the lines intersect will help in producing a well-balanced
image. But sometimes rules are there to be broken as well!
Focal Point
Without focal point the eye can sometimes wander around the
frame unsure of where to look. The focal point is what drew your
attention to the shot. It could be a tree, hill, building or
boat but should hold the whole composition together. By giving
your photograph a point of interest it will also help create a
sense of scale.
Time of Day
The quality of light changes considerably during the day. At
sunrise there are weak shadows and pastel colours. Atmospheric
haze and pollution are also at their lowest.
After shooting sunrise the light becomes harsher and more
contrasting. Colours are fully saturated and can be enhanced
further by using a polarizing filter. Shooting with the sun
behind you or to one side will usually work best for maximum
colour.
By late afternoon or sunset the sunlight will create much warmer
colours and subjects will benefit from strong side lighting.
Shooting into the sun as it moves towards the horizon can also
create stunning silhouettes. Making a silhouette with a sunset
couldn't be easier. Your foreground subject will usually
automatically come out black in these conditions because the
camera's meter will underexpose when you are shooting towards a
bright light source. Silhouettes can produce very strong eye
catching images that will look great when blown up big and
hanging on your wall.
Once the sun has set the dusk or twilight colours can still glow
with warmth. After the sun has disappeared carry on taking
pictures using long exposures and you will see the sky take on a
dark blue tint.
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Article Source: http://www.PopularArticles.com/article14104.html |
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