Filters and Landscape Photography

This week, I decided to look at camera filters and their effects on landscape photography.

There are many types of filters that can be used to manipulate how the camera interprets exposures and colors. One of these is the GND, or graduated neutral density, filters. These filters are especially useful for the landscape photographer since often times in a scene the sky will be much brighter than the ground. The GND filter allows the photographer to darken the sky by a few stops while keeping an optimum exposure for the ground, allowing both the sky and ground to be viewed in a proper exposure without creating dark shadows or blowing out the sky. This effect can also be done in post-production if the photographer combines several photos of the same scene taken at different exposure values. However, if something moves in the scene between shots (like a blade of grass blowing in the wind) then that object will become blurred in the blended shot (called ghosting). Here is an excellent article describing the use of the GND filter versus exposure blending from landscape photographer Christopher O'Donnell:

http://christopherodonnellphotography.com/gnd-filters-vs-exposure-blending/

In addition to GND filters, polarizing filters can be useful in landscape photography. A polarizer can bring out warm or cool tones in a scene, emphasizing the changing colors of leaves or a bright sunset. Polarizers are also helpful on overcast days to add some "pop" to a scene with flat or gray lighting. Photographers can also use multiple filters at the same time; for example, one can create a unique effect with the proper exposure from a GND filter while simultaneously emphasizing warm tones from a warm tone polarizer. Here is a great article describing the use of filters in nature photography from the Nature Photographer's Online Magazine (the before and after photos shown here are worth checking out!):

http://www.naturephotographers.net/dw0502-1.html

Montana Landscape Photos

 

Landscape photographer Jay Wesler provides some great examples for landscape photography in his work. I came across his photos by searching for landscape photographers in Montana. I took an interest in the photos of this local artist and thought his work was unique.

 http://www.jaywesler.com/


I really liked his black and white photography; it seems to be an unusual way to display landscapes. It is amazing to me how stunning a landscape can still be when it is void of its color. The black and white tones bring out the clouds and water more as well as creating a very dramatic contrast between the elements of the sky and the land. As you can see from his photos, what better place is there to take dramatic landscape photographs than in Montana?!

Here are few of my favorites (all photos by Jay Wesler):

Week Two: Landscape Photography

While researching information for our first topic of the semester, landscape photography, I came across this article from National Geographic. It describes some basic landscape photography tips from Robert Caputo.

http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/photography/photo-tips/landscape-photography-tips/#page=1

At first, it seemed like a very simple article that was decent to read but not really helpful. However, it did bring up an interesting idea that I hadn't considered: even landscape photography has to have a point of interest. A common misconception of landscape photography is that it will be a good photo if you simply capture as much as possible of the landscape in front of you. Even when it looks great to your eyes though, the photo will not display the emotion you feel or interest you see unless you can find a way to highlight that.

This article provides ideas on how to choose an interesting subject in many different types of landscape settings in order to capture that emotion and portray it to your viewers. Taking a great photo of a landscape requires more than just point at the horizon and shoot; it requires you to decide exactly what it is you want to convey in the photo, whether it is an object such as an unusual tree or a feeling such as heat in a desert. Planning doesn't have to be difficult, but knowing what you want in the end result will enable you to find something in your landscape that more successfully portrays what you want, resulting in a better landscape photograph.

ART 347 Week One!

            For my first blog post of the semester, I decided to conduct a basic comparison of my two cameras by consulting dpreview.com and dxomark.com.

            The camera I have been using for the past five years is a Canon PowerShot SX110 IS, which first hit the market in 2008. It has been a great little camera, and I really enjoyed being able to use the manual setting with the LCD screen to learn how adjusting camera settings, such as shutter speed and aperture, can affect the outcome of the picture.

            The camera I recently received is a Canon EOS Rebel T3i/600D, which was introduced in 2011. This is my first DSLR camera, and I am very excited to “upgrade” my knowledge and abilities! This camera has a greater range of control than my previous one, enabling me to learn how to influence the outcome of my photos even more. According to DXO Mark, it is classified as an entry-level DSLR which will be great for me to be able to experiment with.

Here is a comparison of a few basic specs:

	PowerShot SX110 IS	Rebel T3i EOS 600D
Lens	35mm fixed	18-55 mm and 55-250 mm interchangeable
ISO Range	80-1600	100-12800
Shutter Speed Range	15.0—1/2500	30.0—1/4000
Sensor Size	5.6 x 7.4 (2012 model)	14.9 x 22.3
Weight (gr)	245	515

           

             My new Rebel camera has a greater range of ISO and shutter speed abilities than the PowerShot has. It also has a larger sensor that will enable it to produce better quality images. The ability to change lenses will additionally allow for greater expression with zooming and depth of field. Although it is heavier and not as compact to carry around, my new camera should give me more control and freedom over the images I create while also producing better quality photographs.
              I can’t wait to get started!