Landscape photography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Landscape photo of the Snake River by Ansel Adams

Landscape photography is a genre intended to show different spaces within the world, sometimes vast and

unending, but other times microscopic. This popular style of photography is practiced by professionals and

amateurs alike. Photographs typically capture the presence of nature and are often free of man-made

obstructions. Landscape photographers usually attempt not only to convey the documentary aspect, but also an

appreciation of the scenery that is being photographed.

Landscape photo of Tanzania

Many landscape photographers show little or no human activity in their photos, striving to attain pure, unsullied

landscapes[1]

that are devoid of human influence, using instead subjects such as strongly defined landforms,

weather, and ambient light. Despite this, there is no pure or absolute definition of what makes a landscape in

photography, as such it has become a very broad term, encompassing urban, industrial, macro and nature

photography. A beach full of parasols and sunbathers can be a landscape photo, but so can the view through an

electron microscope, which shows a different type of landscape. Waterfalls, coastlines, seascapes and

mountains are especially popular in classic landscape photography. Though many photographs are inspired by

traditional landscape painting, the term in photography broader; most places and things can be photographed as

a landscape, a kitchen, a lamp, a wall, or even the human body[2]

can be turned into a rolling vista by a skilled

photographer. A crucial element of landscape photography is the light to the scenery. Preferred times are dusk

or dawn with low angle light which renders the landscape with low contrast and sidelight. This light adds a

feeling of depth to the picture and the low contrast usually is beneficial for the picture as there are no harsh

contrasts and the very details can be captured. Notable landscape photographers include Ansel Adams, Galen

Rowell and Edward Weston.

Environmentalism and landscape photography

From its beginnings and continuing into the present era, some of the most important and celebrated landscape

photographers have been motivated not only by artistic aims but also by a love of the natural environment, as

well as a desire to see it preserved. For example, Ansel Adams, acknowledged as a pioneer in landscape

photography and one of its greatest practitioners, wrote that "It is horrifying that we have to fight our own

government to save the environment."[3]

. More recently, Galen Rowell, in an interview with BBC journalist

Simon Willis, said, "The reason that I keep writing is that all my most powerful messages about the fates of

wild places that I care about need to have words as well as images."[4]

Technical Aspects

Camera

The genre often calls for high resolution DSLR, Medium or Large Format cameras[5]

to record the very small

details of the scenery. For digital cameras, the preferred file format is RAW, as RAW allows to record a wider

dynamic range and all information is retained. With RAW, the camera does not process the file in a destructive

way, all information is kept, resulting in significantly high file sizes. One must also understand that in today's

DSLR's, there are subtle, crucial pieces of information to be understood. Since there are several makes of

cameras, the digital photographer is best able to apply their craft if they understand such things as the camera

sensors on the market ie; APS-C, APS-H and full frame sensors which, are equivalent to a 35mm film frame. In

order for a photographer using an APS-C sensor(cropped sensor) to understand the actual focal length in terms

of the equivalent of a full frame sensor, a formula of the focal length used x 1.6(APS-C crop factor) which gives

the photographer the actual focal length they are using. an example given would be: a Canon 7D(APS-C

Sensor) using a Canon EF 17-40mm F4 L series lens USM(Ultra sonic motor) lens and a focal length of 20mm

x 1.6 = 32mm focal length if the photographer were using a full frame sensor Camera.

Lenses

Usually wide angle lens (24 mm and 35 mm are especially popular) are used to capture the vast scenery of a

landscape. For artistic expression, telephoto lenses are used to compress the scenery and emphasize certain

aspects (e.g. rendering the moon very big beyond a mountain ridge). For high quality, the lenses are very often

prime lenses rather than zoom lenses. Some landscape photographers however prefer medium telephoto lenses

and prefer to capture a typical part of a particular scene revealing the detail of the landscape rather than use

wide angle lenses that show the vastness of the scene but which lack detail and can be non-specific. Most Lens

manufacturers sell an assortment of ultra-wide angle lenses in the range of 10mm through 24mm which are the

best for landscape photography since they offer such a large field of view.

Filters

To reduce contrast or control exposure, a split neutral density or polarizing filter are used very often. Neutral

density filters are used to extend exposure and allow to include motion blur (e.g. for waterfalls or waves) in the

scenery. UV and skylight type filters can also eliminate the lack of sharpness caused by UV radiation and

reduces distant haze. [6]

Control of contrast was the major motivator to create the Zone System, often associated

with Ansel Adams. Today, the Zone System may become obsolete for digital landscape photographers as HDR

allows a very good control of contrast by combining several exposures of the scenery to one single picture.

Other Equipment

A tripod and a cable release is very often used for landscape photography as this allows minimal camera shake

and thus very sharp pictures. Tripods are necessary for such photographic work but, remotes are not necessary

but can be used if the photographer so desires. most modern DSLR cameras offer a timer and/or mirror lockup

for the prevention of camera shake during shooting. Canon's EOS 5D MarkII for example offers a 2 second and

10 second timer which works as a replacement for using a remote. A remote is required for shooting long

exposures over a standard 30 second timed exposure. A remote allows for the shutter to remain open as long as

the exposure switch is engaged.

Post Production

Digital Photography has provided landscape photographers with a very useful post production tool.

Conventional photographs give pictures revealing the best average of brightness and colour. HDR post

production work allows the photographer to darken and brighten particular parts of the overall scene ( skies

often appear brighter in photographs than originally seen) or to tweak colours either to give a more accurate

rendition of the scene as seen originally by the photographer or to dramatically enhanse it as in boosting yellows

for instance to make an autumnal picture look more so. Burning and dodging have always been used in black-

and-white photography to make landscapes more artistic but difficult to do in colour before the advent of digital

photography.

Camera Settings

A landscape photographers main purpose is to capture the entire scene of the photograph with acceptable focus

from foreground to background.The photographer must use a small aperture, in most cases of F22 which, will

give the photographer the focus needed for the foreground to background being in acceptable focus.The late

Ansel Adams was a member of the F64 club, meaning, he utilized an aperture of F64 which is nearly pinhole in

size in most, if not all of his photographic work. The settings for the lens should be preset as well accordingly.

an example given, a Canon EOS 5D MarkII, using a EF 17-40mm F4 L USM lens, the photographer would

preset his aperture to F22 and focus his lens to 3ft or 1meter if 3ft isn't present.This should give the

photographer a perfect shot every time in terms of setting