photos that inspire: photo workshop sample chapter

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PART 1

LANDSCAPE, SCENIC, ANDTRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY

Next to people, landscape and travel rank among the most popular photographic subjects.But as evidenced by many people’s vacation pictures, it isn’t easy to shoot a great travelimage. The human eye tends to view scenes selectively, but the camera simply records theentire picture, often with disappointing results. Being in a great locale also contributes tothe experience — you may be enthralled with the sound of a trickling stream or the fra-grant aroma of spring flowers in the mountains. The challenge is how to capture theessence of a travel destination and the feeling that goes with it. Scenic photography takes alot of devotion, patience, and practice (and as some of the following photographers attest, acertain amount of serendipity). The essence of a great scenic image is to zero in on — andconvey — what grabbed you about the scene in the first place.



2 PHOTOS THAT INSPIRE PHOTO WORKSHOP

Bright, sunny days are great for capturing post-card-type landscape shots, but sometimes lessthan perfect weather can really help you interpretthe essence of a place. Fog offers a lot of atmos-phere and has a way of obscuring distracting ele-ments in a scene. In this image, the focus is onthe frost covering the foliage in the foreground.On a sunnier day, the background may have beenmore visible, making the scene a little busier. Asthis image illustrates, the farther an object isfrom the camera, the more it seems to dissolveinto the misty background. When you’re shoot-ing on a foggy day, exposure can be a challenge.Because fog is very reflective, it has a tendency tofool your light meter into causing underexposure.You can compensate for this by opening youraperture one stop above the meter’s reading.

Photographer’s Comments“On my way to work one morning, I stopped atan intersection and saw this most beautiful scene.What caught my eye was the way the white frostand cloudy sky seemed to make the fall colors ofthe long grass pop! The fence had a nice rusticlook and was leading toward the diffused light ofthe cloud-covered sun. It was just as though itwas all set up for me.”

Technical DataCanon EOS Digital Rebel XTCanon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 zoom lens set at 21mm1/20 of a second at f/22ISO 100Ambient light on a foggy day

“FOGGY, FROSTY MORNING”© Wendy StevensonOxford Station, Ontario, Canadawww.intoitphotography.com



3LANDSCAPE, SCENIC, AND TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY

These ruins — standing tall andglowing in lingering afternoon light— provide a beautiful contrast tothe blue sky. And the rising moonmakes this image especially intrigu-ing. (To get a successful moonrise,you may find that you want to com-bine two images in Photoshop to getthe best results, particularly if youwant a large moon with detail.) Latein the day, the long shadows cast by the sun emphasize the three-dimensionality of a landscape. Thelight rakes across the land, whichenhances texture dramatically.Many photographers, as this onedid, plan their landscape shots wellin advance to capture events like alunar eclipse. You may also want todo a little scouting for locationsahead of time. As late afternoonturns into dusk, the sky takes on acolorful, rapidly changing light. Youneed to work quickly before the sungoes down if you want to capturethe beautiful light of the magichour. Because the light is increas-ingly becoming dimmer, use a tripodand cable release to avoid camerashake during long exposures.

Photographer’sComments“On the evening I took this pic-ture, there was going to be a par-tial lunar eclipse that would occuraround sundown. The moon wassupposed to rise around dusk, so Ithought that this would make avery interesting shot with themoon rising over the ruins in theevening.”

Technical DataCanon EOS Digital Rebel XTiCanon EF 17-40mm zoom lens set at 17mm1/40 of a second at f/7.1ISO 100

“SALINAS RUINS”© Eric WilliamsAlbuquerque, New Mexicohttp://eric_williams.photoworkshop.com




This image makes a statement about the beautyand power of the sea. The smooth blue green ofthe water is a great contrast to the crisp spray asthe wave breaks onshore. The best time to photo-graph the surf is at high tide, when the sea ismost volatile. Using a moderate telephoto lens,as the photographer did here, allows you to iso-late a single wave as it crashes onto the shore. A fast shutter speed (1/250 second or greater)freezes the spray, but timing is very important.You need to click the shutter an instant beforethe wave breaks to catch it at its peak. A motordrive or Sports/Action setting on your cameraallows you to fire off several frames in rapid suc-cession, thus increasing your chances for success.

Photographer’s Comments“The waves call to me every morning... ‘Come andsee! Come and see!’ I walk to the pier and up and

over the chaotic liquid as the sun rises, the cloudsand fog contain the light and throw it onto thesea. Some days red, some days purple, some dayspink, but those special days are aquamarines andrich cobalts, boiling under the surface like a franticpainter’s palette, the surface remaining as smoothand silken as a maiden’s hair. I hover and shoot,spellbound by the show that lasts only a few min-utes, then is gone forever. Yet I feel no sorrow forthe passing of the moment, for I know I have cap-tured the day’s performance — snug and safe in alittle black box.”

Technical DataCanon EOS 5D digital SLRCanon EF100mm f/2.8 macro lens1/500 of a second at f/22ISO 1250Natural light

“FOLDOVERBLUES”© Robyn RaggioOxnard, Californiawww.raggiovisio.com




Painters and photogra-phers throughout theyears have presentedwater as a prominentsource of reflections, asit offers more possibili-ties than other reflec-tive surfaces. Thisimage has a verypainterly feeling, andevokes a sense of mys-tery and romance. Thesmooth surface of thiswater mirrors the envi-ronment perfectly.Perhaps the best timeto find glass-smoothwater like this is justafter dawn, before thesun warms up the airand breezes begin.

Photographer’sComments“The beauty of thefrozen moment is silentand intimate, yet it is anarrative of wild naturewith smothered lightand color full of nar-rowness and restless inthe early morning.”

Technical DataOlympus C-5050 Zdigital SLR Built-in 3X asphericalzoom lens1/320 of a second at f/4ISO 64

“LAND OF WISTFUL”© Aleksandra PodrebaracKarlovac, Croatiawww.alexartphoto.com




This rustic red barn provides subtle color in con-trast to the starkness of a snow-covered landscapeand a gray, cloudy sky. Simple compositions arealways more effective than cluttered ones, andthis is very true of winter scenes. Also, be awarethat the light snow poses a challenge to expo-sures. The camera meter is designed to recordscenes with an 18-precent gray reflectance,which can underexpose the scene and turn whitesnow to gray. You’ll probably want to give snowyscenes a tad bit more exposure than what themeter indicates. A snow scene on a sunny daymay need an extra stop or two, while a dull daymay require a half to one stop. Late in the day invery cloudy conditions like this may not requireany exposure compensation at all.

Photographer’s Comments“I have passed this little barn many times, but onthis winter day, the sun was setting and very lowon the horizon. I pulled my car over, climbeddown into a ditch and set up my camera gear. Iliked the way the red barn stood out against thewhiteness of winter, as well as the texture of thesnow-covered field and the beautiful diffuse lightof the setting sun. I chose to shoot this scene froma low perspective — as I do in many situations —to keep the background clean and simple.”

Technical DataCanon EOS Digital Rebel XTCanon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 zoom lens set at 22mm1/2000 of a second at f/20ISO 100Late afternoon light on a cloudy day

“LITTLE RED BARN”© Wendy StevensonOxford Station, Ontario, Canadawww.intoitphotography.com




This scene of volcanoes is awe-inspiring and otherworldly — and well worth getting up beforedawn to arrive at such a dramatic vantage point atsunrise. It’s also difficult to find a great (and safe)place to photograph volcanoes, particularly activeones. At high elevations like this, sunrise occurslater than if you were taking pictures at the beach.But either way, early morning light is warm andyellow, and the low light casts long shadows on theland, which accentuates texture. The mist at thebase of the volcano in the foreground is beautiful aswell. When photographing a scene like this whereit’s important to have all of the elements in sharpfocus, use a small aperture for great depth of field.

Photographer’s Comments“The Bromo Tengger National Park in East Java,Indonesia, is one of my favorite photo locations

in the world. Starting from the crater rim villageof Cemoro Lawang, a one-hour climb in the earlymorning darkness brings you to an amazing view-point. The scene here is always so primal —especially so if you catch it at sunrise. Mt.Semeru, the highest volcano in Java, spews ashabout every 30 minutes and forms the backdrop.Sulphurous gases are always emanating from theforeground crater, Mt. Bromo. Early morninglight highlights everything beautifully. Whatmore inspiration could you ever want?”

Technical DataCanon EOS D60 digital SLRCanon EF 28-135mm IS zoom lens1/5 of a second at f/11ISO 100Sunrise

“VOLCANOES, BROMO TENGGER NATIONAL PARK, INDONESIA”© Dennis WaltonBellingham, Washingtonwww.fdwphotos.com




Early and late in the day, theraking light imparts texture,depth, and form to landscapes.This light, combined with theillumination immediately aftera storm gives you outstandingphoto opportunities, as thephotographer demonstrates inthis lovely mountain lakescene. The three boats thatare docked on the shore alsooffer a visual clue that indi-cates scale, as well as provid-ing some bright colors.

Photographer’sComments“After a full day of hikingunder a cool blanket of rainand mist, the cloud coverbroke. The early eveninglight lay across the landscape,showing its brilliant coloragainst the otherwise grayhorizon. Combined with thesilent shadows of driftingclouds along the mountainrange, there was a stillnessthat could only be capturedwith my camera and a bit ofluck in being in the rightplace at the right time.”

Technical DataNikon D70S digital SLR12-24mm f/4.0 Nikkor zoom lens set at 12mm1/60 of a second at f/16ISO 200

“TALBOT LAKE, JASPER NATIONAL PARK”© Michael BayerNova Scotia, Canada




This image definitely gives us the sensation of aplane circling the city below in preparation forlanding. Doing aerial photography on commer-cial airlines is challenging partly because of thethick plastic windows that make sharp focus diffi-cult, but you can minimize this fuzziness by get-ting your lens as close to the window as possible.Take-offs and landings are the best time to shoot,because the lower altitude makes features on theground more recognizable and there’s less atmos-pheric haze. This image also works well becausethe photographer focused on the plane’s wingand the result is much like panning in actionphotography — the moving subject is relativelyin focus while the background is a blur.

Photographer’s CommentsWhile traveling for work one summer (as I oftendo), I decided that in order to spend more timebehind the lens, I would have to start requesting

window seats on flights and haul the camera outof overhead storage. On a flight coming home toHarrisburg from Chicago, I began shooting longexposures of the city lights below and liked thesense of movement that I achieved. As we nearedthe airport on our descent, it dawned on me thatwithout much air turbulence, I could probablyhold the camera still enough with an IS (ImageStabilizing) lens to keep the wing in focus andallow the lights below to do their merry dancearound it. ‘Night Approach’ is the happy resultof that inspired experiment.”

Technical DataCanon EOS 20D digital SLRCanon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS lens set at 17mm1.3 seconds at f/4Pattern metering mode and auto white balanceMinor adjustments to the white balance and lev-els and curves made in Adobe Photoshop

“NIGHT APPROACH”© Daniel G. WalczykWrightsville, PA http://wystudios.photoworkshop.com




For anyone who loves shooting landscapes,Monument Valley’s buttes and rock formationseasily distinguish this Navajo Tribal Park fromother wilderness areas. The silhouetted spires arevery striking against the colorful pre-dawn sky.To photograph a silhouette, take a meter readingof a bright background — the sky, colorful wall,or perhaps the glittering ocean at sunset — anduse your exposure lock to hold that exposure.This renders foreground shapes in silhouette.When looking for subjects for silhouettes, findones that have bold and easily recognizableshapes for best results.

Photographer’s Comments“I was staying at a hotel close to the entrance toMonument Valley on the Arizona side. I woke upat 5:30 a.m. and happened to look out the win-dow at this incredible sunrise. The whole areareeks of mystery and haunting beauty, but this

topped it all. So I grabbed my camera, went outon the terrace, and started shooting. The colorfulsky was changing by the minute, so I just shotaway. All I could think about was the conversa-tion I had the day before with the Indian guidewho drove me through the valley. He pointed outplaces and rock formations that Indian tribesexperienced as mystical symbols. I was tornbetween shooting the scene and just taking it allin — it was easy to understand what the guidewas talking about.”

Technical DataCanon EOS 1D Mark II N digital SLRCanon EF 70-200mm f/4.0L IS lens set at 200mm1/99 of a second at f/9.1ISO 400Spot meteringNatural light at sunrise

“MONUMENT VALLEY SILHOUETTE”© Michael CettaBrooklyn, New Yorkwww.mikecetta.com




Mist is very effective in photography because itcreates a lot of atmosphere, and as shown here,can render sunlight as dramatic beams when thesun breaks through. The photographer was in theright place at the right time to capture this won-derful light streaming through the trees. As Imentioned earlier, dramatic light can occur earlyor late in the day, or after a storm. On sunnydays, beams of light can come in through highwindows in cathedrals or other buildingsdesigned for this phenomenon. Have your camerahandy, as you may come across beautiful lightwhen you least expect it. A wide-angle lens helpsyou encompass a scene with mist and the inter-esting lighting that it produces.

Photographer’s Comments“Stanley Park, located in Vancouver, BritishColumbia, is a wonderful place to take pictures. Itook this image on a typical late October morn-ing where the cool fall air produces a thick mistover the entire countryside. When the sun rises,an incredible display of natural lighting effectstakes place. On this occasion, I wanted to cap-ture the unique way that the trees and mist werebending the sun’s rays.”

Technical DataCanon EOS 20D digital SLRCanon EF 24-70mm lens set at 24mm1/80 of a second at f/7.1ISO 200Morning light“MORNING RAYS”

© Michael PickelsimerBritish Columbia, Canadahttp://mpickelsimer.photoworkshop.com




Many people choose to freeze the action of rush-ing water by using a fast shutter speed. But thisphotographer chose to render the water as softand dreamy by using a long exposure. She alsoused a neutral density filter to allow less lightinto the lens, enabling her to use a slow shutterspeed of several seconds. The image makes astatement about the peacefulness of nature. Shealso chose a low vantage point to emphasize thesilky feeling of this small waterfall, and I like theway that the white water fades into the darkshadows. The composition is very simple, andextraneous elements are eliminated.

Photographer’s Comments“This is a small waterfall on Quillion Creek inBankhead National Forest. This area of the forestis calm and peaceful, where one can find a quiet

moment to reflect. I was inspired to shoot thisimage while sitting along the creek’s edge oneday. I looked at the waterfall thinking about theblack rock and quickly flowing water, and knewthat it would make a great black-and-whiteimage. I set up the camera on a tripod and lookedthrough the lens. That’s when I noticed that thewaterfall looked like a set of angel wings.”

Technical DataCanon EOS Digital RebelTamron 28-300mm zoom lens set at 28mm15 seconds at f/22#6 Neutral Density filter Monfrotto 3001BD tripod with a 3030 Manfrotto headChanged the color to black-and-white in Adobe Photoshop CS

“QUILLION CREEK, BANKHEAD NATIONAL FOREST”© Cynthia McKinneyDecatur, Alabamahttp://cynthiamckinney.photoworkshop.com




A rainbow sighting is awe-inspiring fornearly everyone, even the most jadedamong us. It’s difficult to predict where arainbow will appear, but you increaseyour chances of seeing one by facing inthe direction of a dark sky, in the oppo-site direction of the sun after a storm.This photographer also included an inter-esting foreground in the scene, giving theimage a sense of scale. It’s more interest-ing than simply photographing a rainbowhanging in the open sky. You can also usea polarizing filter to intensify the colors ofa rainbow (just be sure you don’t rotatethe filter in a way that eliminates therainbow altogether).

Photographer’s Comments“It was 6:16 a.m. on St. Bartholomew inthe French West Indies, and I had justawakened at the rental house where I wasstaying. My Canon 5D was upstairs, and Iknew that the rainbow would be gonebefore I could run and get it. Because Ialways try to keep my little Canon point-and-shoot with me, I fired off two shots,locking the exposure on the left frameimage, with about a 30% overlap. Fiveminutes later the squall had passed and itwas sunny outside. I then manuallystitched the image together in a softwareprogram called Ptgui and output the max-imum size that was possible —3504 ×1676 at 240 dpi.”

Technical DataCanon PowerShot SD800 IS compactdigital SLR1/250 of a second at f/7.1ISO 100Natural light

“MORNING BECKONS”© Rice JacksonAustin, Texaswww.terra360.com




This image is a testament to the fact that simplecompositions are best — a good photographshould reveal a simple subject or idea with as lit-tle clutter as possible. Paring your compositionsdown to the most basic elements begins as amental process. You need to decide what yoursubject is and figure out the best way to focusattention on it. There is no question in thisphoto that the tree is the subject, but the pho-tographer has taken it a step further by portrayingit as a lonely figure. Its bare branches against acloudy sky further accentuate this statement.Color may have contributed to the mood of thisphoto, but the choice to render it in black-and-white adds to the bleakness of the scene.

Photographer’s Comments“I enjoy taking pictures of trees; I feel that theyshow human emotions. This particular tree islocated in Valley Forge National Park. I was feel-ing very much alone at the time. My husbandhad moved to Cleveland, Ohio to open an officeand my son was also away. When I saw this tree,it reminded me of how I felt at that moment, andit seemed as though it must also be feeling lonelyin that field.”

Technical DataCanon EOS Digital Rebel SLRCanon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 zoom lens set at 55mm1/500 of a second at f/16ISO 400Natural light on an overcast day

“SOLITARY TREE”© Cheri HomaeeRichfield, Ohiowww.trinityconsult.com




This image not only depicts a beautiful sunset,but the dramatic tufas that distinguish northernCalifornia’s Mono Lake offer a sense of time andplace. The fiery sky, as well as the lake’s uniquecalcium-carbonate spires, is reflected in the calmwater. The foreground elements would have beendepicted beautifully as silhouettes, but this pho-tographer was able to expose both the foregroundand colorful sky equally well. This can be doneby using a graduated neutral-density filter, whichbalances the exposure for the land and sky sothat you’ll get detail in both parts of the image.

Photographer’s Comments“I had been to Death Valley, California, to shootsome photos at the “Racetrack.” This was myfourth trip and each time, the weather didn’tcooperate. While I was returning home onHighway 395 I noticed the clouds accumulating

over the mountains. I was just south of MammothLakes and was heading toward Mono Lake. Ithought, ‘this sky could really pop when the sunsets.’ I picked up my pace and the closer I got toMono Lake, the better it looked. But I knew therewas a chance I may not make it in time. As Ipulled into the parking lot, the sky took on anorange glow. I quickly gathered up my gear andran down to the shore. I set up my camera and tri-pod, and got three pictures as the sky turned thisbrilliant shade of red — then it was gone.”

Technical DataCamera 20D digital SLRCanon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L lens1.3 seconds at f/22ISO 100TripodAmbient light at sunset

“LAKE ON FIRE”© Richard AkslandManteca, California




When shooting landscapes, look for an elementthat will lead the viewer’s eye into the image.This fence creates a pleasant leading line thatmeanders across the frame. Lines can be used tocreate a sense of depth, or to lead a viewer’s eyeto the main subject. In this case, the fence is thesubject, which leads our eye from the left to theright side of the picture. Other subjects for lead-ing lines could be a road curving off into the dis-tance, or the graceful S-curve of a river. Whenlooking for lines to photograph, observe howthey work with each other, since this interactioncan add to the tension the photo captures. Here,the weathered fence provides contrast betweenthe cloudy sky above and the grass and flowers inthe lower portion of the frame.

Photographer’s Comments“I was driving around and almost headed homebecause of an impending storm rolling in. Theskies were filled with heavy clouds when I cameupon this rickety fence with a lot of peeling paintat a local golf course. It was on a dandelion-covered hill. The grass hadn’t been mowed yetand the sky was very dramatic. I really liked thelimited color palette, the different textures, andwho doesn’t like bright yellow dandelions?”

Technical DataCanon EOS Digital Rebel XT Canon EF 50mm lens1/125 of a second at f/22ISO 100Afternoon light on a cloudy day

“FENCE LINE”© Wendy StevensonOxford Station, Ontario, Canadawww.intoitphotography.com




“THE DRAGON”© Cricket KrengelPendleton, Indiana

After a rainstorm, landscapes often look fresher,cleaner, and colors are deeper. If you are in anurban area, the best time to photograph city lightsis often after a good downpour clears the air ofsmog and haze while leaving the city glistening. Inrural areas barns often look redder and grass green-er. And, on the ocean, colors are darker and richerproviding a nice contrast against white caps andblue seas. Remember that because of the Rule ofThirds, objects are more pleasing to the eye whenplaced off center.

Photographer’s Comments“I was on the coast of Oregon for a week andtook photos of this sea stack, affectionately called

“the Dragon” by locals, every day. Of all the pho-tos I took — sunsets, midday, and so on — this ismy favorite. A downpour had just drenched thearea and the skies were a deep blue in the lateafternoon when I took this photo. The colors ofthe sand and rock were richer and more saturatedafter the rain gave everything a good soaking andI love the moody feeling that was captured.”

Technical DataCanon EOS Digital Rebel XT Canon EF 28-80mm 1:3.5-5.6 zoom lens1/2000 of a second at f/7.1ISO 100Natural light




A successful landscape image should capture themood and spirit of the place. Before shooting pic-tures, ask yourself what it is about the scene thatappeals to you emotionally. Here, the photogra-pher captured the serenity and cool greens ofthese rolling hills. A farmhouse in the right thirdof the photo also offers scale to the image. Forme, the overall feeling of this pastoral scene isthat of peacefulness and calm.

Photographer’s Comments“While I was in Morro Bay on a crisp Marchmorning, I took a short hike up the hill behindthe golf course (Black Mountain), set up my cam-era and tripod facing west, and like most photogra-phers, began taking pictures of Morro Rock. I tooka few shots and decided to add a filter. I turned toget the filter out of my camera bag and shazamm!

There it was — a quiet little farmhouse nestledamong rolling hills of green and gold. The peaceand tranquility of the scene might lead one tothink of Kentucky or perhaps Tennessee. But Idouble-checked, and Morro Rock was still there.I thought, ‘yep, this is California all right.’ I thinkthe most important aspect of this shot — as withmany of my photos — is serendipity.”

Technical DataCanon EOS 20D digital SLRCanon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS zoom lens set at 90mmGitzo 2227 Tripod with Really Right Stuff BallHead D551/200 of a second at f/9.0ISO 100Early morning light

“EAST OF BLACK MOUNTAIN”© Eugene LangerSacramento, California




This beautifully composed scene makes a strongstatement about winter. Color adds much to themood of a photograph, and the blue tones of thisimage underscore the stark, dead-of-winter feelingin this scene. It’s almost a monochromatic study ofwhite and blue-gray. I also like the texture createdby the delicate tree branches in the background,and the way that this texture is echoed in thereflection below. If you often visit an area withsome regularity during all times of the year as thephotographer does this one, consider photograph-ing the same scene in fall, winter, spring, and sum-mer to create a series of memorable images.

Photographer’s Comments“The place where this image was captured is not farfrom my home. It is an oasis of nature surroundedby the hustle and bustle of urban/suburban life.Because it is close by, I visit there often during the

various seasons, as I find it to be a place of naturalbeauty and peace. What caught my eye were thetree limbs reaching out of the cold, semi-frozenwater, as if frozen in time. I also liked the patternsof the reflections in the water, as well as the con-trast of the tiny, fragile branches against the heav-ier, stark tree trunks. I altered the color to blue inAdobe Photoshop, as I felt that this was appropri-ate for the mood of the picture.”

Technical DataSony Cybershot compact digital SLR Built-in zoom lens set at 30mm1/125 of a second at f/2.5ISO 100Available light

“REFLECTIONS IN BLUE”© Marian RubinMontclair, New Jerseyhttp://marianrubin.photoworkshop.com




This beautiful panoramic view of the RockyMountains in Colorado celebrates what’s beauti-ful about mountain scenery — jagged peaks, avariety of terrain, and contrasting colors and lay-ers that result from numerous minerals in thesoil. This photographer successfully portrayed themajesty of these mountains, and the sun peeksthrough cloudy skies and makes for very dramaticlight. When you encounter a situation such asthis — one can only truly be represented by apanoramic image — keep the camera as level as

possible (or use a tripod if you have one handy)and take multiple images, overlapping eachslightly, to capture the entire expanse. You canstitch the images together using one of severaldifferent software programs.

Photographer’s CommentsThis scene says it all about mountain views. I tooka long jeep tour up a very rough jeep trail with myfamily, led by a very professional local Ouray tourguide, to the top of Imogene Pass, hoping for this

“RED MOUNTAINS, OURAY, COLORADO”© Ricardo ReitmeyerWichita, Kansaswww.ricardoreitmeyer.com




amazing view at the summit. Sometimes the chal-lenge is just being there at the right time with theright conditions. The Red Mountains are rich iniron ore and have ‘rusted’ over the years, creatingthis marvelous coloration. It was a normal, hand-held series of two photos stitched together inAdobe Photoshop that created this beautifulpanoramic scene of the mountain range from a‘cloud bottom’ altitude. The incredible layering ofthe San Juan mountain peaks in the distance addsto the depth of the view.”

Technical DataCanon 20D digital SLRCanon EF 28-105mm f/4.0-5.6 zoom lens set at 38mm1/125 of a second at f/8ISO 100Pattern metering modeNatural light




When planning to shoot in areas you have notbeen to or are not familiar with, it’s best to doresearch in advance via travel guides or theInternet, and find out when is the best timeof day (and time of year) to photograph yourdestination — especially in the desert southwestwhere this photo was taken. You may want to nar-row down your shooting to a few specific ideas.For example, there’s usually specific geographicfeatures that identify a particular region, such asthe rocky arches of Arches National Park, thestone pillars of Monument Valley, and the sweep-ing lines of ‘The Wave’ at Coyote Buttes North.

Photographer’s Comments“After seeing photos of ‘The Wave’ at CoyoteButtes North in the Vermillion Cliffs Wilderness, Iwas determined to go there one day. As this area isunder the auspices of the Bureau of LandManagement, visitation is limited and by permitonly. My husband and I were finally able to get apermit for January about six months in advance.The weather was cloudy and dull as we drove to

southern Utah the day before our big excursion,and I was very disappointed. Rescheduling ourvisit wasn’t an option. Thankfully, the sky wasclearing when we awakened before dawn the nextday. The low angle of the winter sun providedgreat illumination, and hiking to The Wave wasan adventure as well. I was fascinated with thewavy texture of the rock, which gives this beauti-ful natural area its name. I was standing near thecenter of the relatively small area that comprisesThe Wave, and enjoyed photographing these linesleading toward the center of the frame, as well asthe blue of the sky against red rocks.”

Technical DataCanon EOS-3 35mm SLRCanon EF 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 II zoom lens set at 28mmKodak Ektachrome E100VS transparency film1/125 of a second at f/8Tiffen circular polarizing filterBogen 3001 tripodCanon RS-80N3 cable release

“THE WAVE”© Lynne EodiceAltadena, California




Black-and-white infrared imageslook as though they were taken ineerie moonlight, as evidenced bythis ethereal scene. The illuminat-ed white tree appears to be full oflife, even though its leaves are goneand it looks as if it’s in a dormant,wintertime mode. Vegetationbecomes white because chlorophyllreflects a lot of infrared, but the skydarkens because it absorbs infraredrays. The late-afternoon light rakesacross the land in this image,resulting in haunting feeling. Thedark sky with the contrasting paleclouds are very dramatic too.

Photographer’sComments“During a trip to Phoenix, Arizona,I accidentally happened upon anindigent cemetery gate and itglowed a warm, green color in thegolden light of the day. I chose tophotograph the tree using digitalinfrared techniques. The infrared-rendered contrast created by thesurrounding dramatic sky symbol-ized the darkness often associatedwith death. Still, the bright greenbranches of the tree reflected abright white warm glow, which cap-tured a sense of hope and symbol-ized the fond memories of love thatlives on forever after death.”

Technical DataSony DSC-F828 Cybershot digital SLRCarl Zeiss built-in zoom lens set at 10mm1/30 of a second at f/2.2ISO 160Hoya R72 infrared filterNatural late-afternoon light

“PALO VERDE #1”© Carol WatsonAustin, Texashttp://carol_watson.photoworkshop.com




On a calm day, any sizable body of water canbecome a large mirror, reflecting perfect imagesof the surroundings. Water is most reflective whenthe sun is low in the sky early in the morning(especially just after dawn), or late in the day. Ireally like the mountain grandeur reflected in thislake, and the peaceful feeling I get by looking atthis photograph. The canoe on the left side of theimage offers a sense of scale and indicates the mag-nitude of the majestic Canadian Rockies in thebackground. It also adds a bit of unexpected brightcolor to the otherwise muted hues of nature.

Photographer’s Comments“I wanted to capture the splendor of Lake Louiseat sunrise. The image was taken early on a clear,

cold morning when there wasn’t a breath ofwind. The entire area was incredibly quiet andstill, which allowed the mirrored surface of thelake to frame the composition. The morning sunprovided the perfect backdrop for the frosty deckas the warm light began to bathe the glacier.”

Technical DataCanon EOS 20D digital SLRCanon 18mm wide-angle lens1/60 of a second at f/5.6ISO 100Circular Polarizing Filter Natural light at sunrise

“MORNING LIGHT ON LAKE LOUISE”© Michael PickelsimerVancouver, BC, Canadahttp://mpickelsimer.photoworkshop.com




Brief time exposures freeze the action of thewaves, and can accentuate the power of the sea.On the other hand, long exposures ranging from1/4 to several seconds impart a smooth, glossysheen to the shore and rocks. I really like thephotographer’s choice of shooting this scene witha one-second exposure, which creates a beautifulimpressionistic blur. The softness of the wateralso provides a very effective contrast to the jum-bled rocks and the pilings beyond.

Photographer’s Comments“Taken just before sunset, it was seeing the inter-play of the quality of light with the natural ele-ments of wind, waves, sand and rocks, the oldjagged wooden pilings, and the light and shadowsall coming together with a slow shutter speed andsmall aperture to capture an ethereal effect. Iwatched the crashing waves wash over the rocks

with the wind catching the spray. The waterquickly returned to the lake, creating fleetingmoments that revealed reflections of color fromthe rocks and sky. The long exposure of the sprayand waves creates a mist that floats like a blanketof fog over the water. I feel fortunate to havebeen able to photograph it when I did. Soonafterward, storms and strong waves removed allthe sand, and this location has a totally differentappearance.”

Technical DataCanon EOS 30D digital SLRCanon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 zoom lens set at approximately 200mm1.6 seconds at f/36ISO 100Natural light late in the day

“ON THE ROCKS”© Tom McCallSaint Joseph, Michiganwww.phototown.com




Images of the open highway always inspire me totake a road trip. The lonely road in this photoleads the eye into the frame, and I want to travelon it to see what’s beyond the vanishing point.The storm clouds add a lot of drama — this scenewould be somewhat mundane if it were shot inthe middle of the day in sunny, calm weatherconditions. The grass blowing in the wind warnsof a storm that’s either approaching or receding.

Photographer’s Comments“This photo was taken in Connemara, Ireland,on the road going to Clifden by the seaside. I wasthere with my students (I’m a teacher) and askedthe bus driver to stop the bus for a while on thatdeserted road. The sky was heavy from the rain,but it started to clear up and it was very windy. Itook this picture because the landscape was amaz-

ingly beautiful and wild, and that deserted roadgave a feeling of endlessness to the scene. I’vealways like taking pictures of deserted roads innature because they represents freedom, adven-ture, mystery — and somehow — the lonelinessof mankind among nature.”

Technical DataFujifilm FinePix 7000 digital compact cameraSuper EBC Fujinon lens with an optical zoom1/180 of a second at f/2.8ISO 200Natural lightSepia-toned the image in Adobe Photoshop

“CONNEMARA”© Sandrine HuetJuvisy, Francehttp://cendrynneh.photoworkshop.com




You can create some beautiful images of rockyshorelines, such as those found along the PacificNorthwest. A wide-angle lens allows you tocapture a lovely array of dramatic standingrocks as the water gently comes to shore duringlow tide. This image, photographed very latein the day, features soft, pastel skies as well assilhouetted rocks and trees. A long exposuregives the appearance of water softly envelopingthe rocks, rather than a brief exposure of crashingwaves.

Photographer’s Comments“It was the end of a full day of taking pictures onthe Olympic Peninsula in Washington, and Istopped to look back at the area from which Ihad come. I was struck by the beauty of the lightand the design elements that the trees provided.”

Technical DataCanon EOS 20D digital SLRCanon EF 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 zoom lens10 seconds at f/22ISO 100Natural light late in the day

“SUNSET AT RUBY BEACH”© Doug BascomBellingham, Washingtonwww.dbascomphoto.com




A beautiful waterfall is always avisual treat for nature photogra-phers, and the cool blue colorpalette in this photo is especiallysoothing. On a hot day, you’d wantto jump right in. As with severalother water images in this sectionthat utilize long time exposures, youshould select a slow ISO (100) andset your camera up on a sturdy tri-pod. To render the water with a softlook, you should use a shutter speedof one second or longer. Using aneutral-density filter cuts down onthe light entering your lens inbright-lighting conditions, whichallows you to use longer exposures.

Photographer’sComments“This photo was taken at WestfieldFalls near our former home inMiddletown, Connecticut. Welived there for 18 years and droveby but never had a chance to visitthe falls. This is one of those placesyou take for granted because youlive so close and think that you’llget there, but never get the chanceto stop. We have since moved awayand often speak of having missedthe opportunity to visit this land-mark. I stopped one day and tookthis picture so I could show my wifewhat we had missed for so manyyears. Now we take the time to stopand visit the falls to watch thewater on a regular basis.”

Technical DataCanon EOS 20D digital SLRCanon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 ISzoom lens set at 80mm1 second at f/10ISO 200Cokin #80 cooling filter and circular polarizing filter

“BLUE FALLS”© Steven D. HandleyMeriden, Connecticut




The low light of dusk and dawn give mountainimages depth, texture and three-dimensionalform. This scene would not have been nearly asdramatic if it had been photographed at midday.A polarizing filter deepens blue skies on a sunnyday, and can accentuate reflections in water orother reflective surfaces. The calm conditionsrendered this mountain lake as a huge mirror thatreflects the mountain majesty surrounding it.And at very high altitudes late in the day, youmay experience a special phenomenon known as“alpenglow.” This occurs when blue light is scat-tered by the atmosphere and warm light brieflyinfuses the peaks with a radiant glow.

Photographer’s Comments“This shot was taken while I was traveling alongthe Denali Park Road in Alaska. As sunsetapproached, I found myself in an area dotted withtundra ponds. It was an unusually clear day withno wind, which made for perfect reflections. Ishot about 150 exposures in 90 minutes with vari-ous degrees of alpenglow on the mountain. Afterdark, the northern lights came out for an incred-ible display. It was three hours of visual feasting!”

Technical DataNikon F4 35mm SLR50mm f/1.2 Nikkor lensKodak Kodachrome ISO 64 film1/60 of a second at f/22Polarizing filterTripod

“MT. MCKINLEY”© Victor Van KeurenBar Harbor, Mainehttp://victorvankeuren.photoworkshop.com




Photographing people in distant lands adds interestand a human element to often-photographedscenes. The owner of this boat gazed off in thedirection of the Taj Mahal, providing the photog-rapher with the opportunity to capture an out-standing travel image. Many people like to takevacation pictures of people smiling stiffly at thecamera, but you often get better results if you shootmore candidly. Take pictures of people enjoying thescenery or participating in an activity. Also, unlessyou really need to use flash in dimly lit scenes, tryto shoot with the existing light as the photogra-pher did here. Nothing ruins the spontaneity of amoment like an electronic flash being fired.

Photographer’s Comments“I had seen a lot of photos of the Taj Mahal, andmost of them were similar. I wanted to get someunique images, but didn’t have anything specificin mind. I knew there was a way to photographthis icon from the outside, and found someone to

take me there by boat. It was getting late and thesunset was nearly over, so I wanted to get to theother side of the river ASAP. I inquired aboutthe price, but because it was getting dark and theguy saw all my photo gear, there wasn’t any roomfor negotiation. I adjusted my camera settingsbefore I got aboard, hoping for a shot from theriver. I shot one image of the Taj Mahal alone,and turned around to see the owner of the boatlooking at the Taj Mahal. There was no time tocheck the settings on my camera — just focusand shoot — and then the moment was gone.”

Technical DataCanon EOS 5D digital SLRCanon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L zoom lens set at 16mm1/60 of a second at f/4.5ISO 1000Ambient light at dusk

“TAJ MAHAL–RIVER VIEW”© Marcin KiziorDublin, Ohiowww.marcinkizior.com




Shooting pictures at the beach is always fun, butpresents a special set of challenges. Shot with awide-angle lens, this scene offers a variety of tex-tures ranging from the rocks along the coast to thereflections in the water, and finally, the dark, brood-ing sky. This photo also has leading lines that takethe viewer’s eye to the center of the picture. Thecolors in the scene are saturated and rich, which isone advantage of shooting on a cloudy day.

Photographer’s CommentsOn a weekend away with my wife, I had no plansto photograph any particular scene. While walk-ing along the beach, I came across this view of astorm water outlet into the ocean. I liked the way

the lines were converging, as well as the colorcontrast between the land and dark clouds inthe distance. Also, the reflection in the wateris always an attraction for me when shootinglandscapes. I shot two photos with differentexposures to keep the clouds in detail and thedark foreground. I combined the two exposuresfor a wider dynamic range in the scene.”

Technical DataCanon 5D digital SLRTokina 19-35mm zoom lens1/125 of a second at f/5.6ISO 100Natural light

“BEACHOUTLET”© David AmosWoodcroft,Australiawww.davidamosphotography.com.au




Photographic subjects often take on a diffuse,gauzy quality during foggy conditions, and huesare muted. You can simplify your images in fog, asdistant objects fade off into the pale background.Depending on how heavy the fog is, you’ll getvarying results. In this image, the fog appears tobe a light morning mist as opposed to a thickcloak of haze. The lighthouse and the dark

foreground stand out nicely against the light sky,and the mood is further emphasized by theimage’s sepia tone.

Photographer’s Comments“On my first wedding anniversary, my wife and Idecided to spend a few days out on the east endof Long Island to sightsee and enjoy the islandbefore summer began. One morning, we went to

“LIGHTHOUSE IN FOG”© Ricardo de MasiEast Northport, New Yorkwww.rdmphotography.com




Montauk Lighthouse to get what every LongIsland photographer needs in his/her portfolio—pictures of the Montauk Lighthouse. Foggyweather was not what I had hoped for, but oncewe got to the beach, I saw the lighthouse stand-ing proud in the fog. This was something I hadn’tseen before, as this lighthouse is usually pho-tographed on clear, sunny days. So I shot severalrolls of film and ended up with this one.”

Technical DataNikon N70 35mm SLRNikkor 12-120mm zoom lensIlford Pan F ISO 50 black-and-white film set at ISO 40Exposure unrecordedTripodNatural lightSepia tone added in Adobe Photoshop




Moving water has a very soothing effect on peo-ple, so it’s no wonder that rivers, streams andwaterfalls are among the favorite subjects of land-scape photographers. To get the effect of a silky,flowing veil that you see here, put your cameraon a tripod and use a long time exposure. Theamount of time it takes to blur the water varies,but generally, use exposures ranging from 1/4 sec-ond to four seconds.

Photographer’s Comments“After receiving word from the North AmericanNature Photographer’s Association about theFriends of Hocking Hills State Park ‘Shootthe Hills’ photo competition, my partner andI decided to participate. Over 150 photographerscompeted in five categories in each division:

abstract, flora, human interest, landscape, andwildlife. I shot this image to see if I could satis-factorily achieve the wispy, ethereal look that’soften seen in images of waterfalls. In the end,I didn’t submit this photo to the competition,because I thought there would be as manywaterfall images as photographers competing.As it turned out, there were only a handful ofmoving water images and two received honorablementions.”

Technical DataCanon EOS 20D digital SLRCanon EF-S 17-85mm IS zoom lens set at 85mm3.2 seconds at f/32Available light in forested area

“WATERFALLS AT OLD MAN’S CAVE”© Daniel WalczykWrightsville, Pennsylvaniahttp://wystudios.photoworkshop.com




There’s nothing like an image of an open high-way, which always inspires me to take a road trip.The leading lines of this road take our eye to thehorizon line and the sun’s last glow. The photog-rapher has also wisely placed the horizon low inthe frame, which adds emphasis to the beautifulsky and sunset-illuminated clouds. But no matterwhere you decide to place the horizon in a scene,be sure to keep it level. There are few thingsmore distracting than an accidentally slopedhorizon line in landscape photos.

Photographer’s Comments“I took this photo from the back of my husband’sBMW K1200RS while we were on a cross-countrytrip from Pennsylvania to California. He wasgoing to participate in an annual BMW-sponsored

charity ride for St. Francis Children’s Hospital’sFootsteps program. We had just stopped in NewMexico to pick up a friend. Toward the end of theday, as we headed west through New Mexicotoward Arizona, I saw this scene and snapped aphoto. Our friend liked the image so much, hehad it blown up into a mural and it’s on the wallin one of his BMW dealerships in Albuquerque,New Mexico. I used the Casio because I knew itwould be a long day with possible inclementweather, and I didn’t want my Canon camera outin the open. But the little Casio point-and-shootdid a nice job!”

Technical DataCasio EXZ750 compact digital cameraSpeed priority setting

“THE ROAD #4”© Susan DuckworthWaverly, Pennsylvaniahttp://susan_duckworth.photoworkshop.com




This photographer used a wide-angle lens to cap-ture this beautiful panoramic view of the AndesMountains. Stormy weather adds atmosphere tolandscape scenes, and the early morning light onthese clouds is very striking. If you’re willing tobrave the elements during inclement weatherconditions, your efforts will be greatly rewarded,as was the case with this image. As a stormapproaches or departs, cloud formations can be

very dramatic. Whatever you do, however, makesure to protect your camera from the elements bykeeping it under your raincoat or umbrella.

Photographer’s Comments“This is a very early morning view of the AndesMountains. It was taken while I was on a fly-fish-ing trip to the Estancia El Palenque, which is atthe southern end of what’s known as Patagonia’s

“BLUE SKY”© Richard RobertsMesa, Arizona




“lake and river district.” The weather was stormyat intervals, and while the others were still sleep-ing, I got up and went outside to watch theclouds and the light on the mountains. It was myfirst trip to the Patagonia area of Argentina, andI was in awe being in the presence of the Andes.To say the least, it was a memorable morning.”

Technical DataFujifilm FinePix S2 Pro digital SLRTamron 28-75mm f/2.8 zoom lens1/180 of a second at f/2.8Camera was handheldNatural light




A prediction of rain doesn’t always mean thatyou need to put your camera away — stormyskies often present dramatic photo opportunities.You’ll get the best results by photographingstorms as they approach or while they’re clearing,as you’ll have the opportunity to capture beauti-ful lighting conditions. The rays of sunlightpiercing through the clouds are what make thisimage spectacular. The photographer also suc-ceeded in accentuating the vastness of the sky inproportion to the land below.

Photographer’s Comments“This shot was taken during an early morning inOctober on the northern coast of Kri Island, Raja

Ampat, Papua Barat, Indonesia. The Raja AmpatIslands are among the most fantastic and interest-ing skin diving locations in the world. When Iwasn’t diving in the ocean, I discovered that theRaja Ampat sky is the most beautiful one I’ve everseen, with its dramatic light, nature’s colors — andthe clouds! I fell in love with them.”

Technical DataCanon EOS 1D Mark II N digital SLRCanon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L zoom lens set at 32mm1/6400 of a second at f/2.8ISO 100Natural light

“STORMY EARLY MORNING”© Carlo Ottaviano CasanaMilano, Italywww.photo.net/photos/cocasana



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