Landscape Photography by Alan Bevan
The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls.” Pablo Picasso
I suspect Picasso’s words will resonate with all photographers. Yet, there is a case to be made that these words might have the most meaning for landscape and seascape photographers. It is in nature that we can experience moments of extraordinary natural beauty; it is in the landscape where we best can find a sense of wonder and joy and the deepest connection to nature.
The role of the landscape photographer is to find the natural beauty of our world and then arrange the elements in pleasing ways. The landscape photographer has been compared to the landscape gardener, taking the raw elements provided by nature and arranging these elements in ordered and compelling ways. The landscape photographer's role is to capture these elements at the time most flattering for the scene, in wonderful light, in the right season, perhaps when the clouds are spectacular, or the wildflowers are ablaze.
As with most art forms, landscape photography is a blend of inspiration and perspiration.
Inspiration
Inspiration is very personal, but it is safe to say that all landscape photographers find inspiration in nature itself. That means getting outside in all weather, observing the changing light and changing seasons, exploring, scouting, and being inquisitive.
Inspiration can also often be found in the photography of others. It is hard not to be inspired by the work of great landscape photographers such as Joe Cornish, Andy Mumford, Erin Babnik, Glen Randall, and so many more. In today’s internet-connected world, it is easy to browse the work of great photographers, be inspired, and form views about one’s personal tastes.
Perspiration
Like any worthwhile skill, achieving one’s fullest potential requires commitment and effort.
Successful landscape photographers do a lot of research, often using maps and various apps. They work the scene with multiple visits, they observe, and become absorbed. They visualise light and seasons and seek alternative compositions. They often rise before sunrise, sometimes hike long distances, and can be found pursuing their craft into the blue hours of the evening.
Students of the light
A landscape photographer is intimately acquainted with light, especially the richer light of the twilight hours, the play of light and shadow on a scene, light’s layering effect, and those serendipitous special moments of brilliance.
Composition
A landscape photographer can find a wonderful location and be present in beautiful light, but the photograph's success is still dependent on its composition.
Whilst there are no inflexible ‘rules’ of composition, many guidelines exist simply because they work. A landscape photographer would do well to become intimately familiar with compositional ‘hooks’ such as:
• The effect of leading lines
• The appeal of curves
• The power of triangles
• The impact of the diagonal
• The notion of leading the viewer’s eye through foreground to middle ground to background
• The value of having a clear subject
• The drama of minimalism
• The importance of the visual separation of elements
• The intrigue of patterns, textures, shapes
• The stability of balance
• The positive benefit of having negative space
Equipment
It is true that the photographer is the most critical resource in creating a successful landscape photograph, but it would be misleading to say gear doesn’t play any part. Good quality equipment improves the photographer’s potential to capture that awe-inspiring shot. Perhaps surprisingly, a telephoto lens can be a very useful tool for a landscape photographer, allowing the isolation of detail and compression of depth. The wide-angle lens is perhaps the most popular because of its ability to capture a vista from foreground to background, but it is also the most challenging as the wide field of view makes it difficult to find a scene with no jarring elements.
A circular polarising filter is a particularly useful asset for a landscape photographer. It can saturate the colours in foliage and the sky and reduce highlight glare in water. However, take care if using a wide-angle lens, as the effect will not be consistent across the frame.
A sturdy tripod is also very helpful as it allows the photographer to shoot with the chosen aperture and be unconcerned about shutter speed, except in cases where there is movement in the scene.
Shooting Technique
The benefits of shooting in RAW have been well documented, but success with RAW requires effective post-processing skills. It is worth persevering, though, as the camera’s destructive JPEG conversion can permanently lose highlights and shadows.
Landscape photographers usually shoot in aperture priority, especially if using a tripod. This also allows a shutter delay to minimise any camera shake when pressing the shutter button. However, there is much to be said for shooting in manual mode and using the histogram to ensure correct exposure.
Don’t forget to switch off image stabilisation when using a tripod, especially for longer shutter speeds.
It is good practice to have a fixed white balance. It is true that a RAW file allows the white balance to be changed in post-processing. However, auto white balance can be a trap if you take a sequence of shots, especially for a panorama or focus stacking, where changing the white balance between the shots you will later want to merge can cause problems.
Always visually patrol the image borders before taking the shot. Look for jarring elements that might draw the viewer’s eye away from the subject, especially unintended crops of tree trunks and so forth. The borders always matter but are so easily overlooked.
Post processing
Modern photographers are spoilt by a plethora of choices when it comes to RAW processing images. Adobe is well positioned by its position as the first starter, but the choices available today are simply startling. The writer uses DxO’s PhotoLab and Nik plug-ins, for example. However, products like Luminar, ON1 Photo RAW, SilkyPix, ACDSee and so forth all offer compelling options and are well worth consideration.
Once the RAW file has been developed, many photographers like to take the image to an advanced pixel editor such as Photoshop or Affinity Photo for final touches.
In conclusion
Landscape photography combines the joy of being in nature, technical skill and artistic judgment. It is a rewarding hobby open to people of all ages and abilities.
We all learn by doing - so let’s do it.