Pondering Practice I place my mat. I arrange my water bottle, block, and towel. Today is about this practice. Today is about the series of breaths I will take and poses I will practice. The collection of all of my practices is what makes the difference in my physical body. It s the bigger picture of returning to my mat that causes change. With photography it becomes easy to practice noticing the details. We step closer and we fill the frame. How often do you step back? How often do you get the entire picture in the frame. It s time to look at the bigger picture. 75
Landscape PRACTICE In this lesson we are stepping back to obtain the big picture. We are focusing on the landscapes that surround us. We are breaking them into the components that create beautiful images. Your Subject: Your subject this month is the landscapes you encounter, no people needed. With a little planning you can execute most of this month s exercise with a few photos and the same landscape scene. YOUR LANDSCAPE EXERCISES: The Fundamentals: The Horizon A Well-Composed Frame Focus Methods Return To the Location PRACTICE 2014 KATRINA KENNEDY 28
Terms you ll see: Blue Hour The twilight time when the sun is below the horizon, creating a blue cast in the sky. Golden Hour The time of day when the sun is near the horizon creating a golden hue in the sky. Horizon The line where the land and sky meet. Hyperfocal Distance The distance of a subject that results in the entire scene appearing in focus. 29
LANDSCAPE EXERCISE #1 The Fundamentals: the horizon Thinking about landscapes evokes images of a pastoral green setting or a beach scene complete with crashing waves. No matter what finds its way into your landscape frame, there is one common element they have, the horizon. Nothing can take away from a fabulous landscape more than a crooked, misplaced horizon. In this exercise you are going to play with the placement of your horizon. The comparison will help you reveal the visual strength of a well-placed horizon. Your Equipment A camera Any lens - a wide angle lens (less than 50mm) can be effective for landscape photography. A landscape scene Your Set Up Find a landscape scene you are interested in photographing. Your Practice Place your camera in the mode you are most comfortable shooting. Frame the landscape with the horizon cutting through the center of your frame. Frame the landscape with the horizon placed at the bottom third of your image. Frame the landscape with the horizon placed at the top third of your image. Place your horizon diagonal through your frame. Review your images. WANT A LITTLE MORE? Grab your tripod and set a long exposure for each of your images. KEEP IN MIND A straight horizon is a more pleasing image. If you don t have a tripod with a level or have difficulty getting a straight horizon, adjust it in post processing. I do every single time! 30
Horizon in the middle While it isn t a horrible image, it is a bit boring. Notice how your eye travels around the frame without a clear resting place. Horizon on the bottom third Placing the horizon on the bottom third of the image lets the rock have prominence in the frame. The foreground doesn t dominate the frame. This is the most pleasing of the four images. Horizon near the top third Like the image with the horizon in the middle, this image leaves your eye without a clear place to rest. The vast amount of sand diminishes the beauty of the rock. The diagonal horizon The diagonal horizon, also known as the Dutch Tilt, leaves the water pouring out of the frame. It causes confusion to the viewer. While this can be used artistically, avoid it when shooting landscapes. 31
LANDSCAPE EXERCISE #2 a well-composed frame Landscapes are beautiful, but can confuse your viewer if there isn t a clear flow to where their eyes should travel. Once your horizon is straight it s time to think about creating a strong composition. In this exercise you will create landscape images with strong composition in mind. Your Equipment A camera Any lens, a wide angle lens is recommended. Your Set Up A landscape. A tripod for the steadiest image. Your Practice Set your camera to your preferred shooting mode. Locate your visual element (a tree, mountain, cloud, or structure). Imagine tic-tac-toe grid in your viewfinder. Focus on the bottom third line. This will ensure that focus is maintained throughout the frame. Create a second photo, placing your visual element in a different location in the frame. Compare your results. WANT A LITTLE MORE? Try creating the same images at a different time of day or with a different aperture to see the results. WANT EVEN MORE? Create your image with a portrait orientation, playing with the placement of your visual element. 32
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LANDSCAPE EXERCISE #3 focus methods When you have a person in your camera s viewfinder, your focus choice is easy. When you are creating a landscape image, your choice of where to focus becomes a little trickier. Most landscape photographs are created with a narrow aperture to create sharp focus throughout the frame. A few quick techniques can help you ensure that focus is sharp. In this lesson, you will try two different methods for focusing. Your Equipment A camera A lens. A wide angle lens is suggested. A tripod, if available. Your Set Up Place your camera on a tripod for the most stability and sharpest images. Select a small aperture of f/16 or narrower (the larger the number, the smaller the aperture). Your Practice Place your camera in either Aperture Priority or Manual Mode. Select an aperture of f/16 or f/22. Place your camera on a tripod. Focus one-third of the way into your frame. For comparison, focus on something either closer or further in your frame. Compare your results. 34
WANT A LITTLE MORE? Calculate the hyperfocal distance for your lens and camera using a site like www. dofmaster.com or a depth of field app. Shoot using the hyperfocal distance. I focused on the line on the line of trees to get the best focus throughout the frame. The combination of a narrow aperture and focus selections helps achieve the crispness I wanted. SOMETHING TO CONSIDER If you are shooting in full sun, consider using a neutral density filter to reduce the brightness in your image. This is especially helpful if you are choosing a slow shutter speed while photographing water in a landscape scene. 35
LANDSCAPE EXERCISE #4 ADVANCED: RETURN TO THE LOCATION How many ways can you see the same thing? Landscapes can be modified by changing your point of view, your lens, and your exposure. You can easily change your landscapes by returning to the same location at different times of the day. We practiced a similar exercise when we focused on Light. In this exercise, you will select a landscape that you can return to at three different times of day. They don t need to be on the same day. Your Equipment A camera Any lens, a wide angle lens is suggested. A tripod if available. Your Set Up Place your camera on a tripod for the most stability and sharpest images. Select a small aperture of f/16 or narrower (the larger the number, the smaller the aperture). Consider shooting in morning light, midday light, during the golden hour, and during the blue hour. Your Practice Place your camera in either Aperture Priority or Manual Mode. Select an aperture of f/16 or f/22. Place your camera on a tripod. Consider your horizon, composition, and focus. Frame your subject. Return at a different time of day or on a different day (or both). Repeat the previous steps and shoot. Return again at a different time or different day. Repeat the steps and shoot. SOMETHING TO REMEMBER There are many ways to view one scene. Consider stepping closer, Move your camera from landscape to portrait orientation. Have fun with this exercise! 36
PHOTOS BY KELLY BUSS 37
Landscape practice REVIEW Landscapes challenge us to step back and see a bigger picture. Think About Your Practice. Review the following questions. Maybe even jot a few notes. 1. What did you notice during the landscape exercises? 2. What what easiest for you in completing the landscape exercises? What was hardest? 3. How will your landscape practice impact your photography? 4. After this lesson, what are you next steps in improving your landscape photography? PRACTICE 2014 KATRINA KENNEDY 38