The Art of Landscape Photography

192 Pages·2014·18.9 MB·English

by  Ross Hoddinott

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MARK BAUER & ROSS HODDINOTT
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First published 2014 by
Ammonite Press
An imprint of AE Publications Ltd
166 High Street, Lewes,
East Sussex, BN7 1XU, UK
Text and photographs © Mark Bauer and Ross Hoddinott, 2014
Copyright in the Work © AE Publications Ltd, 2014
All rights reserved
The rights of Mark Bauer and Ross Hoddinott to be identified as
the authors of this work have been asserted in accordance with
the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, sections 77 and 78.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system or transmitted in any form or by any means without the
prior permission of the publisher and copyright owner.
This book is sold subject to the condition that all designs are
copyright and are not for commercial reproduction without
the permission of the designer and copyright owner.
Whilst every effort has been made to obtain permission from
the copyright holders for all material used in this book, the
publishers will be pleased to hear from anyone who has not
been appropriately acknowledged and to make the correction
in future reprints.
The publishers and author can accept no legal responsibility for
any consequences arising from the application of information,
advice or instructions given in this publication.
A catalogue record for this book is available from the
British Library.
Publisher Jonathan Bailey
Production Manager Jim Bulley
Managing Editor Richard Wiles
Senior Project Editor Dominique Page
Editor Chris Gatcum
Managing Art Editor Gilda Pacitti
Designer Simon Goggin
Cover Designer Robin Shields
Set in Frutiger
Colour origination by GMC Reprographics
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CONTENTS
Introduction 8 CHAPTER FOUR > DEPTH AND PERSPECTIVE 72
Linear perspective 74
CHAPTER ONE > EQUIPMENT 10 The vanishing point 76
Camera formats 12 Foreground interest 78
Lenses 16 Tilt and shift 82
Camera supports 21 Light in defi ning depth 86
Filters 24 Visual separation 88
Other essentials 30 Other tips and tricks 90
CHAPTER TWO > SHOOTING TECHNIQUE 32 CHAPTER FIVE > THE GEOMETRY OF COMPOSITION 92
Exposure 34 Lines 94
Depth of fi eld 38 Corners and ‘pointers’ 98
Hyperfocal distance 42 Shapes 100
Diffraction 46 Layers and planes 102
Colour theory 48 Movement and fl ow 104
Motion 106
CHAPTER THREE > BALANCE 52
Visual balance 54 CHAPTER SIX > LIGHT 108
Placing the main subject 56 Direction of light 110
The rule of thirds 58 Quality of light 112
The Golden Section 60 Seasons 114
Alternative methods for organizing the frame 64 Shooting in poor light 116
Symmetry 66 Low-light photography 118
The rule of odds 68 Thinking in black and white 122
Camera orientation 70 Silhouettes 124
Spot lighting 126
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CHAPTER SEVEN > TYPES OF LANDSCAPE 128 Technical details 180
Coastal cliff tops 130 Useful websites and downloads 185
Shoreline 132 Glossary 186
Hills and mountains 134 About the authors 188
Woodland interiors 136 Index 189
Rivers, streams and waterfalls 138
Lakes and refl ections 140
The miniature landscape 142
CHAPTER EIGHT > PROCESSING 144
Software 146
Cropping 148
Creative sharpening 150
Local enhancements 152
Focus stacking 154
Panoramic stitching 156
Exposure blending 158
Converting to black and white 160
CHAPTER NINE > DEVELOPING A PERSONAL STYLE 162
Traditional composition 164
Minimalism 166
Impressionism 168
Abstract 170
Defi ning your style 172
Analyzing the author’s personal style: Mark Bauer 176
Analyzing the author’s personal style: Ross Hoddinott 178
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THE ART OF LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY
INTRODUCTION
ART/a:t/ (Noun)
The expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual
form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their
beauty or emotional power.
Since its inception, there has been debate about whether or not and because it depends on what the individual wishes to express,
photography qualifi es as art. It is a debate that continues to this arguably it cannot be taught. That said, art has been practised and
day. Those who reject its status as art do so on the basis that it is analysed for centuries, so there are many widely accepted theories
representational and relies on technology. However, if we accept on which elements work in a composition, which don’t, and what
the above dictionary defi nition, it clearly meets many of the innately appeals to the human sense of ‘beauty.’ In this book we will
criteria: it is a visual medium through which people express their examine the theory and practice of these principles, using our own
creativity; there is skill involved in the process of its creation; viewers images to illustrate the points.
appreciate its beauty, and done well, it is capable of evoking However, simply following established compositional guidelines
powerful emotional responses. isn’t enough to guarantee good results. Done without consideration
Skill is involved on two levels: in controlling the equipment it can produce images that are predictable, sterile and (ironically)
necessary to make photographs and in creating powerful lacking in creativity. Once you have understood the theories of
compositions. In our fi rst book on landscape photography, composition you should be able to use them as a framework
The Landscape Photography Workshop, we took an overview of the for your own creative expression, so that composition ultimately
topic, covering everything from choosing equipment, the specifi c becomes an unconscious, instinctive, but considered process.
techniques you need to master in order to create a technically sound To be truly creative, an artist needs to establish a recognisable
landscape photograph, and the basics of composition, through to personal style. This can be a long and challenging process, and while
producing a digital print. In this book we assume a basic familiarity no one else can do it for you, we have tried to give some pointers to
with the technical elements and focus much more deeply on help you on your way. Establishing a personal style is not the end of
aesthetics – on the art of landscape photography. This is not to say the journey, however, as your photography and style should evolve
that we are ignoring equipment and technique, but it is discussed and change over time.
mostly with regard to how it impacts upon composition. We hope that this book will provide the inspiration for you to
Of course, teaching and learning the technical aspects of begin your creative journey.
photography is relatively straightforward compared to teaching
and learning the creative side. Creativity is intensely personal, Mark Bauer and Ross Hoddinott
8
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MISTY RIVER
An understanding of
balance, harmony and
what appeals to people’s
aesthetic sense will help
you to create images
that evoke an emotional
response in the viewer.
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CHAPTER ONE > EQUIPMENT
While the art of composition might be a creative one, a
photographer still requires the appropriate ‘hardware’ to
capture an image that truly encapsulates their skill and
vision. Your choice of camera, the type of lens you use
and the focal length will greatly influence the look and
feel of the final photograph. A good tripod is essential
for supporting your set-up and you also need to invest in
the right type of tripod head – one that will allow you to
make precise adjustments to fine-tune your composition.
Even in the digital age, a handful of in-camera filters
remain essential for both corrective and creative purposes
and there are other useful camera accessories that will aid
you while out in the field.
Therefore, before we progress to the more creative, artistic
and theoretical side of photography we shall first address
the practical considerations: the camera equipment you
need to become a landscape photographer.
TECHNICAL ACCURACY
Although photography is a creative art, don’t
neglect the technical and practical side of taking
photos. When I took this particular image, the light
and conditions were truly magical. However, had
I not selected the right focal length, fi ltration and
support, I could have easily wasted the opportunity.
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