Amateur Photographer – 16 August 2019

scribe 0330 333 1113 Iwww.amateurphtographer.co.ukI 10 August 2019 17

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I

remember the days when Mr Kodak gave

instructions with every roll of fi lm to always

place the sun at your back to produce

correctly exposed images. While they may

be correctly exposed, this would also produce

fl at and boring photos. It was suggested to never

photograph into the sun because the strong light

would be far too much for fi lm to cope with. When

handled correctly though, strong light can produce

some amazing results. Photography has come a

long way since then and digital sensors are capable

of handling 14 stops of light as opposed to 5 stops in

the days of transparency fi lm. Whilst the principles

are the same, we have so much more control now.

The key is to understand how to handle harsh

lighting situations to create dramatic images.

We’ve all heard that it’s best to photograph

Tom Mack ie

Tom Mackie has pursued a lifelong career

as a landscape photographer and is one of

the world’s leading practitioners of the art.

His work is featured in a number of books

including The World’s Top Photographers:

Landscape. Tom leads workshops in the UK

and abroad. See http://www.tommackie.com.

ALL PICTURES © TOM MACKIE

ND fi lter
A Neutral Density filter
will allow long exposures in
harsh lighting conditions by
reducing the light that reaches
the sensor. These filters come
in various densities ranging
from 1 to 15 stops.

Polariser

A polariser helps to reduce the

glare that harsh light produces

on subjects, and increase the

saturation to make colours pop.

It will also remove reflections

on water surfaces to allow the

colour to come through.

Wideangle lens

A wideangle lens is essential

for landscape photographers.

It allows you to include more

of your subject, and to use

strong shadows and clouds

as compositional aids.

High in

the sky

Don’t put your camera away when the

sun is high in the sky. Learn how to

control and maximise its potential, and

you will be well on your way to creating

images with impact, says To m M a c k i e

La Placita window, Tucson, Arizona, shot in the midday sun

Pentax 6x7, 200mm, 1/60sec at f/11, Fuji Velvia