AboveShooting
bi g skiesin the
NorfolkBroads?
Makesureyou
packat leastone
NDgradfilter.PRACTICALPHOTOGRAPHY.COM 49
Winter LandscapesSTYLE #5 CHRIS HERRING
I EXPLORE LANDSCAPE
& PORTRAIT FORMATS
Norfolkisn’tblessedwithmanyhillsor goodvantage
pointsforwinterphotography,especiallythearea
I li vein on theNorfolkBroads.However,we are
bl essedwithbigskiesandlotsof windmills,and
I al waysliketo utilisebothin my winterlandscape
photography.I shootimagesthataremorelocalto
mein thewintermonths,as thesearetheareas
and subjectswithineasyreachthatI knowbest,and
I can reallymaximisethewinterconditionswhen
theyoccur.Becauseof theuniqueflatlandscapeof
the NorfolkBroads,theskyis alwaysgoingto be
a dominantfeature– a goodskycanbe keyto getting
the bestimagesfromthisuniquelocation.
A good tripod is essential. By using a tripod when
shooting in the lower light levels that occur around
dawn or dusk, I can still use a low ISO for maximum
image quality without the risk of camera shake.
Probably the biggest benefit I find to using a tripod is
that it slows down the whole picture-taking process,
helping you to easily fine-tune compositions.
Although not essential for all photographers,a big
part of my approach is the use of neutral density
graduated filters to quickly balance the exposure
between the land and sky. This could be done in
post-production, but I find it easier to do in the field.I always shoot landscapes on a tripod with a low ISO
in full manual mode, often opting for an aperture of
around f/11 or f/13 for a good balance of depth-of-field
and lens sharpness. I prefer using manual mode to
aperture-priority as the exposure stays consistent.
In semi-automatic modes, the exposure readings canChris Herring is a pro landscape photographer
specialising in images of East Anglia and the Peak
District. He splits his time between photography,
and fine art printing, and runs a workshop in
Norfolk, supplying his images to local galleries
and artists all over the UK. theuklandscape.com❆
GETA FRESH
PERSPECTIVE
Whilea landscapeformat
mightseema morenatural
choiceforscenicshots,
switchingto portrait
addsheight.