THE BIG PROJECT
1
Wide-angle lens
If you want to include foreground interest
then you need a lens that’s wide enough to fit in
both nearby details and far-off scenery. In this
case, I used a 16-35mm. Here it lets me
emphasize the powerful line that runs from the
rocks just at my feet towards the imposing
castle, far off in the distance.
2
Neutral density filters
A set of Neutral Density filters are a
useful addition to your kitbag at any seaside
locations. They allow you to extend your shutter
speed to several seconds and blur the movement
of water and clouds. This results in some
gorgeously creamy bodies of water. We used
a six- and 10-stop ND filter on our shoot here.3
Distant subject
Our distant subject – Bamburgh castle in
Northumberland – is a landscape photographer’s
dream. But in any spectacular scene you can
usually find a suitable subject to frame up with
your foreground interest. Experiment by
composing the distant subject in various
positions around the frame.4
Foreground interest
In essence, foreground interest is the
part of the scene immediately in front of the
camera that helps you create a dynamic
composition. Look for a strong shape, a clearly
defined object, or an interesting texture to
occupy the bottom part of the frame. Here
it’s the rock pool that leads towards the castle.
5
Focusing
Depth of field is crucial when framing up
foreground interest, as we usually want both the
foreground and background recorded sharply.
A simple way to ensure maximum sharpness is to
use a narrow aperture, like f/16, and focus a third
of the way into the scene. For a more methodical
approach, find the hyperfocal distance (page 44).6
Trip o d
A tripod is a must for long exposures –
it’s also invaluable for honing your framing when
shooting landscapes with foreground interest. It
gives you space to study the frame, tweak angles
and perfect the balance between the fore- and
background. A cable release is also handy for
stopping camera shake during longer exposures.Top tips
EXPLORE THE FOREGROUND AND LOOK FOR
INTERESTING WAYS TO FRAME YOUR LANDSCAPES124536