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08
Use a tripod
Yo u’ l l h e a r t h i s
over and over again, but
serious landscape
photographers should
always consider carrying
a tripod to ensure their
camera is completely still
during exposures that are
typically longer than other
subjects. If you throw an
ND or graduated filter
into the mix and
exposures could run
as long as minutes,
making robust
support an
absolute necessity.
A medium-
size carbon-fibre
tripod and ball
head like this
Manfrotto model is
always a good option
because it’s light and
relatively affordable.09
Attach filters
Get the most out of your
shots with three essential landscape
filters. ND grads are used to reduce
the exposure in the brighter sky while
leaving the darker ground unaffected
for an all-over level exposure. ND filters
reduce light entering the lens, allowing
you to shoot with slower shutter
speeds. Polarizing filters can be used to
reduce the effect of harsh light, reduce
reflections, increase saturation and
deepen blue skies.10
Make it level
Getting a perfectly level horizon
is one of the key ingredients of a good
shot. Some photographers favour a
hotshoe-mounted spirit level to make sure
their camera is level on both the horizontal
and vertical axis. However, most cameras
now have a built-in virtual
horizon that does
exactly the same
thing and can be
activated when you
use Live View.Try adding scale
with people
A trend that’s sweeping
landscape photography is having a person
in the foreground of a shot, with their back
to the camera, looking out over the scene.
This human element helps viewers to
connect to the image and imagine being
there themselves. A person in the
landscape can also be used to add scale. To
include a human element, ask a friend to
pose, or use the camera self-timer set to
20 secs and step into the shot yourself.12
Use shape and tones
Colour and contrast are powerful tools in landscape photography, and
can help you to achieve creative shots you might normally walk past. The secret
here is to simply slow down and observe the landscape and how it behaves.
Reeds blowing in the wind, swirl pools at the foot of waterfalls and the tree canopy
twinkling in the bright sunlight all provide opportunities for the photographer, but
they’re the kind of thing that can easily be missed.
No matter how slow the movement of natural elements in a scene is, extending
exposure time to anywhere between three and five seconds can be enough to
create detailed images that command as much attention as the perfect sunrise
or sunset. For the best result, try to include an element that’s completely still, to
give the viewer a focal point.NEWCANONSKILLS
Francesca^ Caruso/^ EyeEm11