Get great landscape shots when detail
is far away by shooting wide open
Wide aperture
landscapes
The very concept of using a wide aperture
when shooting landscapes may seem alien,
because usually you want to record a scene
in sharp focus from front to back, and a wide
aperture is unlikely to do that. Or is it?
Actually, in some situations it will. You only
need lots of depth of field when the nearest
point in the scene is close to the camera. But
sometimes you’ll find that everything you’re
including in a shot is far away – at infinity –
which means you don’t need any depth of
field at all.
Taking aerial shots is a good example. You
can shoot with your lens wide open, whichyou may need to do to keep the shutter
speed high enough to counteract the fact that
you’re moving and still record everything in
sharp focus. The same applies if you’re on a
hill or mountain and shooting the valley below,
or capturing the urban landscape from a high
viewpoint such as the top of a skyscraper.
The wider the aperture, the faster the
shutter speed. It’s an important consideration
when you’re handholding the camera in low
light, or if you and the camera are moving- which is the case when shooting aerial
images from a plane, helicopter or, to a lesser
extent, a hot air balloon.
8
Techniques
Getgreatlandscape shots when detail
isfarawayby shooting wide open
Wide aperture
landscapes
Theveryconceptofusing a wide aperture
whenshootinglandscapes may seem alien,
becauseusuallyyouwant to record a scene
insharpfocusfromfront to back, and a wide
apertureisunlikelyto do that. Or is it?
Actually,insomesituations it will. You only
needlotsofdepthoffield when the nearest
pointinthesceneisclose to the camera. But
sometimesyou’llfindthat everything you’re
includinginashotisfar away – at infinity –
whichmeansyoudon’t need any depth of
fieldatall.
Takingaerialshotsis a good example. You
canshootwithyourlens wide open, whichyou may need to do to keep the shutter
speed high enough to counteract the fact that
you’re moving and still record everything in
sharp focus. The same applies if you’re on a
hill or mountain and shooting the valley below,
or capturing the urban landscape from a high
viewpoint such as the top of a skyscraper.
The wider the aperture, the faster the
shutter speed. It’s an important consideration
when you’re handholding the camera in low
light, or if you and the camera are moving- which is the case when shooting aerial
images from a plane, helicopter or, to a lesser
extent, a hot air balloon.
8
Techniques