Chapter 2: Landscapes and Nature

In This Chapter

arrow.png Capturing sunset over the Maumee River

arrow.png Getting in the landscape

arrow.png Being adventurous

arrow.png Capturing a lonely tree

Photographing landscapes is different: You have to go where they are. You can’t set one on a table in your studio or meet one at a local park. You have to find a means of transportation and travel.

The other fact is that you’ll be dealing with the weather and sunlight at hand. You have no control over either, but you can choose one day or time over another. Aside from suggesting you routinely make trips to shoot during the golden hour, my advice is to mix it up. Clouds make skies look great, but aren’t absolutely necessary. At times, you can frame landscapes without even seeing the sky. At other times, the sky is a central player.

When I photograph landscapes, usually I use a tripod and set my aperture to f/8. This ensures the depth of field will be large, which is what you want for most (but not all) landscapes. If you want to experiment with filters, landscapes are a natural subject.

Capturing a Sunset in HDR

Using a tripod ...

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