on the sky
The sky is a hugely important element in many landscape photographs. However, it should only be included if it adds a positive element or improves the composition. As landscape photographers prefer to shoot early and late in the day in order to catch the best light, we tend to witness some of the most spectacular skies – rapidly changing, with sudden bursts of colour and shafts of light. It is vital that we keep an eye on these developments in order to exploit every opportunity. As the sky is generally brighter in tone than the landscape or foreground of any scene, the use of a neutral density graduated filter will often be necessary to help control contrast as, otherwise, your film may be unable to record sufficient detail. A polarizing filter can also be used to control contrast, as well as to enhance cloud formations and saturate colour.
Loch Etive
When I arrived at this location in Scotland, late in the afternoon, the sky was clear and blue. However, within half an hour, broken cloud began to appear from the east and soon covered the sky above me. It was now just before sunset and the last rays of the sun began to add a little subtle colour to the encroaching clouds. Fortunately, the air was still and the surface of the loch was perfectly calm, providing a mirror image of the colourfully patterned sky above. A scene like this would be impossible to capture accurately on colour slide film without the help of a neutral density graduated filter. On this occasion, I used a 2-stop hard-edged filter positioned with the transition line directly upon the distant horizon. When photographing reflections, it is vital to choose the correct density of filter, as the image in the reflection should never appear brighter than its source.
Canon EOS 3, 28–70mm lens, 2-stop hard-edged neutral density graduated filter, Fujichrome Velvia, 2sec at f/11
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Be prepared for transient light
Some of the most memorable landscape images are made when fleeting glimpses of light break through an otherwise overcast sky. Some of the best opportunities occur around sunrise and sunset, when passing weather fronts allow the sun to briefly appear close to the horizon – often leading to spectacularly colourful skies. The best way to record transient light is to plan your shot. Choose a location, research lighting angles and select a composition in advance. A spot meter is best for metering for a scene in transient light. Take a reading from an area within the pool of sunlight and assign it a tonal value (see page 33). Set this reading on your camera, re-compose the scene and fire away! The sunlit areas will then be correctly exposed whilst the unlit areas will record as a dark tone, capturing the drama that initially attracted you to the scene.
Harbour sunrise
This particular day in early summer dawned cloudy, still and rather uninspiring. Nevertheless, I made my way down to the harbour at Lyme Regis at 5am in the hope of catching a colourful sunrise. I noticed a thin strip of orange sky along the horizon to the east and immediately began to set up my camera in a predetermined position on the harbour wall. It wasn’t long before the fiery disc of the sun began to appear, casting a beautiful clear light across the scene. However, within five minutes it had risen behind the encroaching clouds and remained hidden for the rest of the day. My main concern with this shot was to avoid flare – not easy with the sun included in the frame. I minimized the chances of flare occurring by using a prime lens. Fortunately, as the sun had only just broken the horizon, the contrast levels were not that great, and the film was able to record the scene exactly as I had remembered.
Canon EOS 5, 50mm lens, 2-stop neutral density graduated filter, Fujichrome Velvia, 1/2sec at f/16
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Control flare
Shooting into the light can dramatically increase the atmosphere in your pictures. Zoom lenses are more prone to flare, making prime lenses favourable. Optical surfaces should be kept spotlessly clean and filter use kept to a minimum. Lens hoods are ineffective if the sun is included in the frame. With a tripod-mounted camera it is best to shade the lens with your hand or a piece of card. When using telephoto lenses, you should cast a shadow across the front element from as far away as possible – the further from the lens you are, the sharper and more accurately placed the line of the shadow will be. If the sun is included in the frame you could try to partially conceal it behind a tree or similar element within the image. Take great care to prevent the sun from striking the front element of your lens, or any filters that you have in place.
Beech trees at sunrise
This row of hilltop beech trees on the northern edge of the Exmoor National Park in Somerset, England, was a scene that I had considered photographing many times. Although there was the potential for a good shot in favourable light, the view never really inspired me. However, I noticed that at sunrise a more atmospheric image might be possible by shooting into the light. I decided to return in mid-June, when the sun would rise roughly behind the line of trees. In fact, the sun appeared directly behind the centre tree. Not only did this help to balance the composition, it was also a great help in preventing flare from spoiling the image. I used a prime wide-angle lens with a 3-stop hard transition neutral density graduated filter to help retain detail in the foreground field without losing detail in the bright sky. I had only a minute or two to get the shot, because once the sun had risen above the tree line the effects of flare became unavoidable.
Canon EOS 3, 35mm lens, 3-stop neutral density graduated filter, Fujichrome Velvia, 1/4sec at f/16
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Develop a workflow
There is a lot to think about when taking a landscape photograph; technical and aesthetical decisions have to be made, and often quite quickly. It is easy to forget a vital point, which may lead to the loss of an image. All photographers eventually develop a natural workflow but initially it is worthwhile making a simple list to follow. The fundamental factors of composition, focusing, exposure, filtration and camera set-up should be noted in the order you are most comfortable with. You should familiarize yourself with the layout of your camera bag so that you can find any item quickly. After finding the optimum position from which to shoot, run through your workflow to make sure that you’ve remembered everything. These steps will soon become second nature and you will be able to concentrate fully on capturing the scene before you.
Woodland reflections
When walking along the shore of this small Scottish lochan on a very foggy early summer morning, I kept catching tantalizing glimpses of the opposite shoreline reflected in the calm water as the mist began to clear. I knew that the effect would not last long because, as the sun rose higher, the fog would begin to burn off and the breeze would pick up, destroying the reflections. It was essential to work quickly in order to capture the atmosphere of the moment. Having a basic workflow to follow provides an added safeguard that might just prevent disappointment when an opportunity like this arises. The main area of interest was quite distant, so I needed to use a telephoto lens to compose an image without too much blank space. Once I had set up my camera, using a polarizing filter to saturate the fresh spring foliage, I only needed to wait a few seconds before the mist cleared just enough to reveal sufficient contrast in the distant trees.
Canon EOS 5, 100–400mm lens, polarizer, Fujichrome Velvia, 1/15sec at f/11
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Take control of exposure
Control of exposure is fundamental to successful landscape photography. All reflected light meters will give the correct reading to expose whatever they are pointed at as a mid-tone in the prevailing lighting conditions – even a white or black object would be recorded as a mid-tone grey if you used the setting suggested by your camera. This can be used to your advantage if you learn exactly how much compensation your camera meter requires in order to record white subjects as