Page 42 - Cape-Camera-Jan-Feb-2022

January/February 2022 Cape Camera

must always adhere to. But before you begin experimenting ting up your tripod try different viewpoints around your main
with weird and wonderful compositions that go against these subject including different heights from ground level to head
rules, make sure that you understand how and why they’re so height, and in between. Exploring the possibilities will help you
effective in the majority of situations. Once you’re confident to shoot the most interesting shots possible.
with the rules, you can then break them meaningfully, and in- Use a rain cover
deed creatively, rather than accidentally. Many cameras these days offer a degree of weather sealing,
The same goes for camera settings such as shutter speed and which is great because you don’t have to worry about getting
aperture; certain types of landscape images typically use spe- caught out in rain. The problem with a wet camera, even if it is
cific settings, but that doesn’t mean you have to slavishly follow weather sealed, is that it will need to be dried before you put it
them once you understand why they’re used. back in your kit bag. Use a rain cover, a large microfibre cloth
Turn off noise reduction or even a shower cap to keep the camera dry so you can put it
Long exposure noise reduction is often turned on by default, away quickly.
but when you’re shooting in Raw there’s no need to have it Get it right in camera
switched on because you can apply noise reduction during Shoot in Raw and aim to capture the best possible exposure in-
post-processing. The problem with long exposure noise re- camera. This will give you the best starting point where images
duction is that it takes as long as the exposure to process, so require less aggressive processing.
a two-minute exposure will require two minutes of in-camera Calibrate your monitor
processing.
Try a telephoto lens Failure to calibrate your monitor can result in incorrect bright-
ness, contrast and colours when images are viewed on other
Not all landscapes require the use of a wide-angle lens, so car- devices and in print, which will cause an unnecessary headache.
rying a telephoto such as a 70-200mm is always recommended.
Telephotos are essential for woodland photography to avoid Use local adjustments
converging verticals because they force you to shoot from fur- When editing in Lightroom, Photoshop and other software, take
ther away which means the camera doesn’t need to be tilted advantage of localised adjustments to make your images look
back. Plus, they’re useful for mountain photography and shoot- their best by only adjusting the areas that need to be altered.
ing into valleys. Apply lens corrections
Explore viewpoint Raw editing software allows you to remove lens distortions us-
Not all shots are best taken from head height, so before set- ing specific lens profiles with the ability to remove chromatic
aberration when present at the touch of a button.
Keep it natural
Less can often be more and when it comes to editing land-
scapes, it can be all too easy to go too far making images look
over-processed and unreal. Process with care and aim for a nat-
ural finish.
Always be prepared
Shooting landscapes can often be a solitary pursuit that sees
you essentially in the middle of nowhere by yourself. And even
if you regularly shoot with other people, planning and being
prepared will help to make your shoots more successful, and
ultimately safer.
Being prepared for all types of weather is essential so unless
wall to wall sunshine is forecast, it’s often worth carrying wa-
terproofs and warm clothing. And whether you’re visiting new
locations, or even revisiting old ones, there are some where it’s
essential to use a map to navigate from your car to the location.
Smartphones and apps such as ViewRanger, OS Maps and
even Google Maps are incredibly useful for navigation, but you
should still carry a traditional map and compass in case of run-
ning out of power, damaging or even losing your phone.
Be original
Honeypot locations are popular because they’re, well, great lo-
cations. When visiting these locations grab the archetypal shot,
but also try to find more unique shots, too.
Revisit locations
Even if you visit a location and all the elements fall into place
allowing you to capture the perfect shot, revisit in different sea-
sons and weather conditions to grow your portfolio.
Embrace luck
Planning is incredibly important for increasing your chances of
success, but there’s no denying that landscape photography of-
ten relies on a huge burst of good luck.

41 Cape Town Photographic Society