Know how to replace the battery. Practise attaching the remote release and setting the camera up for long exposures. Learn how to set the mirror lock-up and self-timer function. Order your filters and adaptor rings in one easily accessed and well-labelled wallet. Memorizing these functions and procedures will help you to work quickly in order to catch moments of transient light. It will also allow you to work far more efficiently in low light situations.
Inquisitive sheep
I was returning to my car after shooting a sunrise over this mist-filled valley when a flock of sheep ran along the ridge past me. The last two paused inquisitively against a wonderful backdrop. I hurriedly set my tripod down and changed to a longer focal length lens, composed the scene, focused, metered the exposure, set an aperture small enough to record the background sharply, set mirror lock-up and self timer and hit the shutter. Without knowing exactly how to set the functions on my camera I would almost certainly have missed this shot as I managed to fire off only two frames before the sheep decided to catch up with the rest of the flock.
Canon EOS 1Ds, 70–200mm lens, ISO 100, 1/30sec at f/22
3
Include a sense of scale
It is often essential, although not always easy, to illustrate scale in a landscape photograph. Take, for example, California’s Giant Sequoia forest: without including an easily recognizable object, it would be impossible to show just how massive these magnificent trees are in reality. The same is true of many other subjects – towering cliffs, vast sandy beaches, waterfalls and the like. The easiest option may be to include a human figure within your composition. If this doesn’t appeal to you, or if it simply isn’t practical, then look for another easily recognizable object that will fit naturally within the scene – perhaps a building, an animal or a plant. Whatever you use to illustrate scale must be placed close to the main subject, otherwise the effects of perspective may counteract your efforts. A wide-angle lens used close to a foreground element can exaggerate scale very effectively and will often result in a very dramatic and eye-catching image.
Fishermen at sunset
The fishermen on the beach exaggerate the size of the sun due to the compressing effect of a 400mm telephoto lens. This may look a little unnatural, as it is not the way we would see the scene in reality. However, the compressing effect produces an image with far more impact than would have been possible had I shot the same scene with a 50mm lens. In breezy conditions I used a beanbag to support the lens. I placed a second bag on top of the lens and used the mirror lock-up function, along with a cable release, to minimize the chances of vibration spoiling the final image.
Canon EOS 5, 400mm lens, Fujichrome Velvia, 1/15sec at f/16
4
Invest in a tripod
A sturdy tripod is an essential piece of equipment for landscape photography. Some shots are impossible to achieve without one, but every image will benefit from the use of one. Unfortunately not all tripods are up to the job, and those that are, tend to be quite expensive. Try not to be lured by cheap lightweight models even if you shoot with a basic 35mm camera system. Look for one that extends to at least head height and also allows ground-level shooting by splaying the legs at right-angles. Again, you must buy a high quality head if it isn’t to become a weak link in your set-up. Although less versatile than a ball and socket head, a three-way pan and tilt head will offer independent adjustment of each axis, which can be a great help in fine tuning composition. It is easy to miss moments of transient light when you are fumbling to screw your camera on to a standard tripod head. A quick-release head will cost a little more, but the benefits over years of photography make the initial investment worthwhile.
Dawn from Eggerdon Hill
I spotted this distant scene from a roadside gateway. The crops inside the gate were so tall that I had to extend the legs of my tripod to maximum height in order to gain a clear vantage point. Although my tripod has no centre column I still needed a small stepladder to be able to see through the viewfinder. Centre columns are a weak link in any tripod set-up and should only be used when there is no other option. It is perhaps best to buy a tripod that doesn’t have a centre column – then you won’t be tempted to use it!
Canon EOS 3, 400mm lens, Fujichrome Velvia, 1/4sec at f/16
5
Learn good tripod technique
A sturdy tripod will help to ensure consistently sharp results, but only when combined with good technique. Never extend the leg sections of the tripod any further than necessary, and make sure that all tripod controls are fully tightened before making your exposure. Position your tripod on firm ground or push the legs into softer ground. Matted grass, moss and woodland debris all act like springs under the legs of a tripod, amplifying any vibration. Hanging a beanbag, or even your camera bag, from the tripod as additional ballast can be quite effective when using longer focal length lenses. By using your camera’s mirror lock-up feature, in combination with a cable release or self timer, the vibration caused by the action of the mirror can be allowed to die away before the exposure is made.
Waterfall
There are many situations in which it would be impossible to obtain a sharp image without using a tripod to support your camera. This shot of a waterfall in Briksdal, Norway, was taken in overcast light with a telephoto lens, a combination that always calls for the use of a tripod. I also wished to record movement in the water, for which an exposure time of 1/4sec was required. Fortunately I was able to set up on a firm surface, and I placed a beanbag on top of my lens to help minimize the effects of any shutter-induced vibration. I also locked the mirror up before making the exposure – mirror lock-up is a camera feature that I could not live without.
Canon EOS 5, 400mm lens, Fujichrome Velvia, 1/4sec at f/11
6
Research your destination
Whenever you travel to an unfamiliar place it is vital to carry out as much research as possible before you depart if you intend to make the most of the photographic opportunities available. The internet is perhaps the best source of information prior to departure. Maps are the landscape photographer’s best friend so buy the best you can find with as much information on them as possible, ideally before departure so that you have a chance to study them carefully. Those that accurately show the lie of the land can be used to predict lighting conditions – such as which side of a valley will be in shade at a certain time of day. Upon arrival, head for the nearest tourist information centre for inspiration. You are certain to find postcards, calendars and guidebooks depicting local landmarks and characteristic views of the area. This will provide further insight into the region’s photographic potential and may reveal more locations that could be worth exploring. In poor weather use your time constructively to search out and explore new sites. Try to find compositions that would be worth returning to in good light and consider precisely when to revisit – morning or afternoon, or at high or low tide, for example.
Ålesund
The panoramic view
