http://adamburtonphotography.com/perspectives/ en info@adam-burton.co.uk Copyright 2012 2012-01-16T12:52:59+00:00 http://www.adamburtonphotography.com/perspectives/view/llyn-y-fan-fawr-brecon-beacons/ http://www.adamburtonphotography.com/perspectives/view/llyn-y-fan-fawr-brecon-beacons/#When:12:52:59Z Situated in the more remote western side of the Brecon Beacons National Park, Llyn y Fan Fawr is a natural lake lying at the foot of Fan Brycheiniog.  Surrounded by windswept moorland and mountains the lake is not somewhere you would accidentally stumble upon.  While working on a book project to photograph landscapes of the Brecon Beacons I had long planned to visit both Llyn y Fan Fawr and it's sister lake Llyny Fan Fach.  On a cold January trip to the western side of the National Park I decided the time was right to make my trip.  I wanted to capture the lake shore around sunrise, ideally bathed in some rich morning light.  Pre-visualisation is a crucial part of the planning process, but its just as important to be flexible and adaptable when things don't happen according to plan, as I was to soon find out! Parking up just off a small mountain road, I began my walk in the pre-dawn darkness.  There is a track up to the lake, but try as I might I couldnt find it, so I trudged on over the moor heading in the general direction of the lake. The snow from a few weeks back had melted, which made my off road wandering rather squelchy, but luckily I had come prepared with some wellies! After around 45 minutes of walking steadily uphill in the darkness I was certain I should have reached the lake but in the gloom I was disappointed to not see it anywhere.  By now the darkness was fading and the first colours of dawn beginning to appear in the cloudy sky.  Any landscape photographer will recognise the sinking feeling when this moment arrives before they have reached their viewpoint.  Checking and rechecking my map I changed direction slightly and continued up the seemingly never ending hill, cursing myself for not being more prepared. As the hill began to level out I was dismayed to encounter a new obstacle, hill fog!  Within moments every direction was choked with fog, if the lake was difficult to find before that task just got a whole lot more challenging!  Fortunately, minutes later I stumbled across a small stream and decided to follow it uphill which at last led me to my destination, Llyn y Fan Fawr!  Through patches of swirling fog I could just about make out the lake, covered in ice and surrounded by deep snow.  By now any thoughts of capturing sunrise had faded, the wintry conditions presented before me were now something even more special.  I made my way towards the shore, enduring a couple of comical moments when I sank up to my waist in snow!  At one end of the lake the thick ice was cracked into various segments making rather appealing shapes for a photograph.  I set up my gear in the snow, attaching my Canon 16-35mm lens to maximise the cracked ice in a wide angle composition.  In order to really show off the ice at its dramatic best I needed to get close, and that meant stepping into the water beside the cracked ice.  Thankful for my wellies I stepped into the freezing lake and carefully positioned my tripod amongst the chunks of ice, as close as I could without disturbing them.  By now the fog had swirled away enough to reveal the far side of the lake, providing enough detail to ensure my picture would feel more like a landscape and less of an abstract. I used a 0.3 Lee ND Grad to hold back the brighter foggy sky and captured several exposures both in landscape and portrait before my frozen feet begged me to drag them onto the shore. Reviewing the pictures on the cameras preview screen, I was really pleased with what I had captured.  They certainly weren't the photographs of Llyn y Fan Fawr that I had pre-visualised but that didnt matter, I had adapted to the unexpected conditions presented before me and hopefully captured something far more special. Locations, General 2012-01-16T12:52:59+00:00 http://www.adamburtonphotography.com/perspectives/view/blea-tarn-lake-district/ http://www.adamburtonphotography.com/perspectives/view/blea-tarn-lake-district/#When:11:44:23Z The time is 0745. After a week in the Lake District I've arrived on the shores of Blea Tarn just as deep red sunlight illuminates the mountains.  As a landscape photographer I know I should have been here, camera set up on tripod half an hour ago, waiting for this moment.  And I had very good intentions, but with beautiful mist hanging over Little Langdale I couldn't resist a small detour on the way up. Luckily for me it paid off; with a cloudless sky there wouldn't have been much benefit being here any earlier.   Unfortunately, that didn't stop the photographer wandering towards me from boasting that it was beautiful at 0615.  Thanks for that, beautiful and dark I would imagine!  As he walked back to the car park I was left wondering why it is that photographers often feel the need to be competitive; if they aren't boasting about the size of their lenses, then they are saying how you should have been here last night / week / year / whatever as the conditions were much better then. Blea Tarn is one of those locations where you will meet other photographers, and for good reason.  It is an absolutely iconic location, one of THE places to visit on any Lake District trip.  There are a hat full of vistas to shoot the lake from, both high and low, but the most popular view is always from the shore, looking towards the Langdale Pikes.  On this still November morning, the classic view from the South side of the lake completely took my breath away.  The beautiful rich glow from the early morning light set fire to the mountain tops and reflected perfectly in the mirror like water.  Recognising this was a popular viewpoint I considered not photographing it for all of 1 second before rushing down to the water's edge, slipping up on the boggy ground twice in my eagerness to get to the shore.  There would be time later for less photographed compositions, but for now all the elements were exactly right for this viewpoint and I was hooked; there could be no walking away!  As I set up my gear, I scanned the water's edge to identify the best place to shoot from.  There were plenty of small rocks poking above the surface of the water, offering good potential for foreground interest in a wide angle composition.  I soon noticed a collection of three prominent rocks, surrounded by a scattering of smaller stones and decided they would work well.  I set up my tripod at a low position and carefully composed my picture so that the rocks would not interfere with the mountain's reflections. Once I was happy with the composition, I metered for the scene and decided that I would need to use two ND Grad filters.  The first, a 0.6 grad would cover the sky, and the second, a 0.3 grad would be pulled down further to cover both the sky and its reflection in the lake.    Although the sky was much clearer than I usually hope for, I was really pleased with how it added to the tranquility of the scene by playing a background role and not competing for attention with the sunlit mountains.  Never-the-less, in the 3-2 standard picture ratio there was a little too much empty sky for my liking.  I tried zooming in a little, but I didn't like how the left hand side trees were chopped out of the frame.  Next I considered tilting the camera downwards to reduce the sky, but I knew that would place too much empty space at the bottom of the frame which would reduce the impact of the foreground rocks.  In the end, I decided the best option would be to crop the picture to a slightly more letterbox format in post production.  With this in mind, I captured several images at the shore before moving position. As the sun rose higher, the deep glow on the mountains gradually faded, and the reflections disappeared in rippled water.  I felt fortunate to have witnessed the iconic Blea Tarn in moments of magic, now hidden until the next special morning. Locations 2011-11-17T11:44:23+00:00 http://www.adamburtonphotography.com/perspectives/view/priests-cove-cape-cornwall/ http://www.adamburtonphotography.com/perspectives/view/priests-cove-cape-cornwall/#When:08:10:45Z Located just a few miles away from Land's End near the south west tip of Cornwall, Cape Cornwall is a rugged promontory stretching out into the Atlantic. Once mistakenly believed to be England's most westerly point, an accolade that has long since been corrected to Land's End, the Cape never the less is one of the photographic highlights of any trip to West Cornwall. The Cape has many qualities making it an ideal location for landscape photography. First and foremost the scenery, like many stretches of the Cornish coastline, is simply breathtaking. High cliffs with rocky outcrops can be found on either side of the Cape, offering dramatic cliff top views stretching out over crashing Atlantic waves to the picturesque headland. Unlike its near neighbour Land's End, Cape Cornwall enjoys a much more peaceful existence, with far less visitors the coast here has a more remote feel to it. And also unlike Land's End, several areas allow sea level access at rugged little coves, bursting with photographic potential, like the subject of today's Viewpoint, Priest's Cove. I have visited Priest's Cove many times over the years, and almost always had a memorable experience, each time returning with a memory card of pictures.  This particular trip on an October morning proved to be no exception.  I arrived in darkness and parked in the little car park above the beach.  Ideally, being a west facing beach this is an evening photographic location, but I knew from past experience that it could also offer potential at dawn.  On top of that I knew dawn would give me a far greater chance of enjoying the beach without having to share it with any other photographers, a little selfish maybe but an important consideration which allows greater freedom when composing images. Like it's popular sister cove Porth Nanven, the typical compositions for any photographs at Priest's Cove involves shooting westwards towards the islands of The Brisons.  On this occasion I opted for something a little different and instead decided to shoot back towards the Cape itself.  I had timed my visit to coincide with a falling tide, as I knew the resulting wet rocky shore would have added appeal to any photographs I captured.  After searching the shoreline for a few minutes I found some rounded granite boulders to use as my foreground in a wide angled composition.  Such boulders and pebbles are a wonderful feature of Priest's Cove, their unusual colour brings some welcome relief to the dark grey rocks of the shoreline.  I attached my 16-35mm F2.8L wide angle lens to my Canon 1dS Mk3 and set the camera up on the tripod in a low position, which would allow me to feature the beautiful rounded pebbles boldly in the foreground.  I added a .6 Lee ND Graduated filter to balance the dawn sky with the dark foreground and took my first exposure, which was 30 seconds.  This turned the water to a smooth blur, which I often find incredibly appealing in coastal photographs, as it conveys a peaceful tranquillity and simplicity within the picture. After 30 seconds the picture popped up on my review screen; all looked good but I was a little disappointed by the lack of cloud in the sky.  I decided to try out some alternative viewpoints and return to this composition once the sun had risen.  An hour later I was back on the shore, camera set up low again on the tripod, and ready to capture my picture.  Fortunately a sky full of beautiful clouds had appeared over the past hour, and were still tinged pink by the sunrise.  This was looking much better!  To improve matters even further, the early morning sunlight was just starting to bathe the Capein a rich golden glow, which left the headland perfectly colour matching my rounded granite foreground boulders. Now it was daylight the scene was brighter than in my original photograph, meaning that my shutter speed would be much shorter than the 30 seconds of my previous effort an hour ago.  To keep the effect of the long exposure I fitted a Lee ProGlass 0.9 ND filter, which again gave me a welcome 30 seconds and the resulting calm water effect. Feeling happy with my picture and many others captured on this morning I soon packed up and headed back to the car park.  Another great morning at CapeCornwallhad yielded some more special pictures; I couldn't have asked for more. Locations 2011-09-29T08:10:45+00:00 http://www.adamburtonphotography.com/perspectives/view/guest-portfolio-review-2/ http://www.adamburtonphotography.com/perspectives/view/guest-portfolio-review-2/#When:14:37:58Z For the second portfolio review I would like to feature Luis Afonso.  Luis is a landscape photographer from Portugalwith a very impressive portfolio.  For this review Luis has chosen four images which, although he personally likes, have not been so well received by others. As before, please feel free to comment on any points you feel I may have missed, agree or disagree with.  Photography is an extremely subjective thing; there is no right or wrong way of doing things, so all feedback is welcome. Image 1 - Derwent Water, Lake District, England Luis mentions that this is a very sentimental shot to him, so I best be careful with my review!  To be fair there's very little criticism to be made with this shot, so lets first analyse the strong points. First up, wooden jetties always make good subject matter for photographs.  They are often photographed by landscape photographers, and none more so than the jetties (or landing stages as they are also known) on Derwent Water in the English Lake District.  When photographed well, jetties provide a simple, and effective subject which immediately has impact.  Admittedly photographs of jetties are somewhat clichéd, but that doesnt bother me at all; its a great jetty, a lovely sky, and its a location that Luis has never photographed before so why not?  Luis has not simply photographed a jetty however, he has visited the jetty at exactly the optimum time (sunset in this instance) to capture the viewpoint at its best.  Sunset and sunrise are always photographed well beside water, because the colourful skies are reflected in the lower half of the picture, providing a naturally pleasing balanced image.  The sunset in this image is particularly special, so credit to Luis for being in the right place at the right time. Composition wise, the rule of thirds has gone out the window on this image, but in this instance that is absolutely fine and fits the subject matter.  The centrally placed jetty gives the image added impact and boldness; the 50/50 split between sky and water works perfectly due to the amount of interest in the sky.  A more subtle yet equally important compositional element is Luis' decision to separate the posts from both the silhouetted background mountains, and the horizontal band of dark water below them.  Had his posts touched the mountains or the band of water the image would not work nearly as well as it does. So with such a strong shot, could it have been improved upon? Although I have no major improvements to offer, there are some subtle changes that I believe would improve the image.  Luis has used an ND Grad (0.9) to control the sky, and generally this has worked well.  I notice there's some menacing cloud creeping into the top left corner of the frame which has darkened the sky and as a result darkened the water reflection to the left of the jetty. To counter balance the sky I would have angled my ND Grad diagonally so less of the darkened glass covers the left side cloud.  On top of this, and this is maybe a personal thing, I would have used a second ND Grad (maybe 0.3) over the sky which would have lightened up the foreground just a touch.  Overall its an excellent shot that Luis is understandably proud of. Canon EOS 30D; 1/6; f/8.0; 10 mm(Sigma 10-20); ISO 100; ND Grad 0,9 HiTech; No special editing Image 2 - Castro Marim Natural Reserve, Algarve, Portugal Next up is a photograph of an extremely dry cracked field which is in the Castro Marim Natural Reserve in Portugal. As soon as I opened this image I was immediately drawn into it by the great foreground.  The cracked patterns look almost like countries on a burnt old map.  I'm sure I can see Franceand Australiain there!  My initial attraction soon passed however, as my eye searched further into the picture for something more.  This can be the trouble with all wide angle photographs.  Quite often they feature strong foreground subjects, which are exaggerated by the wide angle lens.  These foregrounds do their job wonderfully; they absolutely grab your attention, but subsequently your eye naturally wanders past these objects searching for what's beyond.  And that leads me to the main problem in this image; I find the background rather dull compared with the cracked earth. There is nothing fundamentally wrong with rolling green fields; in fact I look to include them in many of my rural landscapes.  But in this image the greenery, from the scrub to the hills, is a diagonal wedge of dark green without any strong focal point to leave the eye resting on.  Without doubt, part of the problem is that the green area is underexposed; lightening this area up in Photoshop a little reveals a much more natural, and pleasing image.  However, to my eyes there still needs to be something else in the image other than the cracked earth and the hills. Not knowing the area, it is difficult to suggest a viewpoint that may have worked better for Luis.  But in a similar situation I would have searched around and looked for an object to connect the foreground with the background.  It could be a tree, gate or maybe even a fence which begins in the foreground and runs back into the picture, providing a lead-in line to the background.  Or if not, you could use your imagination to create a less obvious lead-in line.  For example if there was some scrub on the left of the picture, the cracked earth may work as a path, or channel throughout the image, leading towards the hills. Once I had found, and included that extra element I would next have considered choosing an even lower viewpoint than Luis has here, to really show off those crazy cracked lines in the earth. Canon EOS 30D; 1.5s; f/22.0; 12 mm(Sigma 10-20); ISO 100; Polariser; No special editing. Image 3 - Moledo beach, Northwest Portugal For Luis' third shot, he has submitted a seascape.  Looking through his website its obvious that he loves shooting the coast, and he is extremely skilled at it.  This image has loads going for it.  Personally, for me its most pleasing element is that it shows the power of the sea.  Landscape photographers (me included!) have a tendency these days to photograph seascapes with very long exposures.  Sometimes this is simply a by-product of photographing the coast in the very best light, at either dawn or dusk.  In order to capture a correctly exposed image, a long shutter speed is necessary which has the side effect of smoothening out the water.  It's a great effect and extremely addictive, but as a result natural looking photographs of crashing waves and surging water are becoming rarer to find.  So, upon opening this image I was really pleased to see the raw power of the Atlantic ocean captured well with Luis' choice of shutter speed. Luis has clearly chosen his viewpoint to include the channel of water as his foreground.  This is a great choice, as it breaks up the mass of rock in the foreground of the image. The raging sea below is almost mirrored by the cloudy sky overhead.  This looked like a blustery day to be out with a camera, perfect for the kind of atmospheric images landscape photographers strive for.  Furthermore, the low golden light lifts the rocks and showcases their unusual colours.  To fully appreciate the power of direct sunlight in photography, try to visualise these rocks in shadow.  The whole image would have turned dark and dull. As well as the crashing waves, my other favourite part of this image is the mountain on the horizon.  It has such an iconic shape, that it literally begs to be photographed.  Unfortunately, this also brings me to my main issue with the image.  I can see why Luis has opted to place the mountain in this position.  The image adheres to the rule of thirds; the mountain is loosely on the top right intersection, to counter balance the water channel which is on the bottom left.   That's usually a sound rule to follow, but I think in this instance the mountain, combined with the large volume of foreground rock on the right hand side rather unbalances the whole image, making it feel a bit lop sided. It could be difficult to rectify that issue by keeping to the chosen viewpoint.  One suggestion would be to crop the image into more of a square format, thereby loosing much of the foreground rocks on the right of the picture, which somewhat redresses the balance.  The other solution would be to spend a bit more time searching around the rocks for another channel of water, maybe a bit closer to the sea, which would allow you to create a similar composition but without a huge amount of rock on the right hand side of the frame. Canon EOS 5D Mark II; 1/5; f/16.0; 17 mm(Canon 17-40L); ISO 100; ND Grad 0,9 Lee; Polariser; No special editing. Image 4 - Serra da Estrela, Portugal Luis' fourth image contains a lot of elements that work great in landscape photography.  He has captured a carefully thought out image which contains snowy mountains, reflections and ice patterns in this wintry shot. Luis mentions that he really likes this image, but also says that other people do not, and does not know why.  After spending some time reviewing the picture I think I may be able to throw some light onto why this isnt one of his most popular shots. It is apparent how much he has worked on the composition here.  Many people would have concentrated on the ice and the snowy mountain, but forgotten about the mountain's reflection.  But with careful selection of his viewpoint, Luis has successfully added the mountain reflection to the image.  However, I wonder, if in concentrating so much to include all these elements that he has overlooked the overall visual impact of the picture. Firstly there is no doubting that the image is busy.  There's a lot going on in the picture, maybe too much, and the inclusion of certain objects may have come at the expense of others.  Lets start with the ice patterns in the pool.  I personally love ice patterns, especially when you get the circular lines around the ice as in this image.  It always make strong foreground subject matter, and does so here.  However, the problem is not with the ice itself, but with the grass behind it.  In order to include the ice and the mountain in one scene Luis has been forced to also include the not so snowy grass just behind the frozen pool.  I find this possibly the main culprit of the picture.  There is nothing particularly unpleasant about the grass itself, its warmly lit by the sun and the melting snow provides added interest, but its the location that this object commands that I am uncomfortable with. Sitting slap bang in the middle of the composition the grass fights with the ice for prime foreground attention, and possibly because it is sunlit and colourful, it wins.  So my attention is distracted from the ice and rests instead on the grass.  Furthermore, being so central in the picture it not only over complicates the composition, but also inhibits the eye from searching past it and onto the rest of the scene. For me this could work much better if the ice and the grass swapped position.  At the expense of losing this icy pool, I would have moved my position up to nearer the clump of grass, then compose my shot to include just a few (not too much!) of the golden strands of grass around the frame of the picture.  Then for my main foreground element, I would focus on the ice that I can see behind the grass. By doing this, I would have removed the main compositional obstruction which would let the eye enjoy the reflection, and mountains beyond. Alternatively, by moving to the left or right, you could include only part of the grassy snowy clump on the edge of the frame.  This would provide great added interest while also leaving the centre free for the eye to wander throughout the scene. Canon EOS 5D Mark II; 28 mm(Canon 17-40L); f/22.0; 1/5; ISO 100; ND Grad 0.9; Polariser; No special editing. Conclusion Through looking at any of these images it is readily apparent that Luis is a skilled photographer.  Credit must be given to him for offering images for review that arent considered as his most popular. Luis' technical skill is evident, as is his knowledge of the rules of composition and understanding of light.  The feedback I have offered is mainly composition based, and is mostly small suggestions that will bring about subtle improvements to these pictures.  For each shot I have considered what approach I would have taken, and offered several suggestions of alternative compositions which will hopefully strengthen these images.  Now it would be really helpful to hear your thoughts and ideas on what could work, so please feel free to leave comments. Please visit Luis' website to view more of his landscapes: http://www.luisafonso.com Portfolio Reviews 2011-01-26T14:37:58+00:00 http://www.adamburtonphotography.com/perspectives/view/interview-for-epson/ http://www.adamburtonphotography.com/perspectives/view/interview-for-epson/#When:18:39:51Z The interview below was written for Epson's FotoFlock website, which is India's first community photography portal. How did you teach yourself photography? When I purchased my first SLR I initially took pictures on full auto mode, feeling apprehensive to experiment. But after reading photography books and magazines I started to practice with manual, recording the details of every exposure in a little notepad I carried around with me. Apart from reading magazines, and looking at other pictures on internet sites like Ephotozine.com I spent a great deal of time on location taking pictures, and then reviewing the results once the films were developed. For me this really was the best way to learn, as I was photographing the subject matter that inspired me the most and really enjoying myself in the outdoors at the same time. To this day, I pretty much solely photograph landscapes; being outdoors at dawn or dusk is a tremendously enriching experience that for me beats all others. Being a self taught photographer, how difficult was it to carve out a niche in this highly skilled and competitive profession? I think it is notoriously difficult to break into the landscape photography profession, especially more so in today's industry where digital has brought about a huge surge in high quality readily available images. But from my point of view, I never made a conscious attempt to break into the business side of things; it just happened. I kept taking photographs and visiting new locations, built my own personal website, and found that magazines started approaching me. Over time, the business side of my photography grew to a point that I was able to reduce my day job to 3 days per week. Then in 2008 I decided to move to the Southwest of England, which meant leaving my day job completely and focusing on landscape photography full time. I have been fortunate in that I have never needed to go out there and find business; virtually all the projects I have been involved with have arisen from businesses approaching me. For me the key thing is to keep capturing high quality imagery while at the same time maintaining a professional relationship with my existing business contacts. You have been working as a full time professional landscape photographer since 2008. What led you to specialise in this particular genre of photography? I initially became interested in landscape photography because I have a passion for nature and the outdoors. That naturally led to me specialising solely in landscapes when I turned professional. I have little interest in other genres of photography. We are aware of your affinity with the lush green backdrops of Southwest England. Why is it among your favorite locations for shoots considering you have photographed five of the seven continents? I have been fortunate to visit many beautiful locations around the world. If I could choose favourites without any restriction on distance I would say the South Island of New Zealand is a very special place, and the Antarctic Peninsula is utterly breathtaking. But realistically such far-flung locations could only be very rare trips; my conscience would be ill-at-ease knowing the environmental damage caused by air travel. In view of this, I try to base my photography mainly in the UK now and the Southwest is undoubtedly one of the UK's most photogenic locations. The Southwest is brimming with photographic potential, from endless patchwork rolling fields that are so typically English, to rugged moorland wilderness and two incredible National Parks. On top of this, Devonand Cornwall has some of the most rugged and breathtaking coastline to be found anywhere in the world. All this means I don't have to travel far to find a lifetime of photographic possibilities. You have worked with numerous large and prestigious organisations including British Petroleum, The AA, The Times and National Geographic. Which has been the hardest assignment so far and why so? I think the hardest assignments for me personally are ones that involve photographic subjects that are outside of my comfort range. Sometimes commissions will involve shooting within towns and cities which are particularly uninspiring for me, and a world away from photographing trees, coast and hills. Of course I am happy to shoot such jobs, but the countryside and coast would always be my preference. When was the first time you felt inclined to write about photography? I have always enjoyed writing about my photographic experiences, and am eager to contribute words as well as pictures to magazines and books. I prefer to write about experiences and locations rather than overly technical "how-to"; guides, which I feel often miss the point. Too many people seem to be consumed with the technical aspects of landscape photography, rather than having a genuine passion for the outdoors. When I write, I tend to concentrate on describing the location and moment while conveying the excitement I feel when I am trying to capture a little bit of that moment. You have authored three books to date and you plan on publishing two more in the next couple of years. Can you tell us some more about your upcoming publications? I have already submitted to my publisher the photographs and words for my next book, which will be a pictorial guide to the Brecon Beacons National Park in Wales. The book will be similar to my last title "A Year on Exmoor", and will focus on the Brecon Beacons over the changing seasons of one year. This will be published in early 2011. I am well underway shooting for my fifth book, which sees me photograph views from the spectacular South West Coast Path, which runs through the counties of Dorset, Devon, Cornwall and Somerset. This is a very exciting project for me, as it encompasses such diverse and wonderful coastline, and will include many of my favourite coastal images. This book will be published in 2012. Your images have been published on the covers of more than 100 magazines, books and calendars. Which of your photographs is your favourite? I only photograph subjects where I feel inspired by the moment; finding a favourite is a virtually impossible task as so many photographs recollect treasured memories for me. One photo that does spring to mind is "Fires of Wharariki" in my New Zealand gallery. I cannot describe the experience of walking on this fantastic beach in the pre-dawn darkness; it was a moment that will live with me forever. Everytime I look at this image I am transported back to that special moment. Have you ever thought of switching to a movie camera? I have never given it any thought whatsoever! But I have heard that is the way photography is heading in the future; if this is the case then it is something I will need to explore at some stage. What are the primary requirements of a good landscape photographer? The most important requirement is having a passion for the outdoors, and enjoying what you do. On top of this you need to be dedicated, and have both perseverance and patience because the most important element of your pictures, light, is out of your control. I have lost count of the number of times I have jumped out of bed at 3am and been on location at 4am only to return empty handed when the sunrise decides not to show. If you can keep smiling through the cold on a freezing winter morning, the lack of sleep in the summer and the wet feet at the coast, then you probably have what it takes to be a landscape photographer! What is your approach to photography? As mentioned above I am passionate about nature. I love to visit and capture the outdoors, whether that's the coast, moorland or countryside. This is what inspires me, and continually motivates me to keep taking photographs. Other than understanding as much as I need to, to capture high quality images, the technical side of photography doesn't interest me. What are your thoughts on photo manipulation? I am a bit of a dinosaur in this respect. I learned photography with a film camera, and always strived to capture images authentically in-camera. This approach has carried across now that I am digital; I still aim to capture a photograph in a single exposure, correctly at the picture taking stage. I exclusively shoot in RAW format, which means I need to process my images on the computer afterwards. But I endeavour to do that processing authentically, without manipulating the scene to something it was not. Many people manipulate their photographs nowadays with great results, but for me personally it is not something I feel comfortable with, and do not think I ever will. You started your photography career shooting film. Do you still play around with negatives in the darkroom? I never did play around in the darkroom! When I used film cameras I always sent my slides to be developed at labs. All my developed slides are now filed away and haven't been looked at for a very long time. For me, digital is very much the way forward.   The interview can also be found on the FotoFlock website here. Interviews 2010-08-04T18:39:51+00:00 http://www.adamburtonphotography.com/perspectives/view/how-to-photograph-the-coast/ http://www.adamburtonphotography.com/perspectives/view/how-to-photograph-the-coast/#When:12:04:57Z There are few more exhilarating places to take photographs than down by the coast.  With serene or raging seas, vast expanses of windswept sand and an endless variety of rocks as subjects, you will be enthralled.  My guide takes you through the essential techniques for capturing great coastal images. Beach Scenics Big sandy beaches are of huge appeal to most people and photographers are certainly no different.  The great strength of photographs of beaches is their simplicity.  Whether sandy, shingle or pebbly, beaches are not overly busy or cluttered with objects, meaning that simple tranquil images can be captured providing the conditions are right. There are several things to consider before attempting to photograph a beach.  Firstly, check out the tide tables for the location you are planning to visit.  Look to visit a sandy beach when the tide is receding and nearly low.  The great advantage of a receding tide will be a virgin sandy beach, completely washed free of footsteps, sandcastles and 'Brad loves Whitney' sand messages.  In addition a low tide will provide you with maximum flexibility to move around and identify viewpoints to capture without getting your feet too wet! If you can time your visit to coincide a receding tide with a sunset you will substantially increase your chances of capturing a special image.  At this time of day when the sky is painted with heavenly colours, the retreating tide will leave a sandy beach wet and fantastically reflective.  Likewise, the stones of a shingle or pebble beach will be shiny and will glisten beneath the painted sky. Sunsets and beaches naturally go well together.  Everybody seems to agree, whether they are photographers, holidaymakers or dog walkers.  People love to stand on beaches and watch the sun go down.  But dont be put off from visiting at the opposite end of the day.  Depending on the location of your chosen beach, it may be preferable to visit at sunrise.  As a general rule of thumb, if you are on the east coast, visit at sunrise when the sun is rising over the sea, while in the west make a sunset trip. While simple uncluttered images are both ideal and achievable for beach photography, it is still beneficial to scout a location to look for a main focal point for your images.  Often times at low tide simple rock pools are revealed in the sand, making ideal foreground subjects for wide-angle compositions.  Alternatively position your tripod beside (or even better 'in') a small beach stream which can offer a natural lead-in line towards the sea.  If you cannot find a natural object to place in your frame, then consider something man made.  Many beaches in the UK are lined with wooden groynes.  As well as helping to prevent coastal erosion these sea defences offer huge photographic potential, providing a simple appealing subject in a tranquil beachscape. Clifftop Landscapes Clifftop photography offers an exciting and completely different alternative to shooting from sea level.  For those willing and able to put in the extra effort walking up steep cliffs, the vistas are often breathtaking.  Luckily in the UK (and particularly in the Southwest) we have many miles of open clifftops, with a network of footpaths providing plentiful access. When shooting from clifftop vantage points it is beneficial to carry both wide-angle and telephoto lenses in your bag.  Wide-angle lenses are especially useful when you can position yourself above vertical drops, tilting the camera downwards to capture both the crashing waves on the rocks below and the distant headlands disappearing off into the horizon.  Alternatively by compressing perspective telephotos can literally bring the far coastline boldly into the frame, allowing you to shoot up the coast, capturing a rugged and dramatic series of cliffs almost stacked on top of one another. Time of year plays an important part in capturing powerful clifftop landscapes.  Without question the cliffs themselves are at their most beautiful in the late Spring.  During the months of May and June, the clifftops burst into vibrant life with the appearance of picturesque wildflowers.  Carpets of pink Thrift, yellow Kidney Vetch, or sometimes Bluebells paint the cliffs with colour, making ideal subjects for the foregrounds of wide landscapes.  A low and close composition, combined with a small aperture will enable you to include these flowers in pretty foregrounds falling off to rocky cliffs and a backdrop turquoise ocean. For the brave another ideal season to shoot from the clifftops is the winter, when stormy weather can bring fierce seas and crashing waves onto the headlands below.  To fully capture the drama of waves crashing against clifftops and islands you will need a shutter speed of around 1/125sec to freeze motion.  Alternatively, go the other way and slow down the action to 15 seconds or more to record swirling and crashing waves as patterns of white trails in a mysterious sea.  These long exposures can be achieved by the use of ND's and small apertures as well as shooting at low light levels.  But be careful to splay your tripod legs wide enough to keep the camera still throughout any long exposure, otherwise you could end up with a blurred, unwanted and unrecognisable abstract on your memory card after a 4 minute exposure! Coastal Villages When on a coastal photography trip, don't feel that you have to dedicate all your time to beaches or clifftops.  For something a little different, consider heading into a nearby fishing village.  In stark contrast to coastal photography, where you often have to search out colour and shapes to make interesting photographic subjects, fishing villages are literally bursting with photographic potential at almost every turn. Lets consider subject matter.  First off there are boats, usually plenty of them.  Fishing boats are often brightly coloured, and can be found bobbing around in harbours, pulled up on a beach, or overturned on a slipway.  Wherever they are to be found, they usually make wonderful subject matter for vivid coastal village shots.  It is a good idea to spend some time looking for a brightly coloured boat to feature as a prominent foreground in a wide angle composition. Of course you do not have to limit yourself to boats.  Often you will find other tools of the fishing trade lined up in convenient positions along harbour walls.  Coils of rope, lobster pots, nets and buoys are just some of the objects that you may encounter, all of which make photogenic subjects that perfectly convey the location you are photographing.  To emphasise these foreground objects get in close with your wide angle lens and fill the bottom of your frame with the colours of details of the harbour.  This will enable your viewer to really connect with the image and feel as though they are with you, standing on the harbour wall.  To counter balance such a bold foreground, arrange your composition to include colourful harbour front cottages, shops and pubs in the background. As always time of day is an important consideration, not only for light but also to avoid the crowds.  By their definition, the most picturesque harbour villages attract the most visitors so, unless you are looking to include people in your composition arrive early or late in the day, or time your visit for the winter months.  When shooting at dawn keep a keen eye out for delivery vans creeping into your shots.  I have lost count of the number of times that I have been preparing to photograph a harbour scene, only to see a huge white lorry pull up on the far side of the harbour. It can be rewarding to photograph coastal village scenes in the evening when the lights of cottages, pubs, and street lamps are reflected in mirror like harbour waters in the growing darkness.  Alternatively, a sunny blue sky day will reward you with a picturesque coastal village scene which is always popular for calendars and postcards. On the Rocks While compositions from beaches can offer simplicity and tranquillity, rocky coves are pretty much the opposite.  Chaotic rocky scenery abounds, offering dramatic photographs to those brave enough to attempt photography here.  But to get the best out of these locations you will need a keen eye, sturdy legs and a great deal of perseverance. Rocky locations can appear busy and cluttered, and without careful consideration to subject matter and composition your resulting images will resemble this.  In such instances it is important to know the location well, so spend some time building up your knowledge of the area before you intend to photograph there.  When shooting from rocky shores, I personally choose mid to high tides.  Low tide can reveal barnacle and seaweed covered rocks which provide unwelcome clutter and are almost always difficult to photograph well.  A higher tide hides not only seaweed, but also covers much of the rocky shores; the water simplifying the busy landscape and making any composition so much cleaner and easier to find. For the most dramatic images, try to get as close to the waters edge as you are able to, while remaining safe.  Look for areas where crashing waves can bring white water channelling between the rocks.  The water channels can act as both a lead-in line, and also some light detail to balance out the darker rocky foreground of the image.  As the tide rises pay particular attention to rocky outcrops that become isolated by the sea, creating mini islands that can make striking elements to a composition. To further simplify your composition, consider staying light into the evening and shooting a long exposure.  An exposure of around a minute will turn a choppy sea into a ghostly mist.  Any jagged rocks will protrude upwards like daggers through the water, their solid and glistening wet surfaces contrasting strongly against the soft misty veil.  As with beaches sunrise and sunset can offer magical results when photographed from rocky shores, but do not rule out also visiting these locations on cloudy, overcast days.  Moody weather compliments rugged coves very well, enabling you to capture extremely dramatic photographs that appropriately convey the location, and stand out from the usual dawn and dusk coastal imagery. Abstracts With the UKweather being what it is, there will be times when you arrive on location, only to find the light has decided not to make an appearance.  There is no need to despair, overcast days can offer plenty of opportunities to shoot interesting beach details. The coastline offers plenty of scope for photographing the smaller details in the landscape.  Colours, shapes and textures play a big part in close-up photography, and luckily these are all to be found in abundance on the coast. Rocks and pebbles are plentiful on the majority of beaches and can make wonderful subjects to photograph.  Look for beaches of smooth circular pebbles and photograph them with a standard zoom at close range; dry pebbles can offer a subtle pastel coloured image or alternatively wet pebbles will glisten and gleam, their colours saturated and punchy. Dont spend all your time looking down on the shore; layered strata in the cliffs can work well as part of an abstract composition.  Cliffs in locations such as North Cornwalland Devon, Dorsetand South Walesall boast rich coloured cliffs with multiple layers, often contorted at impossible angles.  Either photographed on their own or juxtaposed against a beach of circular pebbles, these layered cliffs are surprisingly easy to photograph well. To add a sense of scale to an otherwise completely abstract composition, look to include a recognisable subject such as a shell.  Be careful when including limpets though - after shooting one long exposure close-up I was surprised to see several blurred objects in my composition; I hadnt realised that limpets moved quite so quickly! You do not have to limit yourself to close-up details either; with the benefit of long exposures you can easily shoot almost abstract seascapes.  Using a short telephoto lens isolate some rocks or maybe a wooden groyne against a background of nothing but sea.  By using an extreme ND filter such as Lee's Big Stopper you will be able to lengthen the exposure such that the sea turns to glass, creating a minimalist image that will look good in any modern art gallery! Gear When shooting by the coast, the following equipment is recommended. Lenses: A Wide-angle (e.g. 16-35mm) is an absolutely ideal lens for the majority of coastal landscape subjects.  In addition a telephoto (e.g. 70-200mm) will allow you to make the most out of clifftop vantage points and detail shots. Tripod: A tripod is essential for coastal long exposures, and is also extremely beneficial for shooting images over water, leaving you with two hands free to change filters etc without worrying about dropping anything! Filters: A set of Neutral Density graduated filters (ND Grads) is essential for capturing the full dynamic range from bright skies to dark foregrounds.  One or more straight Neutral Density filters (ND's) will help to achieve long exposures.  A Polarising filter is very helpful to reduce reflections, boast saturation and can also be used as an ND filter. Spirit Level: A cheap but essential piece of kit, a hotshoe spirit level helps to achieve straight horizons, which are particularly evident when shooting over water. Remote Cable: A remote cable will allow you to shoot long exposures with shutter into the minutes via the camera's BULB setting. Cleaning Cloth: Keep a couple of these in your bag to wipe away any water/spray splashes on lenses. Clean your gear: Salt water will corrode your camera gear!  After returning home from every coastal trip be sure to clean your camera, lenses, filters and tripod. Planning a shoot Before planning the shoot itself, there are some considerations you need to make for any location you intend to photograph. Know your location In order to get the best out of your photo shoot you need to familiarise yourself with a location before the photography trip.  Visit the location a couple of times beforehand, ideally at low tide and high tide.  Wander around the location and identify interesting subject matter to return to. Decide whether sunrise or sunset light would be best to showcase the location. Tide Some locations work best at low tide, where you can gain access to more of the beach and get to better viewpoints.  Other locations work at high tide when water covers unsightly seaweed covered rocks, and waves crash against clean pebble shores.  Consult the appropriate tide tables, or check a website (e.g. www.bbc.co.uk) to determine the anticipated tide levels for your trip.  Safety Coastal photography can be hazardous and potentially life threatening.  By familiarising yourself with the location you will minimize the risk of placing yourself in danger.  Look for shooting locations which provide a safe passage away from the beach, even at high tide.  Don’t stray too close to the top of unstable cliff edges, and just as importantly don’t stand too near to the bottom. The Journey This sounds an obvious one, but it’s very important especially for dawn shoots when time is tight.  Being familiar with the directions to your chosen cove or beach will ensure that you can reach the location in good time for dawn.  Visit the location beforehand and keep a record of how long the journey takes to the car park, and then how long to walk to the beach.  Internet or satnav directions are no substitute for prior knowledge! Check the weather forecast & sunrise/set times Check the forecast right up to the day of your trip; this will give you the most accurate prediction of the weather to expect.  Use at least two forecasts – try www.metcheck.co.uk and www.bbc.co.uk.  Don’t be put off by overcast skies – often these can offer the most ideal conditions for atmospheric seascapes, especially early or late in the day when light levels are low.  A partly cloudy sky is ideal, a cloudless sunny forecast is less suitable for dramatic light. When checking the forecast, record the sunrise/set times for your chosen area.  The times change constantly throughout the year, so always get up to date times from the forecast rather than relying on your experiences on your last coastal visit. The Sun Knowing the position of the sun is an important consideration for landscape photography.  Use a sun compass to predict the direction of sunrise/set, or alternatively use a standard compass and track the position of the sun at sunrise or sunset before the trip.  Then use a map to calculate the anticipated rise/set position at your chosen location. Check the wind direction and strength Wind is a big factor for coastal photography, especially when shooting wide angle at sea level.  When checking the weather forecast, pay particular attention to the wind direction and strength.  If the wind direction is coming directly in off the sea, and the strength is 10mph plus, it is often difficult to avoid your camera gear becoming coated with sea-spray, and splashes from waves.  Cleaning filters and lens glass is difficult at the coast, as salty spray smears.  For this reason look for forecasts where the wind is coming from any other direction than directly in off the sea.  Alternatively, stand further back the beach and use a longer lens to safely capture the breaking waves with minimal sea-spray. Techniques 2010-08-03T12:04:57+00:00 http://www.adamburtonphotography.com/perspectives/view/canadian-rockies/ http://www.adamburtonphotography.com/perspectives/view/canadian-rockies/#When:13:56:03Z No amount of research could prepare me for my first visit to the Canadian Rockies.  The sheer magnificence of this area is a wonder to behold for any visitor but especially for a landscape photographer. Arriving in Banff National Parklate in the evening it was too dark to appreciate the staggering scenery literally all around me.  It was not until the next morning that I got my first view of the landscape. As I wandered down the main street in Banff looking for a café serving breakfast I could not help but gape in awe at the mountains towering over the town. For the next couple of days I explored Banff in my rental jeep and walked (cautiously) on hiking trails ever wary of encounters with bears.  I made mental notes of places to return to at either dusk or the following dawn when the low light would transform the already magical scenery.  But in such rich surroundings this proved more challenging than I had anticipated and after a couple of days with no photographs I found myself worrying that I would return home empty handed. A location that I had earmarked to visit while doing my research back home was Moraine Lake.  The photographs I had seen from this lake to me perfectly represented the Canadian Rockies – a turquoise lake surrounded on three sides by soaring mountains and on the other by a forest of coniferous trees. I made two dawn trips to Moraine Lake, and on the second occasion was lucky to catch the scenery covered in a light dusting of snow.  Most photographs of Moraine Lake are taken from a small rocky hill, known as the Rockpile, which provide spectacular views over the lake and mountains.  I climbed the Rockpile and, while waiting for the morning sun to set the mountain tops aglow set up my Canon EOS 5D onto my Manfrotto Magfibre tripod.  In the quiet of dawn the Rockpile was deserted and the lake very quiet and peaceful; perfect conditions for a landscape photographer I thought to myself.  As I exposed my first few frames I felt as excited as a child, eagerly checking the feedback on the LCD screen.  I stayed at Moraine Lake for a couple of hours exposing images from a variety of compositions.  The difficult thing when photographing such wonderful scenery is knowing when to stop.  But as the sun rose higher in the sky and busloads of tourists started to climb the Rockpile, I returned to my car very satisfied with the images I had exposed. A few days later as I was driving through the national park, I was taken with the afternoon sunlight hitting the mountainside at the base of Lake Minnewanka.  It had been a frustrating morning of sunshine and showers, with me mostly being at the best locations whenever the showers hit!  Thinking my luck had changed I pulled into a lay-by and dashed down to the waters edge.  But as I set up my camera I watched with dismay as the mountainside moved into complete shadow as a large ominous looking cloud blocked the sunlight. I decided to be patient and wait for the cloud to move away, but as I sat in position it began to rain.  I quickly packed up my gear and dashed back to the car where I waited 20 minutes or so.  After the rain stopped I returned to the same position, more determined than ever to capture this shot.  But before I could shoot a single frame the rain suddenly returned.  Deciding to persevere I took out an old rain sheet that I keep in my backpack and covered the camera and tripod, and also unwrapped the AW cover on the Lowe Pro bag.  I pulled up my hood and crouched next to my gear and waited. My persistence paid off, as almost at the same time the rain stopped and the sunlight hit the mountainside, but with the added addition of a gorgeous rainbow.  I didn’t even have to alter my composition – the rainbow was directly in the frame.  Using my polariser to maximise reflections and add saturation I took a couple of shots before the rainbow faded.  This experience served as a reminder to me not only of the special conditions you can capture in changeable weather, but the rewards possible with some persistence. After a week spent photographing the landscapes of Banff National Park, I moved northwards via the stunning Icefields Parkway, to the equally beautiful Jasper National Park.  Staying in a lakeside cabin on the banks of Patricia Lake enabled me to easily photograph the lake at dawn and dusk. I woke early the next morning and was greeted by a cloudless sky.  I grabbed my bag and tripod and wandered a hundred yards down to the shore edge in time for sunrise.  Due to the mountains in the east I wouldn’t see the sunrise itself, but I hoped its glow would light up Pyramid Mountain on the opposite side of the lake.  While waiting for the first rays of sunlight to appear, I busied myself by moving up and down the shoreline, checking out compositions to return to and taking the occasional low light long exposure. When I noticed the crest of Pyramid Mountain light up pink, I was fully prepared to make the most of the conditions and for the next 20 minutes or so photographed many different compositions.  As the sun grew higher in the sky the mountain light ranged from deep red through to orange and then yellow.  The conditions couldn’t have been more perfect; glorious light, mist burning off a perfectly reflected lake and lots of rocks for interesting foregrounds.  I was captivated by a large submerged tree root that I had noticed while carrying out my earlier reconnaissance.  To my somewhat overactive imagination the root resembled a deep sea monster lurking just below the surface.  Using my polariser to cut through any unwanted glare on the water surface I filled the bottom of the frame with the submerged object, while in the top I included both the mountain and its perfect reflection.  The deep blue of the water contrasted well with the yellow glow on the mountain.  After a wonderful early shoot I wandered back to my cabin to prepare some breakfast and review my mornings work on my Epson P4000 viewer. The Canadian Rockies proved to be everything I could have hoped for and more.  Such breathtaking scenery is to be expected in such a well known location, yet still fails to prepare you for such a mind blowing encounter with some of the finest wonders of the natural world.  Rarely have I returned from a trip feeling such a sense of satisfaction with the pictures I have taken.  Long may they remind me of such a wonderful country. Locations 2010-07-12T13:56:03+00:00 http://www.adamburtonphotography.com/perspectives/view/ibsley-common-new-forest/ http://www.adamburtonphotography.com/perspectives/view/ibsley-common-new-forest/#When:09:29:09Z Although you would naturally think of the New Forest as a densely wooded landscape, in fact much of it is made up of heathland.  The term 'Nova Foresta' was first used in 1079 when the area was proclaimed by William the Conqueror as his latest royal forest.  Back in those days the word forest basically meant hunting area, and so the New Forest was to become King William's new personal hunting ground.  Farmers were ordered to remove hedges, gates and all obstructions so that nothing would hinder the royal hunt.  In return the King permitted the farmers, now known as commoners, to allow their livestock to graze openly across the Forest.  Zooming forward into the 21st Century, all this history has had a significant impact on the Forest that we see today.  Not only have the open heathlands and woodlands been protected against farming and development, but the free ranging ponies and cattle, not to mention the huge population of deer have had a very significant impact.  Over many centuries their continual grazing presence has helped to preserve the unique style of the New Forest, maintaining the heathlands and woodlands. Any photographic trip I make to the New Forest will invariably consist of either a trip to the woods or a trip to the heath.  While the woodland is notoriously difficult to photograph well, the heath is much 'friendlier' photographically, especially in late Summer when it is awash with flowering heather.  Ibsley Common is one of my favourite summer locations in the forest; as well as offering a carpet of pink and purple, there are a number of solitary pine trees which make wonderful photographic subjects. On this particular day I headed up onto Ibsley Common a few hours before sunset, keeping my fingers crossed for a colourful evening sky.  I encountered a couple of white ponies grazing amongst the heather, and decided to photograph them while waiting for the sun to drop lower in the sky.  It had been a very warm day, and although the sun was by now fairly low and casting golden light, my suspicions were that it would soon do the typical summer thing; plop behind some low wispy clouds and then fade away into a hazy anti-climax! Not to be deterred I continued up to my chosen sunset destination, a solitary pine tree in the middle of a wide stretch of flat heath, surrounded on all sides by heather.  I set my Canon 5D onto my tripod and attached a Canon 17-40L lens; its wide-angle capabilities would allow me to emphasise the colourful flowers by featuring them as a big foreground in my composition. With the sun dipping ever further I searched the nearby heather for a suitable vantage point.  While from a distance heather may look a vivid purple carpet, invariably close-up viewing reveals the foreground as a mix of colourful patches, dark areas and tangled plants.  When using a wide-angle lens all this is accentuated, so you need to look extra carefully to find a simple uncluttered foreground bursting with colour. After a few minutes of repeatedly looking, positioning my tripod, changing position, and then looking some more I eventually found this spot where the foreground was simple, clean and colourful.  A major deciding factor for choosing this viewpoint was that it dominantly framed some Bell Heather (Erica cinerea) which always flowers in a brighter more vivid pink that the more subtle, but wider spread Common Heather (Calluna vulgaris).  Additionally I really liked the wispy grass stems which offered some interesting added detail. With such a bold foreground and a simple background object, I really needed a colourful sky to balance up the picture and to give it some impact.  But as the sun sank behind the hazy cloud on the horizon and sunset seemed to be heading exactly the way I had hoped it wouldn't, I considered packing up and heading home. Luckily for me I didn't pack up.  In the next few minutes the wispy white clouds that had been barely noticeable before now gradually intensified in colour until soon after they were as vibrant as the heathland below.  That sudden feeling of tremendous excitement coupled with desperation that only landscape photographers can experience when these moments occur, washed over me.  This was the moment I had been waiting for, and I acted quickly to capture it before the colour faded.  I placed my Lee 0.9 Hard Edged ND Grad all the way over the sky, and partially down beneath the horizon line to balance the exposure between the bright clouds and dark foreground.  Feeling thrilled with the resulting picture that flashed up on my LCD, I quickly changed location and captured several more compositions as the light show lingered above.  In fact, I needn't have rushed this evening; it was to be one of those rare moments when the colourful clouds persisted long after I had packed up, and were still glowing overhead as I walked back to the car. Locations 2010-07-07T09:29:09+00:00 http://www.adamburtonphotography.com/perspectives/view/top-ten-tips-on-composition/ http://www.adamburtonphotography.com/perspectives/view/top-ten-tips-on-composition/#When:10:57:14Z Effective composition is one of the key ingredients to capturing great images.  You do not need to have the most expensive camera gear, or even be a wizard on the computer.  But there are several 'rules' that you can follow which will help you to identify and capture photographs with strong compositions.  Here are ten of my compositional tips: Keep the composition simple.  When looking for a subject to photograph, compose your shot to remove as many unnecessary objects as possible.  A clean and simple composition is an essential ingredient to an eye catching image. Rule of Thirds.  One of the most fundamental rules of composition, and for good reason; compose your image following the rule of thirds and you wont go far wrong.  Place the horizon on the first or second horizontal line, and place your focal point at one of the intersection of the lines. Work in Odd Numbers.  Odd numbers are always very effective in photography, especially threes.  Any subject matter should well work this way, maybe 3 foreground rocks, or 3 trees on the horizon.  It’s up to you, but always remember that 1 or 3 is better than 2 or 4!  Use Lead-in lines.  A good composition could consist of lead-in lines which draw the viewers eye from the foreground of an image towards the middle and then background.  Obvious lead in lines would be a road, river or pathway, winding throughout the image.  Less obvious lead ins could be a line of trees, rocks or waves breaking on the shore. Foreground, Middle and Background.  To achieve a strong composition, try to feature a subject in each of these places but remember they need to work together in harmony.  Look for subjects which compliment each other throughout the frame, this could be in appearance, colour or maybe by their association to each other. Don’t over dominate the foreground.  A wide angle lens helps to accentuate foreground and create shots full of impact.  But unless you are careful, the foreground subject will dominate the remainder of the frame and throw the composition off balance. Look for unwanted items.  An obvious one, but something that we all fall foul of occasionally.  Once you have composed your shot, look carefully through the viewfinder for any unwanted items such as crisp packets, bottles etc.  These can be removed so much easier before taking the photo than wasting time in post processing afterwards. Go Low (or high)! It is natural to take photographs at standing height.  But often compositions can be improved dramatically by setting your tripod nearer to the ground. By doing this you can maximise the intricate detail near the ground and give people viewing your shot a far greater sense of ‘being there’.  Alternatively, if opportunity allows try setting up your camera at a higher vantage point to gain another alternative view. Use a small aperture.  With landscape photography, a small aperture (F16 – F22) will allow you to capture the full depth of your subject matter in sharp detail. Ignore all the above! All the above tips are just a guide.  Rules are there to be broken, and doing so can often make the most dramatic images.  So next time you are out taking photographs, don’t be afraid to try something different. Techniques 2010-06-24T10:57:14+00:00 http://www.adamburtonphotography.com/perspectives/view/new-zealand/ http://www.adamburtonphotography.com/perspectives/view/new-zealand/#When:11:27:18Z I could say that New Zealand sparked my passion for landscape photography.  I first visited the country in 1997, long before I considered myself a photographer.  The incredible sights captured my imagination like nowhere else and the pictures I snapped with my compact filled me with joy.  It was not to be until many years later and after a second New Zealand trip that I actually built up the confidence to purchase an SLR and start learning, but the seeds had been sown.  So, ever since I became a ‘proper’ photographer I have been keen to return to New Zealand and capture the wonderful scenery properly! Some places live up to their reputation.  New Zealand is one of those places.  It is regarded as one of the most beautiful countries in the world and certainly seems to be comfortable with such a prestigious accolade. Just as well really, considering the tremendous effort us Brits have to go to just to marvel at this spectacular country.  After a day and a night on a plane, and no less than four airports to pass through before reaching my destination, photography should have been the last thing on my mind.  But all the anticipation of finally arriving in the Land of the Long White Cloud filled me with such eagerness that I barely gave Christchurch a second glance as I headed out of town. To be fair, Christchurch is a lovely city.  I had visited the capital of the South Island on my two previous trips. But on this trip I had little desire to hang around a city no matter how pretty it was.  New Zealand is all about the outdoor experience; I only hoped I could do justice to this wonderfully diverse country. And diverse it is. The incredible mountain range, the Southern Alps, stretches down the backbone of the South Island providing jaw dropping backdrops to a whole variety of photographic locations.  A little further south-west offers dense tropical rainforest, interspersed with the occasional glacier.  East is countryside that is so similar to the Scottish Highlands, you would have to pinch yourself to remind yourself that you are the other side of the world.  Add fiords, waterfalls, stunning coastline and rolling fields to the mixer and you have a life’s worth of landscape photography to capture, all in 3 weeks!!! So down to business – where to go?  When presented with so much variety you should be careful not to overstretch yourself.  I chose to restrict myself to the South Island, considered by many as the more picturesque of the two main islands that make up New Zealand. Arriving on the West Coast around an hour before sunset I found an unfamiliar stretch of beach and began to look for suitable foreground.  Soon I stumbled across some smooth sandstone ledges, sculpted and coloured orange by a tiny stream that spilled onto the beach in a series of little waterfalls.  Such fantastic foreground deserves to be photographed and so I set up my Canon EOS 5D and tripod positioned low on the rocky ledge.  Using my trusty 17-40L wide angle lens I chose a composition which made a foreground feature of the cascading water while the cliffs and sea stacks provided the ideal background.  The sunset colours had not yet arrived and, with heavy clouds in the distance I captured a series of atmospheric images bolstered by the intense orange colours of the sandstone rocks.  The first images I capture on a trip are always the most stressful; so I felt pleased to have made such a promising start. A week later I found myself at one of the most popular and spectacular sights in New Zealand.  Milford Sound (actually a fiord) is an intensely beautiful location, possibly more stunning that any of the Norwegian Fjords I have visited.  It is positioned in the wilderness that is Fiordland National Park yet is easily reached via a 3 hour drive on a well paved winding road which cuts into the heart of this mountainous region. As I arrived into the visitor car park at Milford Sound the sun was setting over the sea, casting magical golden light along the fiord.  I was already familiar with the location from several visits in previous years so I knew exactly where to head to.  Rushing to the waters edge, I was dismayed to see that I was too late to catch the golden colours.  However, such locations offer incredible opportunities to landscape photographers whatever the weather so I was certainly not going to pack up just yet! I took several exposures throughout the next 30 minutes or so, until the darkness put an end to proceedings.  My final image was a monster 120 second exposure, taken at the waters edge with mountains soaring over what became a tranquil fiord, the water smoothed to perfection by the long shutter speed.  Throughout the long exposure I watched the tide creep up around my feet and gradually isolate me. But I was not about to give up and retreat; experience with landscape photography has taught me that wet feet is a small price to pay to capturing something special.  And I was pleased to see that I was not wrong.  After I had splashed through the shallow water back to dry land I reviewed a great evening’s work.  With Milford Sound in the bag, a major objective for my New Zealand trip had been achieved and I began to relax. Over the next couple of weeks I pottered around the country in my camper van, stopping regularly to photograph waterfalls, lakes, mountains and dense green jungle.  As I moved further east, the landscape suddenly changed.  I had arrived in Central Otago, the Scotland of the Southern Hemisphere.  Huge lakes, grassy hills and mountains dotted with deciduous trees – a stark contrast to the scenery I had previously been exploring.  As luck would have it, I had arrived at the peak of the autumn colours; not something I had planned but definitely a welcome opportunity.  New Zealand is not overly known for its autumnal show of colour, but it really should be.  After four trips to photograph New England in the fall I feel qualified enough to declare that New Zealand can compete with North America for fall colour, albeit on a far smaller scale.  These trees are not native to New Zealand, being planted by European settlers in the 1800’s, yet have now firmly imprinted their mark on the countryside providing patches of intense yellow and orange throughout the landscape. I arrived in Wanaka right in the middle of their Festival of Colour which celebrates the peak of the season.  This glorious alpine town is a delight at any time of the year, but in the autumn when the lakeside is awash with yellow it is something special to behold.  On a beautiful blue sky morning I wandered the edges of Lake Wanaka looking for compositions.  I chanced upon a single tree, which at certain times of the year would be found growing up out of the lake itself.  I set up my camera on its tripod and fixed my Lee circular polariser to saturate the colours.  The mix of blue sky and yellow foliage is an irresistible combination, which are accentuated with the use of a polariser. I exposed several shots, capturing the single tree as perfect foreground, while the town and tree lined lakeside also played an important background role. The next leg of my journey brought me to the East Coast, and the wonderful geological formations known as Moeraki Boulders.  Along with Milford Sound, Moeraki Boulders were high up on my wish list of images to capture on my New Zealand trip, and for very good reason.  Coastal seascapes are my favourite photographic subjects, and when shooting in these locations I always seek beaches with interesting rock foregrounds.  I have yet to visit ANYWHERE with such intriguing rocks as those of Moeraki.  They are an absolute dream for photographers – large smooth rock spheres, known by geologists as Septarian concretions (and to most other people as giant turtle eggs!) which are found dotted randomly along the sandy beach.  I couldn’t begin to explain how they were formed, but I certainly could try to photograph them. Being the East Coast, my intention was always to capture these boulders at sunrise.  After a quick reconnaissance the evening before to look for compositions, I arrived well before sunrise and was delighted to see that I was the first person on the beach.  A high tide had retreated throughout the night, washing the beach clean from footprints and ready to photograph! I set up my camera to initially take some long exposures in the blue twilight.  Due to the reflective sheen on the wet sand the contrast between sky and ground was low meaning I only needed to use a low strength ND graduated filter.  I attached my polariser to reduce the light reaching the sensor and therefore extend the shutter speed.  I find the ethereal effect of long exposures on water extremely appealing, and so I often go for the longest shutter speed possible.  In this case, I was using the camera bulb mode to hold the shutter open for around 100 seconds. I stayed on the beach for around an hour, taking many shots as the sun rose in the sky.  The boulders are such fascinating subject matter that finding simple effective compositions was relatively easy.  But as the sun rose higher and tourists began appearing on the beach I packed up and headed back to the camper van. A perfect end to a perfect trip.  As I headed towards the airport I was incredibly pleased with myself; I had achieved just about all my objectives for this visit and after all these years had faithfully captured this spectacular country in all its glory. Locations 2010-06-18T11:27:18+00:00