Lesson 10 Landscapes

[Carolyn Cogan]

Hi,
I decided to do landscapes, Hopiland doesn’t have any cities plus photography isn’t always allowed. The two photos of buttes along Highway 87 is in the evening light. Badger Spring was taking in the afternoon.
One question I have and it happens a lot to me with the bright light. What is the best way to not underexpose the shadows and overexpose the light when shooting landscapes?

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[Duncan Rawlinson]

Hi Carolyn,

Thanks for submitting your assignment.

Here is there EXIF data for your images.

Buttes-and-San-Francisco-Peaks.jpg
http://photographyicon.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Buttes-and-San-Francisco-Peaks.jpg
Date Time Original: 2014:01:12 17:20:13
Exposure Time: 1/80
F Number: f / 9
Exposure Program: Manual
ISO Speed Ratings: 100
Metering Mode: Pattern
Flash: Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode
Focal Length: 58mm
White Balance: Auto white balance
Make: NIKON CORPORATION
Model: NIKON D7000
LensInfo: 180/10 1050/10 35/10 56/10
LensModel: 18.0-105.0 mm f/3.5-5.6
Lens: 18.0-105.0 mm f/3.5-5.6
Exif Version:
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Date Time Digitized: 2014:01:12 17:20:13
Subsec Time Original: 30
Subsec Time Digitized: 30
Shutter Speed Value: 6.32
Aperture Value: 6.34
Max Aperture Value: 4.70
Light Source: Unknown
Sensing Method: One-chip color area sensor
File Source: DSC
Scene Type: Directly photographed
CFA Pattern: 914
Custom Rendered: Normal process
Exposure Mode: 1
Digital Zoom Ration: 1
Focal Length In 35mm Film: 87mm
Scene Capture Type: Standard
Gain Control: None
Contrast: Normal
Saturation: Normal
Sharpness: Normal
Subject Distance Range: Unknown
Image Width: 4928px
Image Height: 3264px
ExifIFDPointer: 344
BitsPerSample: 3
PhotometricInterpretation: 2
Orientation: 1
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X Resolution: 300
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Resolution Unit: 2
Date Time: 2014:02:03 14:06:12
Software: Adobe Photoshop CC (Windows)
Artist: Carolyn Cogan
Copyright: ©Cogan & Cogan Inc
DateCreated: 2014-01-12T17:20:13.003-07:00

Buttes-along-Highway-87.jpg
http://photographyicon.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Buttes-along-Highway-87.jpg
Date Time Original: 2014:01:12 17:09:01
Exposure Time: 1/125
F Number: f / 14
Exposure Program: Manual
ISO Speed Ratings: 200
Metering Mode: Pattern
Flash: Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode
Focal Length: 105mm
White Balance: Auto white balance
Make: NIKON CORPORATION
Model: NIKON D7000
LensInfo: 180/10 1050/10 35/10 56/10
LensModel: 18.0-105.0 mm f/3.5-5.6
Lens: 18.0-105.0 mm f/3.5-5.6
Exif Version:
Color Space: 65535
Pixel X Dimension: 2100
Pixel Y Dimension: 1400
Date Time Digitized: 2014:01:12 17:09:01
Subsec Time Original: 50
Subsec Time Digitized: 50
Shutter Speed Value: 6.97
Aperture Value: 7.61
Max Aperture Value: 5
Light Source: Unknown
Sensing Method: One-chip color area sensor
File Source: DSC
Scene Type: Directly photographed
CFA Pattern: 914
Custom Rendered: Normal process
Exposure Mode: 1
Digital Zoom Ration: 1
Focal Length In 35mm Film: 157mm
Scene Capture Type: Standard
Gain Control: None
Contrast: Normal
Saturation: Normal
Sharpness: Normal
Subject Distance Range: Unknown
Image Width: 3600px
Image Height: 2400px
ExifIFDPointer: 344
BitsPerSample: 3
PhotometricInterpretation: 2
Orientation: 1
SamplesPerPixel: 3
X Resolution: 300
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Resolution Unit: 2
Date Time: 2014:02:03 14:02:49
Software: Adobe Photoshop CC (Windows)
Artist: Carolyn Cogan
Copyright: ©Cogan & Cogan Inc
DateCreated: 2014-01-12T17:09:01.005-07:00

Badger-Springs.jpg
http://photographyicon.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Badger-Springs.jpg
Date Time Original: 2014:01:23 14:53:04
Exposure Time: 1/125
F Number: f / 10
Exposure Program: Manual
ISO Speed Ratings: 100
Metering Mode: Pattern
Flash: Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode
Focal Length: 18mm
White Balance: Auto white balance
Make: NIKON CORPORATION
Model: NIKON D7000
LensInfo: 180/10 1050/10 35/10 56/10
LensModel: 18.0-105.0 mm f/3.5-5.6
Lens: 18.0-105.0 mm f/3.5-5.6
Exif Version:
Color Space: 65535
Pixel X Dimension: 2130
Pixel Y Dimension: 1411
Date Time Digitized: 2014:01:23 14:53:04
Subsec Time Original: 20
Subsec Time Digitized: 20
Shutter Speed Value: 6.97
Aperture Value: 6.64
Max Aperture Value: 3.60
Light Source: Unknown
Sensing Method: One-chip color area sensor
File Source: DSC
Scene Type: Directly photographed
CFA Pattern: 914
Custom Rendered: Normal process
Exposure Mode: 1
Digital Zoom Ration: 1
Focal Length In 35mm Film: 27mm
Scene Capture Type: Standard
Gain Control: None
Contrast: Normal
Saturation: Normal
Sharpness: Normal
Subject Distance Range: Unknown
Image Width: 4928px
Image Height: 3264px
ExifIFDPointer: 344
BitsPerSample: 3
PhotometricInterpretation: 2
Orientation: 1
SamplesPerPixel: 3
X Resolution: 300
Y Resolution: 300
Resolution Unit: 2
Date Time: 2014:02:03 14:09:16
Software: Adobe Photoshop CC (Windows)
Artist: Carolyn Cogan
Copyright: ©Cogan & Cogan Inc
DateCreated: 2014-01-23T14:53:04.002-07:00

For the Buttes-and-San-Francisco-Peaks image my very first impression was that your horizon line was crooked. In landscape photography getting your horizon line level is very important. Often people use levels or bubbles on their tripods to be sure. Many times strong lines will make you feel like it’s level when its not and vice versa.

The subject matter is nice but the foreground is a bit dark. The most interesting element to me is the peak on the right and it is awkwardly cropped out of the frame so from a compositional perspective it could be a little better. It strikes me that this image was taken just a bit too late in the day or it needed a bit longer of an exposure with an ND filter to knock down the relatively bright sky.

For your Buttes-along-Highway-87.jpg image you also have a similar issue in that you are shooting a photograph with a wide dynamic range from dark to light that your exposure becomes key. In this case the relatively dark foreground and relatively bright sky are at odds.

In terms of composition I don’t like the inclusion of the road because it offers a distracting and very strong line.

I would have gotten away from the road, moved right up to that fence and used it as a foreground element instead.

Also be careful with your sharpness in a photograph like this. If you look closely you may notice it’s not as sharp as possible. It’s a nice image just remember you always have to choose what to include and what not to include. Often what you choose not to include is more important that you you do choose to include.

In your Badger-Springs.jpg image you have done lots of things right. My first impression though was that the rock close to the center of the frame is so overpowering that it takes away from the image.

I would suggest a composition more like the attached file. (not necesarily the aspect ratio, just the position of the elements in the frame) It would have felt more balanced. At least in my opinion.

Overall though this image is technically strong, sharp, and interesting so you’ve done well.

Remember that nobody knows what goes into getting your photos all they usually see is whats in the frame.

Keep practicing and have fun, you’re doing great.

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