LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY

SEL 351 – SPORT PHOTOGRAPHY

 Aperture for Landscape
Photography
• there isn’t one “correct” aperture, certain
scenes benefit from using a specific one. For
standard landscape photography (excluding
night photography, macro photography and
other niches), the optimal aperture for front-
to-back sharpness lies within f/7.1 to f/13.

• This range is not just randomly mentioned. In

fact, it’s carefully calculated and known as a
lens’ sweet spot.
 Aperture for Landscape
Photography
• If you’re new to photography and just learning
about aperture, this might sound
confusing: the sharpest aperture depends on
the lens.

• Note that when writing about sharpness in

this topic we’re talking about overall front-to-
back sharpness not Depth of Field sharpness.
The sharpest aperture is when the overall
image is at its sharpest.
 Aperture for Landscape
Photography
• The sharpest aperture of your lens, known as the
sweet spot, is located two to three f/stops from the
widest aperture.

• Therefore, the sharpest aperture on 16-35mm lens f/4

is between f/8 and f/11. A faster lens, such as the 14-
24mm f/2.8, has a sweet spot between f/5.6 and f/8.

• Since the majority of professional lenses have a widest

aperture of either f/2.8 or f/4, you’ll often hear that the
best aperture is either f/8 or f/11.
When to Use Open Apertures
• Open apertures (low f/stop numbers) are commonly used to
blur the background of an image. For example, placing a
flower close to the lens and using an open aperture such as
f/2.8, will result in the flower being sharp and in focus while the
background is soft and blurred.
When to Use Open Apertures
• An open aperture was used to blur out the background.

• Another common example of when an open aperture is

ideal is during night photography. There’s not much
natural light available at night, so you’ll need to increase
the ISO, use a slower shutter speed and use an open
aperture.

• Keep in mind that how blurred (or focused) an image

becomes depends on where you focus in the image
(foreground, middle, background), how close the
foreground element is to your camera and what lens
you use (wide-angle vs. zoom).
 When to Use Narrow Apertures
• Despite more of the image being in focus, a narrow aperture
can lead to less sharp images than desired.

• Narrow apertures are often used when there’s a significant

distance between the foreground and background, and you
wish to have as much as possible sharp and in focus.
 When to Use Narrow Apertures
• A narrow aperture was used to keep the image sharp front-to-back.

• While all the image is in focus with an aperture such as f/22, it’s not as sharp as
with a wider aperture. Focus stacking is a popular technique to overcome this
challenge.

• Another scenario in which a narrow aperture is beneficial is when the sun is

partially obscured. Using an aperture somwhere between f/16 and f/22 will result in
a nice and crisp “sunstar”.
What is the Best Aperture for
Landscape Photography?
• As you might have picked up by now, the best aperture
for landscape photography depends on the image
you’re taking and the lens you’re using.

• An open aperture such as f/2.8 results in less of the

image being in focus but the parts that are in focus are
sharper than they would have been with an aperture
such as f/22.

• On the other hand, a narrow aperture such as f/22

keeps the entire scene in focus but it won’t be as sharp
as the sharpest parts captured with a wider aperture.
What is the Best Aperture for
Landscape Photography?
• Rule of thumb: the sharpest aperture (where the biggest
portion of the image is in focus but still sharp) is
between two and three stops out from the maximum
aperture, i.e. the most popular aperture for standard
landscape photography is between f/8 and f/11.

• To gain a better understanding of landscape

photography and learn how to capture more compelling
images, a popular eBook ‘A Comprehensive
Introduction to Landscape Photography’ will teach you
the skills you need to know.
COMPOSITION IN LANDSCAPE
5 Tips for Improving Your Landscape
Photography Compositions
• Use Plant Life to Frame Your Shot

• Add Depth by Including a Vanishing Point

• Add Ethereal Majesty by Experimenting with

Reflections

• Realize that Diagonal Lines Add Visual

Interest

• Experiment, Experiment, Experiment

 Use Plant Life to Frame Your Shot

• Framing is the practice of using objects located in the foreground to

showcase a chosen point of interest in the background of an image.
Although lots of natural objects make terrific framing devices for
mountain peaks, wildlife, or waterfalls, trees and other forms of plant
life are perfect for this. Framing helps add visual interest and balance
to your landscapes. Experiment a bit with different set-ups and see
what works for you.
Add Depth by Including a Vanishing Point

• A vanishing point is a spot within a given image where two parallel

lines appear to meet or converge. Vanishing points are staples in fine
art for the way they help add the illusion of depth and body to a two-
dimensional image. They can do the same for your landscape
photographs. Try framing a shot to accentuate a vanishing point as a
way to add flare, drama, and depth to a scene.
 Add Ethereal Majesty by Experimenting
with Reflections
• Although many schools of thought will tell you not to center focal
points for fear of creating a less than interesting composition, there
are certainly exceptions to the rule. Case in point, shots that feature a
reflection front and center. Placing the horizon in the center of your
composition can help to highlight the serenity and majesty of such a
scene. Try experimenting with other ways to shoot reflections as well.
 Realize that Diagonal Lines Add Visual Interest

• Another way to jazz up your compositions is to look for ways to add

movement to your scene. Diagonals are perfect devices for doing this,
as they help to draw the viewer’s eye into the world you’re looking to
create. Try using diagonals to create a visual pathway to a point of
interest. Alternatively, you can use diagonals to add depth by
highlighting distances between various objects.
Experiment, Experiment, Experiment

• Last but not least, don’t be afraid to experiment. Think something specific
would look awesome in a final shot, even if it breaks one of the cardinal
rules you’ve been taught? Try it and see. You could be right. The worst
thing that happens is you’re wrong and you learn something from it.
Experimentation is a huge part of creating an individual style for an artist
of any kind, landscape photographers included. Become fearless! You
never know where your sense of adventure might take you.
 How Light Creates Emotion in
Landscape Photography
• At the end of the day, there’s only one reason why people like good photos.

• It’s a simple concept, but it also forms the foundation for all of
photography. Emotion.

• For a photo to succeed, it has to resonate with your viewer. That could happen
for a number of reasons, ranging from your subject to your composition.

• But the strongest tool to capture emotion is far more fundamental than that — it
is, quite simply, LIGHT.

• Light has extraordinary power to create emotions in a photo. Most

photographers know that light is important, but it’s still something everyone
should strive to learn about and improve. If you master light, you master
photography. Photography is light. Without it, you couldn’t take pictures in the
first place.
 How Light Creates Emotion in
Landscape Photography
• At the end of the day, there’s only one reason why people like good
photos.

• It’s a simple concept, but it also forms the foundation for all of
photography. Emotion.

• For a photo to succeed, it has to resonate with your viewer. That could
happen for a number of reasons, ranging from your subject to your
composition.

• But the strongest tool to capture emotion is far more fundamental than
that — it is, quite simply, LIGHT.
 How Light Creates Emotion in
Landscape Photography
• Different qualities of light — brightness, contrast, direction, and so on
— all carry their own emotions. 

• A dark, backlit photo with high contrast sends a very different

message from a bright, airy forest at sunrise. And in
photography, your light should complement your subject. 

• If you’re trying to photograph an intense and dramatic waterfall, your

light should contribute to that mood, not detract from what you’re
trying to say.

• The same is true if you’re photographing a fun, happy portrait — the

lighting should reflect those emotions.
 Dark light
One of the most emotion-filled types of light is dark, intense lighting. This works well for
all sorts of photography: moody portraits, powerful landscapes, and somber
documentary work. Dark light is popular across the board, and with good reason.

Quite simply, it’s unique. Dark light conceals information from viewers, making a
photograph appear mysterious and — depending upon your subject — potentially
ominous or refined. You’ll see many product photographers capture dark images for
high-end advertisements, since, again, it does such a good job of conveying emotions.

The emotions of
dark light:

Powerful
Ominous
Refined
Intense
Somber
 Bright light
The obvious counterpoint is that bright light also exists, and it carries its own set of important
emotions. the afternoon sunlight will give your photo a much softer, airier quality.

The same is true in other cases. For example, maybe you want to capture a happy and
optimistic image. If that’s your goal, you probably won’t go out in search of dim street corners
at night. They just wouldn’t fit the mood, while a brighter scene might.

Although bright light is pretty common, it’s still worth seeking out in many cases. If you’re after
a certain type of mood — airy, optimistic, or ethereal — bright light will be your suitable choice.

The emotions of
bright light:

Optimistic
Airy (fresh air)
Light (the adjective)
Gentle
Ethereal (soft &
light)
 High Contrast
Many good photos make use of high contrast — juxtaposing extremely bright and
dark regions of the image right next to each other. If you have a dark mountain
silhouetted in front of the sky, that’s contrast. If you have a bright pond against a
dark shoreline, that’s contrast.

 As far as emotions go, it’s no surprise that high-contrast images draw a lot of
attention. They’re dramatic, and they stand out from a crowd. That’s not always a
good thing — it depends upon the image.

The emotions of
high contrast:

Dramatic
Loud
Vibrant
Punchy
Sharp
 Low Contrast
As popular as high-contrast images can be. Low-contrast images are more muted and subdued.
They tend to occur when your light source is heavily diffused (such as an overcast day). It also
helps to capture relatively uniform subjects.

Often, low-contrast photos won’t stand out as much upon first glance. They don’t shout for
attention. However, if you’re after a more subtle look, they work quite well. That’s
because successful light doesn’t always need to attract immediate attention; instead, it’s the light
that matches the character of your subject. If you’re photographing a quiet, gentle landscape, or
you want a soft mood for a portrait photo, suitable recommendation is to search for low-contrast
light.

The emotions of low

contrast:

Subdued
Gentle
Soft
Quiet
Muted
 Direction of light
So, this is something you’ll have to approach on a case-by-case basis. Look at the
scene, analyze the direction of the light, and see which elements of your photo it
highlights. Usually, that’s a good way to tell which emotions it is most likely to convey.

The important thing here is that the direction of light does impact a photo’s emotions,
but not consistently in one way or another. You need to experiment in the field, and
think carefully about which mood the light is creating.

There are five primary directions of light:

Backlighting
Frontlighting
Sidelighting (left or right)
Overhead lighting
Under-lighting
QUESTION..