When I’m asked how I get such intense landscape photographs I respond that it all begins with the fundamentals, the photographic foundation. Given that you have the other elements of a great photograph – a terrific subject and fantastic light – you are still not guaranteed a compelling image if it doesn’t have a solid foundation.
What is the photographic foundation? It’s two things – a proper exposure and the correct focus. These are so basic we never talk about them very much but, if you’re like me, you’ve had to walk away from a potentially great image because one or both of these were not carefully attended to in the field.
So let’s talk about exposure.