When I\u2019m asked how I get such intense landscape photographs I respond that it all begins with the fundamentals, the photographic foundation.\u00a0 Given that you have the other elements of a great photograph \u2013 a terrific subject and fantastic light \u2013 you are still not guaranteed a compelling image if it doesn\u2019t have a solid foundation.<\/p>\n
What is the photographic foundation?\u00a0 It\u2019s two things \u2013 a proper exposure and the correct focus.\u00a0 These are so basic we never talk about them very much but, if you\u2019re like me, you\u2019ve had to walk away from a potentially great image because one or both of these were not carefully attended to in the field.<\/p>\n
So let\u2019s talk about exposure.<\/p>\n
A great photograph begins with the \u2018correct\u2019 exposure.\u00a0 If the exposure is too far off it can\u2019t be \u2018fixed in Photoshop,\u2019 regardless of what people may say.<\/p>\n
But what is a correct exposure?\u00a0 Well, to a large degree that depends on the photographer\u2019s intent.\u00a0 The photographer may intentionally over or under expose the image to create a particular mood.\u00a0 However, this is a conscious decision.\u00a0 So it\u2019s difficult to come up with rules that define a correct exposure.\u00a0 But there are a couple of things to avoid \u2013 highlight and shadow clipping.<\/p>\n
Highlight clipping is when areas of the image are rendered as pure white without any detail.\u00a0 Highlight clipping is to be avoided, especially in digital photography.\u00a0 It usually cannot be recovered in post processing.\u00a0 In fact, the camera manufacturers have recognized the severity of the highlight clipping problem and given us the option of having the LCD flash whenever it occurs.<\/p>\n
Shadow clipping is the opposite; that is, areas of the image that are pure black and lacking in detail.\u00a0 Shadow clipping is actually desirable if the intent is to create silhouettes.\u00a0 But if the intent is to have detail in the shadow areas then shadow clipping is a problem.\u00a0 You might be able to open them up in post processing but chances are that will produce noise.<\/p>\n
Of the two, highlight clipping is by far the more grievous sin but most of the time the correct exposure is one that avoids both.<\/p>\n
There are four variables that come together to product a correct exposures \u2013 light, ISO, aperture and shutter speed.<\/p>\n
By light, we are referring to the light that is illuminating our scene.\u00a0 Light has two properties that are important to exposure \u2013 intensity and dynamic range.<\/p>\n
Light intensity is overall brightness of the scene.\u00a0 The intensity falls off as we go from a clear sunny day to overcast, open shade, night or a cave.\u00a0 A correct exposure will have to adapt to the intensity.<\/p>\n
Dynamic range is the difference between the darkest and brightest parts of the image.\u00a0 It is usually expressed in f\/stops.\u00a0 If the dynamic range is 2 or 3 stops it is considered a low contrast or flat image.\u00a0 If the dynamic range is 10 or 12 stops it is considered a high contrast or high dynamic range image.<\/p>\n
ISO is a measure of the light sensitivity of a digital camera\u2019s sensor or of a film.\u00a0 As the sensitivity increases it requires less light to produce a correct exposure.\u00a0 ISO numbers in the 100 to 200 range have a low sensitivity.\u00a0 High sensitivity would be ISOs in the 800 to 16oo range or even higher.<\/p>\n
The third exposure variable is aperture.\u00a0 This is the size of the opening in the lens that controls the amount of light that is admitted.\u00a0 The aperture is controlled by opening or closing a circular diaphragm inside the lens.\u00a0 Aperture is measured in f\/stops.\u00a0 Wide apertures have f\/stops of f\/2.8, f\/2 and f\/1.4.\u00a0 Small apertures have f\/stops of f\/11, f\/16, f\/22 and more.<\/p>\n
A lens will be have a maximum aperture.\u00a0 Many lenses have maximum apertures in the f\/4 to f\/5.6 range.\u00a0 Fast lenses have maximum apertures of f\/2.4 and below.\u00a0 Faster lenses are a lot heavier and a lot more expensive.<\/p>\n
The last exposure variable is shutter speed.\u00a0 This is the length of time the shutter is open and is measured in seconds or fraction of seconds.\u00a0 Most digital cameras cover a range of shutter speeds from as long as 30 seconds to as short as 1\/1000 second or even shorter.<\/p>\n
As outdoor photographers, we only have control of three of the four variables.\u00a0 We generally don\u2019t have control of the light.\u00a0 But there are considerations we need to take into account when deciding how to set the other three.<\/p>\n
Landscape photographers generally prefer the lowest possible ISO.\u00a0 That\u2019s because it produces the highest quality images.\u00a0 As the ISO is increased two things are generally compromised \u2013 noise and tonal gradations.\u00a0 The current crop of digital cameras are excellent at minimizing noise at quite high ISOs but the best tonal gradations is still achieved at low ISOs.<\/p>\n
Now, there are times when a high ISO is called for.\u00a0 For example, photographing in very low light conditions like the night sky, or an hour or so before sunrise or after sunset.\u00a0 In the sunrise situation I start with a high ISO, maybe 800 or 1600.\u00a0 But as the sky brightens I reduce the ISO before making any other adjustments like f\/stop.<\/p>\n
Landscape photographers generally prefer smaller apertures.\u00a0 This is because so many landscape compositions require depth of field which increases as the aperture gets smaller.\u00a0 So it\u2019s not uncommon to use f\/stops of f\/8, f\/11 or even higher.<\/p>\n
Again, there are conditions where wider apertures are called for.\u00a0 This is especially true when you intentionally want a shallow depth of field as in when doing macro photography.\u00a0 This is referred to as \u2018Selective focus.\u2019<\/p>\n
Because depth of field is such a primary concern, landscape photographers usually shoot in aperture priority mode.<\/p>\n
It is worth mentioning however, that very small apertures produce a phenomenon called diffraction.\u00a0 This is when the light passing through the small opening in the diaphragm interacts with its edges and is scattered.\u00a0 This produces a softening of the image.\u00a0 The effect may not be huge but can be noticeable.\u00a0 Each lens has a sharpness sweet spot that is generally 2 to 3 stops above the maximum aperture.\u00a0 So, if you have a f\/2.8 lens the sweet spot would be f\/5.6 or f\/8.\u00a0 This would produce the maximum sharpness.\u00a0 If you\u2019re concerned about this it\u2019s a good idea to test your lenses at different focal lengths and f\/stops to determine the sharpness sweet spot.<\/p>\n
However, when it comes to a choice between depth of field and sharpness, depth of field wins every time.<\/p>\n
When shooting in aperture priority mode the shutter speed falls wherever it falls.\u00a0 In other words, shutter speed is less a consideration for landscape photographers than aperture.\u00a0 It doesn\u2019t matter if the exposure time is 2 seconds or 1\/200 seconds.\u00a0 As long as the camera is on a tripod you get a good image.<\/p>\n
As with the previous two variables, there are exceptions.\u00a0 There are times when shutter speed becomes important.\u00a0 If a breeze is blowing nearby leaves then you\u2019ll need a shorter shutter speed.\u00a0 You may need to adjust the ISO or the aperture to get the shutter speed down.<\/p>\n
In the opposite direction, you may want a long shutter speed if you’re photographing moving water.\u00a0 Again, you may need to adjust aperture and ISO to lengthen the exposure time.\u00a0 And if that doesn\u2019t give you the exposure length you want you may need to add a neutral density or polarizing filter.<\/p>\n
Digital photographers are really fortunate.\u00a0 We get to evaluate our exposures immediately after we capture the image.\u00a0 And that\u2019s because our cameras can display a histogram.<\/p>\n
A histogram is simply a graph that shows the amount of each shade of gray in an image from pure black to pure white.\u00a0 The left side of the histogram is the blacks and the right side, the whites.\u00a0 The histogram can tell us a lot about an exposures:<\/p>\n
A good habit to get into is checking the histogram after every shot.\u00a0 That way if you see a problem you can compensate for it and retake the shot.\u00a0 It\u2019s actually not that hard to fool the camera\u2019s built in light meter and some exposure compensation is\u00a0 often called for.\u00a0 I\u2019ve noticed that even making a seemingly insignificant change like zooming in our out a little can change the exposure enough to require a different exposure compensation.<\/p>\n
The ideal exposure is one in which the histogram fits nicely between the left and right edges.\u00a0 It\u2019s best when there is a little bit of room at either end.\u00a0 This indicates an image whose dynamic range is a little less than the dynamic range of the sensor.<\/p>\n
An overexposed image would show the histogram pushing up against the right side of the graph.\u00a0 Most likely there would be highlight clipping.\u00a0 An under exposed image would push up against the left side with likely shadow clipping.\u00a0 A glace at the histogram after each shot will tell you very quickly if you have any problems.\u00a0 If you have over or under exposure problems you need to adjust the exposure and retake the shot.<\/p>\n
Sometimes you run into situations where the contrast of your scene is very low.\u00a0 This produces a histogram that looks like a narrow hill with steep sides.\u00a0 Generally if you\u2019ve used the exposure set by the camera the hill will be to the left of center.\u00a0 This looks good on the LCD but is not the best image to work with in post processing.<\/p>\n
A better histogram would be one that was slightly to the right of center but not so far to the right that you get highlight clipping.\u00a0 The reason is that this image will have more information than the darker one and more information means you have more flexibility in post processing and can produce a higher quality image.\u00a0 This practice is referred to as, \u201cExpose to the\u00a0 right.\u201d\u00a0 So when you encounter this situation, capture one image at the exposure determined by your camera and then overexpose slightly for the image you will work on.<\/p>\n
Quite often we encounter situations where the image\u2019s histogram completely fills the graph and then some.\u00a0 It\u2019s pushed up against both the left and right sides.\u00a0 This is a situation in which the dynamic range of the scene has exceeded the dynamic range of your sensor.\u00a0 When this happens you have a couple of options.<\/p>\n
You can expose for the highlights and let the shadows fall where they may.\u00a0 Get a good exposure on the highlights that eliminates any clopping. You will end up with lots of shadow clipping but this will create a strong silhouette effect.\u00a0 There are many situations where this is highly desirable.<\/p>\n
For those situations where silhouettes are not desirable you can use a graduated neutral density filter to hold back the bright area.\u00a0 This works very well in landscape photographs where you have a bright sky but a dark foreground.\u00a0 With the graduated neutral density filter you can hold back the sky two or three stops and thus give the foreground a full exposure.\u00a0 This was a hallmark of Galen Rowell\u2019s photography, so much so that one major filter manufacturer named a whole series of graduated neutral density filters after him.<\/p>\n
Graduated neutral density filters work best when there is a line that is pretty much straight separating the bright and dark parts of the image.\u00a0 If that\u2019s not the case then this next technique works well.<\/p>\n
The third option is to use the HDR technique.\u00a0 This is when you take multiple shots at different exposures and blend them together on the computer with a software utility like Photomatix Pro.\u00a0 The overexposed image captures the shadows without clipping and the under exposed captures the highlights.\u00a0 There are anywhere from zero to three or more exposures in between that capture the mid tones.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s one more thing that should be said about histograms.\u00a0 So far we\u2019ve been talking about the luminance histogram.\u00a0 That\u2019s the histogram that displays the amounts of each shade of gray.\u00a0 And while this is usually a good indicator, there are times when you can have clipping in one of the color channels \u2013 red, green or blue \u2013 that does not show up on the luminance histogram.\u00a0 The problem is not so much with clipping on the shadow end as clipping in the highlights.\u00a0 A situation that I find most problematical is clipping in the red channel, particularly when photographing the red rocks of the American Southwest or brilliant sunrises and sunsets.<\/p>\n
To address this problem, may cameras are capable of displaying an RGB histogram.\u00a0 That\u2019s three graphs superimposed on one another \u2013 red, green and blue.\u00a0 This is the most helpful histogram because you can detect clipping in a single channel.\u00a0 So if your camera supports an RGB histogram, use it.<\/p>\n
In summary, landscape photographers prefer to shoot with the lowest ISO possible, usually 100 or 200.\u00a0 They also prefer small apertures and shoot in aperture priority\u00a0 mode.\u00a0 Finally, they check their histogram after nearly every shot, making compensations to the exposure as necessary.\u00a0 Follow these guidelines and your photographs will have a strong foundation.<\/p>\n
(1861)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
When I\u2019m asked how I get such intense landscape photographs I respond that it all begins with the fundamentals, the photographic foundation.\u00a0 Given that you have the other elements of a great photograph \u2013 a terrific subject and fantastic light \u2013 you are still not guaranteed a compelling image if it doesn\u2019t have a solid … Continue reading “Photo Foundations – Exposure”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[3,4],"tags":[266,13,10,268,93],"class_list":["post-1000","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-articles","category-how-to-articles","tag-exposure","tag-photography","tag-ralph-nordstrom","tag-tips","tag-workshop"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9Nl7-g8","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ralphnordstromphotography.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1000","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ralphnordstromphotography.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ralphnordstromphotography.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ralphnordstromphotography.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ralphnordstromphotography.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1000"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/ralphnordstromphotography.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1000\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1001,"href":"https:\/\/ralphnordstromphotography.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1000\/revisions\/1001"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ralphnordstromphotography.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1000"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ralphnordstromphotography.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1000"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ralphnordstromphotography.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1000"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}