Let\u2019s look at them one by one\u2026.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n We\u2019re always looking for fantastic light and, unlike studio photographers, we have to work with what we\u2019re given.\u00a0 But we know that there are certain times of the day when we\u2019re more likely to find fantastic light.\u00a0 That\u2019s why we get up hours before sunrise and don\u2019t pack up our gear till an hour or so after sunset.\u00a0 We love the light found during the bookends of the day.<\/p>\n Learning to make the most of the light means becoming keenly aware of two of light\u2019s most important properties \u2013 Color <\/strong>and Shadow<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Color can be used to establish a strong emotional connection with the image and its subject.\u00a0 The color of outdoor light changes as the conditions change.\u00a0 The light we have at midday on a clear sunny day is daylight, our standard for white light.\u00a0 It has no color cast to it.\u00a0 Objects are seen in their \u2018real\u2019 color.\u00a0 But that\u2019s generally not a color that creates an emotional connection.\u00a0 During sunrise of the same day the color is much different; it\u2019s warmer.\u00a0 And sunset color is even warmer than sunrise.<\/p>\n But during twilight the light becomes very cool. It is also cool in open shade and on overcast days.<\/p>\n Shadows are the other key property of light.\u00a0 On a bright sunny day the shadows are strong and deep.<\/p>\n On overcast days, during twilight or in open shade\u00a0 the shadows are very soft and subtle.<\/p>\n Depending on what you want to convey, shadows can communicate strength and energy or softness and delicacy.<\/p>\n Because of harsh shadows and white light, landscape photographers generally shy away from photographing during midday.\u00a0 However, sometimes you can\u2019t avoid it \u2013 like when you\u2019re on vacation with the family.\u00a0 So the trick to getting good midday photographs is to work the shadows.\u00a0 Become aware of shadows and work them into your compositions.<\/p>\n Speaking of compositions, the second pillar is strong compositions.\u00a0 Composition can be a complicated topic.\u00a0 There is a list of compositional principles as long as your arm.\u00a0 But it boils down to just a couple of things.\u00a0 However, before I get to them it\u2019s worth mentioning two very common and useful principles \u2013 the Rule of Thirds<\/strong> and Border Patrol<\/strong>.<\/p>\n I think most everyone is aware of the Rule of Thirds \u2013 that tick-tack-toe grid you superimpose on the image and place significant elements on or near the lines or their intersections.\u00a0 Border patrol is scanning the edges of your image to make sure you don\u2019t have any unwanted elements intruding into the image.\u00a0 It\u2019s a simple idea but not as easy is it might sound.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve used the word \u2018elements\u2019 several times now.\u00a0 Composition is the arrangement of elements within a rectangular frame.\u00a0 Sounds academic, I know, but it\u2019s about the most useful definition I\u2019ve come across.\u00a0 Elements are trees and rocks, streams and bushes, roads, fences, buildings, clouds, all the things that are enclosed within the borders of the image.\u00a0 Arranging them within the rectangular frame is why we move our tripods three feet to the left, two feet back, down six inches, etc.<\/p>\n So the compositional principles I really want to talk about are Unity<\/strong>, Balance <\/strong>and Visual Tension<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Unity is the inclusion of those elements that enhance and contribute to the image and the exclusion of those that do not.\u00a0 Every strong image has a subject, focal point or message.\u00a0 And all of the elements need to guide the eye through the image.\u00a0 Elements that distract from the focal point need to be removed or at least deemphasized.\u00a0 When you achieve this you have achieved unity.<\/p>\n Balance relates to the arrangement of the elements.\u00a0 Each element caries a visual weight.\u00a0 Large can balance small, dark can balance light, blue can balance yellow.\u00a0 By balancing the elements you can create a visual center of gravity.\u00a0 Now, when I talk about balance I\u2019m not referring to the symmetry of an English or French formal garden.\u00a0 These are beautiful but they are structured and rigid.\u00a0 I\u2019m referring more to the harmony of a Japanese garden.<\/p>\n And this leads to the third point \u2013 visual tension.\u00a0 Images are interesting if they are both in and out of balance \u2013 a ying and yang thing.\u00a0 Placing key elements off center, for example, creates visual tension.\u00a0 Our minds want to move them to the center where they can be at rest.\u00a0 Visual tension creates energy.<\/p>\n Most of the compositional principles that you can study are not universal; they do not apply in every situation.\u00a0 But unity, balance and visual tension are about as close as you can come to something that is always relevant.<\/p>\n These are the two aesthetic pillars and both are rich with possibilities for exploration, discovery and learning.\u00a0 They are truly life-long studies.<\/p>\n Turning now to the technical, sharpness is a key feature of a successful landscape photograph.\u00a0 But the sharpness needs to be appropriate to the subject.\u00a0 Some subjects require tack sharpness throughout. Many landscape images cry for everything to be sharp from the foreground to the most distant objects.<\/p>\n Other subjects require much of the image to be out of focus.\u00a0 Flowers and tiny insects are examples of this kind of selective focus.<\/p>\n To master sharpness you need to understand Depth of Field <\/strong>and to master depth of field you need to understand the 3 F\u2019s \u2013 Focal distance, Focal length<\/strong> and F\/stop<\/strong>.\u00a0 These are the three things that come together to determine depth of field.\u00a0 For the grand landscape you need a short to moderate focal distance, a small focal length (wide angle) and a high f\/stop to get the extreme depth of field needed by some of these compositions.\u00a0 For the flower shot you need a short focal distance balanced with a moderate focal length and a wide-open f\/stop to get the shallow depth of field.<\/p>\n The other skill you need for the grand landscape shot is determining Hyper-focal Distance <\/strong>\u2013 the focal distance that holds both your nearest and most distant elements in focus.\u00a0 For those tricky near\/far compositions, hyper-focal distance is twice the distance from the closest object to the front of the lens.<\/p>\n In the days of film you really had to nail your exposure regardless of whether you were shooting color or black and white, negative or positive film.\u00a0 With digital we have a bit more leeway, especially when we shoot raw.\u00a0 We can often correct for exposure problems in the darkroom.\u00a0 Achieving the optimum exposure may sound like a basic skill but it is profoundly important.<\/p>\n Mastering exposure is a matter of mastering the Histogram <\/strong>\u2013 understanding what it is telling you and taking appropriate action.\u00a0 The histogram tells you if your exposure is right on or if it is over or under exposed.\u00a0 It tells you if you have highlight or shadow clipping .\u00a0 And it tells you if your camera\u2019s sensor can handle the light conditions or not.\u00a0 With this knowledge you can take corrective action and get the optimum exposure.<\/p>\n The basic rule of the histogram is to keep it away from the edges by adjusting your exposure.\u00a0 Increasing your exposure will shift it to the right; decreasing it will shift it to the left.\u00a0 If you can\u2019t avoid the edges then you can use other techniques like graduated neutral density filters or HDR.\u00a0 But it\u2019s the histogram that provides this important feedback.<\/p>\n That\u2019s it.\u00a0 These are the four pillars \u2013 Fantastic Light<\/strong>, Strong Composition<\/strong>, Appropriate Sharpness <\/strong>and <\/strong>Optimum Exposure<\/strong>.\u00a0 But it\u2019s important to note that this is the starting point of a great photograph.\u00a0 The work is not over when you press the shutter, it\u2019s just beginning.\u00a0 The darkroom still lies ahead.\u00a0 It doesn\u2019t matter what kind of a darkroom you work in \u2013 the kind that is actually dark and smells funny (good) or the kind that has a keyboard, mouse and casts a glow on your face.\u00a0 It\u2019s all the same and that is where the magic is completed.<\/p>\n I hope these ideas I\u2019ve shared with you will help you with your photography.\u00a0 If you do find this post helpful please Like<\/strong> it.\u00a0 And if you know of someone who might also enjoy it you can use the Share<\/strong> button at the top to pass it along.<\/p>\n![\"joshua_tree_spring_sunrise_2011\"](\"http:\/\/ralphnordstromphotography.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/joshua_tree_spring_sunrise_2011.jpg\" "\\"Joshua")
<\/a>Fantastic Light<\/h2>\n
Color<\/h3>\n
<\/a><\/a>Shadows<\/h3>\n
<\/a><\/a><\/a>Strong Composition<\/h2>\n
<\/a>Unity<\/h3>\n
<\/a>Balance<\/h3>\n
<\/a>Visual Tension<\/h3>\n
<\/a>Appropriate Sharpness<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/a>Optimum Exposure<\/h2>\n
<\/a>