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HOW–TO |
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Tech Tips: George's Top Tech Tips
A graduated neutral-density filter is the third most important filter
and helps control the density difference between a bright sky and
a dark foreground. By holding back the exposure on the sky with the
dark part of the filter, the foreground gets more exposure. The usual
difference between the two areas is three ƒ-stops.
Tripods, Tripods, Tripods
I can’t emphasize enough the gain in quality a landscape photographer
achieves by religiously using a quality tripod with a good head. First,
you need a solid set of legs that are incredibly stiff and easily
extend to a desired height. Then, just as important, you need a tripod
head that will position your camera quickly and firmly. A few years
ago, there might have been only two or three choices of ballheads,
but now there are many. The price varies from a hundred or so dollars
for one that will handle up to a light 300mm lens to those over $400
that are designed to smoothly handle the largest of telephotos. Get
the best you can afford, and while you’re at it, I’d suggest
one with a quick-release system.
Which Lens To Use?
This a loaded question because I use everything from a fish-eye to
1000mm for my landscapes. Every scene dictates which lens should be
used, and often it’s several lenses as you bracket the composition.
I try to see many possibilities every time I stop and consider an
image situation. You may be drawn to an overview with dramatic clouds
and light conditions. After taking that first image, look for details
in the scene that can be extracted with the use of a longer focal-length
lens. I love telephoto zoom lenses like the 100-400mm because they
allow me to fine-tune the composition and find more than one composition
in the “grandscape.”
Wide-angle lenses are probably the most difficult lenses to use for
successful landscapes. The result often is a diluted composition with
too much sky and too much foreground. The secret for success is to
have a strong foreground that will lead you to an interesting middle
ground and maybe even a dramatic distance. Think of it as having something
at your feet that gains your attention and shows you what’s
at that location. Then you look up and see what’s there and
how much of it is before you. In the end, the distance tells you where
you are and maybe gives the impression that it goes on forever. That’s
a whole lot of information to have in one picture, so manage it wisely.
Certain lenses, like fish-eyes and tilt and shifts, can add drama
to a photograph and solve depth-of-field problems that can’t
be solved in any other way. I always carry the 90mm and 24mm tilt-and-shift
lenses with me in the field in case I run into either a windy field
of flowers or a situation where I need to have a close-up object sharp
as well as the distant landscape. By tilting the front elements, the
depth of field is tilted, and a larger aperture will allow a faster
shutter speed to stop any movement. By getting down close, tilting
and using a very small aperture, the depth of field is used to its
optimum and everything from a few inches to infinity can be rendered
sharp.
Panoramas
The editor of this magazine claims my middle initial is “P”
for panoramas. I do believe that panoramas can be a wonderful way
to extend your photographic abilities, and I go to great lengths to
demonstrate that. At any time, you can switch from the single-frame
capture mindset to finding a series of images that can be later composited
into a longer or taller single image that more accurately captures
the scene before the camera.
Work from a tripod if possible. The more precisely you line up the
images, the easier the panorama will come together and the better
the quality of the finished image. Level the base (using the tripod
legs) first, and then level the camera to the horizon with the head.
Use a double-spirit level that fits in the camera’s hot-shoe.
You can point down or up a little, but not drastically.
Make sure you have one exposure setting for the series of shots so
that the exposure doesn’t fluctuate from frame to frame. Overlap
each image by 20 percent if you’re using a normal to telephoto
focal-length lens, and overlap by 50 percent if a wide-angle lens
is used. Use stitching software to easily put the images together,
or use the merge capability of Photoshop CS and Photoshop Elements.
My favorite way is to use Photoshop (5 through CS) and its powerful
layer-masking capabilities. With this method, I make the choices as
to where the invisible image seams will be. My favorite automatic
stitching software is ArcSoft Panorama Maker 3, available from www.arcsoft.com,
for $39.99.
For more information about upcoming seminars and digital-imaging
workshops, visit www.leppphoto.com or call (805) 528-7385. If you have any tips or questions, address
them to: OUTDOOR PHOTOGRAPHER, Dept TT, George Lepp, 12121 Wilshire
Blvd., Suite 1200, Los Angeles, CA90025-1175 or on the Internet at www.leppphoto.com. potential.
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