On the other day with Robert Billington we looked at ways of capturing the landscape. Again, Robert likes to use a slowish ISO to get a smooth finished texture.
This is one of his:
So, we went out – in the rain! – to look for “atmosphere”. We certainly found it overlooking Bowral as more rain came in:
This is a panorama made up of about seven exposures – Photoshop is a magical tool!
As you can see, We looked for images that would work in black and white.
We also experimented with slow shutter speeds. Combined with the low ISO, this produced shots with very little noise and a smooth flowing texture. The B&W again removes distractions.
I like the contrast between the smooth water and the sharp angles of the bridge in this one. I also think it looks pretty good cropped square:
Back in the studio, we played around with sepia toning and selective colouring:
In this last one I saturated the reds and yellows and DEsaturated all the other colours, and darkened the top to add some framing effect, rather than leave a bland white sky.
So, what did I learn on this day?
- Don’t be afraid of black and white
- Use a slow ISO for a fine texture
- Use a slow shutter speed to emphasise movement – don’t be afraid of blurriness.
- Dull overcast days can present lovely soft light for atmospheric landscapes, you just have to choose your subjects carefully and work with the light
Thanks again, Robert!