NTP: Challenge VI

[ricktas]

This is going to get you all out and about and using what you have learnt

This challenge involves taking a landscape/seascape photograph, with the following stipulations:

* Must be taken during dawn/dusk - i.e. around sunrise/sunset.
* The composition must take into consideration the Rule of Thirds.
* The photograph must have something in the foreground (ie foreground interest).
* Use the widest lens you have (at the widest setting. i.e.. 18-200 lens, use it at 18mm)
* A tripod will be handy if you have one, if not, use something to stabilise your camera.
* You can set the camera up as you wish (auto/ semi-auto/manual).

As an example, look at the photo below. Taken not long after sunrise. Notice how the wave in the foreground adds 'depth' to the photo. Look at how the horizon is one third down from the top of the photo and the wave line is one third up from the bottom. Also the Rule of Thirds comes into play across the photo, look how the two land masses in the distance intrude about 1/3 of the way in on each side. Notice how the sun is slightly off-centre.



Consider your composition carefully for you shot. When you find your location, scout around, don't just walk to the easiest place from the car. Take your time, a good landscape shot can take preparation. Sometimes you can get ready, then sit around for 15 mins, waiting for the 'right' light. Even write down the guidelines and take them with you. Line up your shot then review the guidelines, and check your composition in the viewfinder before taking your shot.

Have fun, and I am sure the members will take delight in seeing your results.

[Jcas]

Wow!!! Rick this is a good challenge, lovely shot you gave us for an example too ..... now if only I can do that ......

[Cathi]

Oooo in three weeks I will be able to take one of these Great challenge!!

[chelle]

perfect timing! i've been taking a few landscapes as well as sunrise shots recently and since my last request for feedback i have been trying to work with the rule of thirds. This will be a good challenge.

[Jcas]

Here is my effort, not quite the right time, but i tried to get as many of the other prerequisites that i could.
Only had basic fixes applied, eg, cropping etc.

Taken along Sandy Bay Road at about 8.45 am.

[yummymummy]

I'll have to wait a bit.... IT'S RAINING HERE!!! YAY!!!!!! I'll add mine after the rain has stopped

[old dog]

here`s one Rick. I took this near sunset, down at the local bridge at Hinton, on the day I got my 12-24 nikkor. I didn`t crop it because the moon was in the upper portion and I wanted to keep the reflection of the bridge and clouds. The dust bunnies are actually swallows.

[chelle]

oh, that bridge shot is nice.
i took a heap pf shots today and really concentrated on sticking to the rule of thirds. no time now to upload and save them for the forum but hopefully soon. i'm keen to see them on the computer and see how they turned out.

[ricktas]

Good work Julie, well used Rule of thirds, with the placement of the trees and horizon. I hope you found that by taking shots with the Rule of thirds in mind, it made you 'see' how just changing the camera slightly can greatly improve the final result.

[ricktas]

Graeme, the bridge certainly divides you image in three's across the screen, I understand why you kept the moon, but currently your horizon is very central, I reckon if you did chop some off the sky, to move the horizon up so it is 2/3rd of the way up the photo, it improves it compositionally. You can see how that works by just scrolling the thread to chop off the top of the sky, it then really make the bridge stand out a lot more. Good work, great landscape scene you found there.

[old dog]

thanks Rick. I would change it but it wouldn`t feel fair to resubmit. Cheers.

[ricktas]

thats ok Graeme, its all about learning. You can put as many photos that meet the challenge as you want to. It is all about you improving your photography.

[Analog6]

I've always had trouble with that rule of thirds thing. I have Ansel Adams bnook which goes into it, I'd read about it, and while I feel it is not eh be all and end all, I do see it's value. This recent sunrise (April 11) meets it fairly well. May be I am finally 'getting' it.

[ricktas]

The tree on the left really improves this Odille, it breaches the horizon and therfore adds the extra dimension needed, however the tree really just frames the side of the shot and your horizon is on more like a rule of sixths than thirds. Lovely sunset, well captured.

[Nic076]

Great challenge Rick. I am on holidays at the moment, but have about 200 photos to go through when we get home and think there would definitely be a shot there to add to the thread.

Some great shots already posted too. Well done guys.

[old dog]

Rick.....thanks for the ironing out and seeing as I can enter some more, here is the one I originally thought of. Taken the morning after getting the 12-24 lens. Hope this meets the criteria better. Taken at 12mm. Cheers

[mcdesign]

You are all doing well.

Graeme, I love the one of Hinton Bridge, with Rick's suggestion it will be excellent. I will have to go over there and have a look for myself, I go to Lorn quite often. I would like to see more definition in the one of the fields, that can be done with your editing progam, what do you use? perhaps I can help as you are pretty close to me. Margaret

[ricktas]

Great work, as some of you have noticed the sky is really bright at sunrise/sunset meaning a lot of detail is lost in your foreground. This is because most camera sensors have a hard time exposing well for both the bright sky and the darker foreground.

In your editing software, look for shadows/highlights adjustments. Play with the settings and you will see that you can 'bring up' the dark shadowy foreground a bit to improve the result. Be careful though cause to much adjustment will introduce noise into your photo.

This darkening of the foreground is why most landscape photographers use filters. Plastic tinted squares (some are round) to counter-act this dark foreground. A Neutral Density graduated filter will be a grey colour on one half, blending to clear on the other half. Bt placing the filter on your lens when taking the shot, you place the darker part of the filter over the sky part of your photo, balancing the exposure between sky and ground, and allowing for a better overall exposure with the vibrant bright sky still visible, but increasing the detail seen in the foreground (where the clear part of the filter lets all the light in).

Hope that makes sense.

So if you are going to seriously get into landscape photography, a good set of filters can be one of your best friends when out and about, especially early or late in the day.

[old dog]

thanks Rick and Margaret. I will try these adjustments, if I have them in PS. And Margaret, that would be good as I have no support group or any group ATM. You do tend to learn from each other. I am just up the road, 2 klms from Hinton bridge.

[old dog]

Here is the adjusted version, now I know where to look in Ps (new to this)