Landscape Photography

According to www.fotografiasdepaisajes.com the landscape is a misleading genre characterized by its apparent ease. Supposedly is available to anyone, but is extremely complex to do a photo worthwhile. On many occasions we have already dealt with this issue which is summarized in the affirmation of: "view is one thing and photograph, quite another". Perhaps sound to truism, however that scene in which so many expectations had and was eyes spectacular or impressive, often just converted in a failed image; the source of the error is located in a deficit of display. There is a widespread opinion according to which the camera makes the photographer. Think so leads to photo impoverishment, clear language in the anodyne images mass which concludes much of pictures.

1. Viewing
   When someone is learning picture is interesting to consider that, before the object and before shooting, imagine the photo that you want to take, then you have to try to make it. Then increasing and refining "cruelty", you may be prompted to improve the imagined and photo run until no longer you possible to make it more. This effort asking you is simply the Act of viewing.
   A display is a kind of anticipation of the outcome of a picture, know how this will be to do it. We do not want to imply that simply display for master pictures, only that reduces the chances of making mistakes and increases the achieve good results: is a minimum program not peak is not applicable in all photographic domains. However, if one is in the full sense, is one which was formulated in theory: the classic landscaping. The large format that accompanies many of these photos is due in part to the larger image ground Viewer "easy" display work.
2. Learning the process
   In the display affect factors of a different nature and all of them have taken into account for bridging the gap between it and the photographed: class of camera and format, point of observation and perspective, framework and composition, objectives and depth, color or black & white, as well as the play of light and shade.
   Of all refer to the picture of landscapes, one last thing on the display is a process of progressive learning that probably not never finished or allow return back. Said Minor White, a well-known American photographer of the system of zones school, he always picture all mentally to practice. Over time the photographer is unable to see differently from the photo and converts their eyes on a camera. It is time to stop and rest.
3. Camera and formats
   So far we are adopting a very Orthodox position. First locates the landscape, you choose the place of placing the camera and the appropriate objective; then look on the framework, is refined the framing, attends to the compositional relationships between colors or shades (lights and shadows in black and white). Everything points to go put a large format camera on the tripod. It is an option (for many of the large gender is "option", a very interesting picture such current example provides it the work of the German photographer Andreas Gursky) and we must be aware that certain results of definition, sharpness and quality color and tonal range are, so to speak, only accessible by such means. However, the attitude of the photographer should not depend on the camera that uses, whichever is good to learn how to view: we can work with the same patience, care, and care with a digital low resolution with a monster 20X25cm, from the perspective that arises one plate is not more than the other, just learn to take pictures that before is has been able to plan.
4. Benefits of the digital
   Each machine and format has its own personality and highlights the rest somewhere that will be taken to maximize. For example, by continue with this kind of comparison between most and least, remarkable wide-format has been called "overwhelming feeling of photo reality"; the strength of a compact digital (for such enough use with 2 megapixel) is its extreme potential display: allows us to explore different photographic opportunities for the reason on-site, refining the missing often make image (changes in perspective, the focal, composition, etc). Even better, allows us to do a digital photo gallery of the area include important aspects in audio files and download the information on your home computer for "processing" quietly.
   Also we find very valuable data focal distance, diaphragm, speed (of course are reinterpreting when change format), distance approach, framing, composition or lighting at different times of the day. Also enables simultaneously view the image in color and black and white, which is not bad for a first overview of its expressive value in two very different languages. Such systematic analysis will conclude with the most interesting photos photo; can only return to the site with the "good" camera (or be) to make them.
5. Return to the scene
   The nostalgic will recall the chassis instant movie or will say all of this can also be done with a conventional compact and a notebook. We are going to be controversial: the first always was an annoying (we personally never use it to that end, nothing to do with fun and possibilities to ensure the digital mini-cameras), the latter is true, but it seems a waste of time and money (disclose movies, contact and extend relevant negative). Anyway we dislike this kind of exclusion as fashion between the analog and digital, rather we are in favor of taking advantage of two systems which hopefully live together long. A habit of photographers of landscapes is returning to the crime scene necessary to achieve that dreams image.
6. Select the place
   Let us focus more specifically, how do you know where to place the camera, how to find the point of view? We must walk, forward, back, up and down, but without camera using the single eyes. People in the film uses a kind of practical Viewer zoom that pound you the nonsense search camera shoulder, weigh much point of view. Again we insist on the right that are small compact digital for this mission, however, are not essential, a baseline learns much to do at a glance. So the first thing is to look at what strikes us and we want to photograph.
   Most pictures show something that looks best represented from a specific position: high, low, close or distant. Does not affect movement equally to all the elements of an image, the more is far less object note it change the position of the camera, however, that same change alters a radically the spatial relationships of things in the foreground. If we take the camera to one side, nearby objects seem to move in the opposite direction to the distant. These offsets in the horizontal and vertical axes with the consequent changes in the positions of objects according to the distance to the camera or the position of observation, are the first discussed to locate the point of view.
7. Changes in perspective
   Away or separate us object entails, therefore, always more or less significant variations in the perspective. In an open visual field close "appears" bigger and separate fund, that increases the sense of depth; conversely when view focuses on a distant object, this "appears" crushing against the Fund and melt with him, as if there were no space between the two.
   When photographing a landscape we must be aware of how look at you, if we eyes toward him as a "widescreen" or "concentrated"; If you look at more or less elements which we would like to emphasize one or some; if this or these elements provide a more accurate composition including a clear foreground or a more or less deep background. These are guidelines to locate the point of view is not exclusive of photography, landscape painters have more time to do so, seek your observation point to paint. That Yes, have a great advantage, may distort spatial relations photographers accepted as invariant because they are conditioned by the focal length of the selected target. We have tried to resolve the problem from the point of view and this came to the lens. What objective is the most convenient to display?
8. Essential objectives
   The perspective depends on the distance from the camera to the object and only indirectly focal lens. When it is photographed with a wide-angle usually near of the object or parent objects, the logical consequence is the exaggeration of its dimensions and their distance from others more distant. Conversely, with a telephoto usually separation between the camera and the subject increases, and this perspective is compressed, i.e. is lost the feeling of space and depth.
   When photographing a landscape each we must be aware of the feeling of space and depth with which we are seeing or which we want to transmit, because there is key optics or focal distance that we should employ. Choosing the ideal goal is child's play whenever the terms chosen reflexively.
   Once placed camera us remaining just be consistent. If we are close to the object and scene referred to "Polaroid" and with sense of depth, everything points to the appropriate goal is a wide-angle. If from afar view concentrated it on something, rather seems to need a objective and is adopting a two-dimensional than three-dimensional strategy.
   Chosen the objective, we will concentrate on compositional aspects, slowly studying all items that fall within the framework, that is exactly what means frame, in order to place them, select them or delete them if they were annoying. A telephoto technique is examined in four directions and slowly from the edges of the box up to the center of the image, and discovered all what that harm in the foreground or background.
9. Basic equipment
   To approach the problem of an expressive way discovers that the essential love see ways are, so to speak, "Pan" and the "selective" and that both correspond to the objective angle and the telephoto. Is almost mandatory minimum a landscape photographer team consists of a lens and a telephoto or a zoom in 35 mm format covering the focal 28 mm to 100 mm.
   When we want to minimize the weight and be sure to photograph anything, we must save the photo bag an average lens and a moderate telephoto. We do not deny that the usefulness of a normal objective, but we think you probably have less likely to expressive in a landscape, although there are no fixed rules, some photographers have shown us the way they see the world with great photos and have just used a different from the normal objective. The secret of the display perhaps learn to do love with a single goal, not using another to discover you are not able to him express what you want.
10. Lights and shadows
    A landscape as the Union into an image of light and space has been defined. We have already given some tips to love address space. We only have reflect on the light on the display. Our brain nor see light as does it a photo support; differences as soon as it comes in the color temperature are obvious, but the problem goes much further, exist many factors of distortion (contrast, color and lighting tones or colors brightness intensity differences perception).
    The eye also should re-educate love to know how you're going to answer a movie or an electronic sensor before lighting specific because the idealization of the brain capacity is by completely absent in photo translation. So soon can surprise pleasantly playback in a scene that eventually we seemed anodyne on a cloudy, grey day as disappoint us representation spectacular color under a radiant Sun objects black-and-white color. The display has to look at all these incidents and the only way to learn them requires experience profusely with sensitive materials and relate the tone and brightness with the photometer values.

Some Landscape Pictures from Ecuador.