Travel and Scenic Photography 101
Executive Sumary By Seth Lutnick
When you're driving through the mountains somewhere, and you notice a car parked half off the road and some guy leaning to the left to avoid a branch with his Rebel 2000 camera in the act of focusing, you've met me. I do this because, to me, a trip isn't fulfilling unless I've preserved that beauty for posterity. I'd like to share some of the techniques that make scenic photography such a wonderful artform - simple, yet elegant.
As much as the cheapo disposable camera beckons, get real. These cameras have fisheye lenses which I call "spam" lenses. Good photos are sharp, unless you use blur for artistic effect. Sharp comes from an adjustable lens. It can be a fixed lens or a zoom, but it must focus specially for each picture. Fixed lenses are limiting for scenic pictures, where to frame the shot you may need to move long distances. Digital SLRs are VERY expensive, so for the budget conscious either go with a film SLR or a high quality basic digital camera. OK, we've got the camera, emotions are running high, and that's great, but not too great! Emotions.
When you experience a place, there are sounds, aromas and breezes as well as the visuals of the spot. Look through your camera. Most people perfunctorily take pictures, hoping that somehow the shot will come out great. For starters, motion. Yes, even in a still picture, there is motion. Something happened before, during and after your picture. Then there's the "rule of thirds." When you place the main object of the picture smack-dab in the middle, it is static and boring. Remember, when a person looks at a picture, their eyes move.
You want to frame your photo to help that movement. If you can find some lines in the scene, such as a skyline, cloud formation, path through the forest, etcetera, use it interestingly, and with the rule of thirds to draw your viewer's eyes into the picture.
Avoid "summit syndrome." You get to the top of Mount Washington and shoot the majestic vista. Great. The pictures come out ... boring! How? No PERSPECTIVE.
Avoid "summit syndrome." You get to the top of Mount Washington and shoot the majestic vista. Great. The pictures come out ... boring! How? No PERSPECTIVE.
Then the eye really grasps how big this scene is. Cheese! Frame the scene in context, with landmarks as part of the picture. Find a way to tell as story in the picture, such as little Sara climbing up the rocks by the waterfall.
Finally, any element in the picture that hints at more senses than just the visual will make it remarkable.
If you photograph a garden, the viewer may experience the aroma of the flowers. In summation, picture taking on travel is recording the experience in a satisfying way. Use motion, perspective, sensory, storytelling and so forth, to bring your photos to life. Oh, and needless to say, make your job easy and go to great places! Good photos are sharp, unless you use blur for artistic effect. Sharp comes from an adjustable lens. It can be a fixed lens or a zoom, but it must focus specially for each picture. Fixed lenses are limiting for scenic pictures, where to frame the shot you may need to move long distances. Digital SLRs are VERY expensive, so for the budget conscious either go with a film SLR or a high quality basic digital camera. Emotions. Look through your camera.
Most people perfunctorily take pictures, hoping that somehow the shot will come out great. For starters, motion. Yes, even in a still picture, there is motion. Something happened before, during and after your picture. When you place the main object of the picture smack-dab in the middle, it is static and boring. Remember, when a person looks at a picture, their eyes move.
Avoid "summit syndrome." Great. The pictures come out ... boring! How? No PERSPECTIVE. Frame the scene in context, with landmarks as part of the picture. Finally, any element in the picture that hints at more senses than just the visual will make it remarkable. If you photograph a garden, the viewer may experience the aroma of the flowers. Use motion, perspective, sensory, storytelling and so forth, to bring your photos to life.