Saturday 8 February 2014

5 Tips for Photographing Winter Landscapes

5 Tips for Photographing Winter Landscapes

Link to PictureCorrect Photography Tips

5 Tips for Photographing Winter Landscapes

Posted: 07 Feb 2014 05:34 PM PST

Many photographers put away their cameras until spring because winter brings out the toughest elements. But, by shelving your camera and taking it easy you are losing out on the rare beauty that this wonderful season provides. You avoid the cold, but you also miss out on creating some wonderful images.

winter landscape photography

“Clouds Over Snow HDR” captured by Mitch Johanson (Click image to see more from Johanson.)

Here are some tips to make your winter photo sessions more enjoyable:

1. Check on the weather ahead of time and know the forecast.

You don’t want to travel for hours only to find out the weather is terrible for taking pictures or is too wet to be out in. The weather can dramatically change in a matter of hours during the winter months. Also, always let someone know where you are going and which route you’re planning to take in case you get injured, lost, or caught in a storm.

2. Carry only the essentials.

Forget loading your camera bag with every bit of equipment you own. Travel as light as possible if you are going to be outdoors photographing all day long. Traveling light will also help you save your energy. When hiking, climbing, or crossing snow filled hills, a warm thermos and energy producing food will serve you much more than extra camera equipment.

snowy landscape photography

“Untitled” captured by Dhimitraq Ceco (Click image to see more from Ceco.)

3. Dress for success.

Proper clothing is essential. You need to be warm and comfortable when out in the weather. Winter weather can be brutal, so if you are planning a photography trip, always be prepared.

4. Keep an eye out for details.

Things like snow, icicles, ice covered objects, and frost accentuate texture and atmosphere in your subjects. An early snowy or frosty morning is a great time for macro or close-up photography. These frosty mornings can also reveal patterns in landscapes.

winter macro photography

“Brrrrr” captured by Kristen Bennett (Click image to see more from Bennett.)

Be sure to watch your camera placement carefully. If you are photographing early in the morning, experiment with photographing at different angles to the sun. This can give your images heavy shadows, adding extra mood to your landscape photographs. Also pay attention to the foreground in your photos, which will add depth to your image.

5. Pay careful attention to your exposure.

Snow and ice can fool your camera’s exposure meter and are more difficult to expose properly than normal scenes. Light readings from snow will often see the scene as an underexposed image. Most cameras or hand-held meters will read the snow as a greytone, so it is a good idea to bracket your exposures. When bracketing exposures add 1 – 2 stops of light to compensate for your light meter reading. Using an 18% grey card should also give you a more accurate light reading.

Using these tips should help to make your photo trip a more enjoyable and worthwhile experience.

About the Author:
Corky Carson (prophotographyschool.com) is a working Certified Professional Photographer and the owner and publisher of Pro Photography School.


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Article from: PictureCorrect Photography Tips

iPhone Photojournalism

Posted: 07 Feb 2014 02:20 PM PST

iPhoneography isn’t only for quick snapshots of your lunch and your pets. Many professional photographers are now using the mobile device as a secondary–sometimes primary–camera. Smartphones are easy to use, are generally always with us, and they make sharing the photos instantaneous–there’s no wonder so many pros and amateurs alike are embracing the technology.

Watch as Ben Lowy documents how his iPhone allowed him to capture shots for some of the world’s most well-known news outlets:

Ben has covered multiple wars, natural disasters, and a slew of other newsworthy events throughout his career. He was at the forefront of it all when the rise of cell phone photography started. Check out some of the incredible images he was able to create just shooting from the hip with his iPhone:

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While not everyone agrees on the usefulness of an iPhone when it comes to professional photography, Lowy has his own feelings on the matter. He believes the affordable devices make photography more accessible compared to the more expensive DSLRs that are commonly used in photojournalism.

“One of the good things about social media is you get to choose who you want to listen to.”


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Article from: PictureCorrect Photography Tips

Interesting Photo of the Day: Powerful Lightning Storm in Oregon Desert

Posted: 07 Feb 2014 12:00 PM PST

Oregon is well-known for its lush vegetation, its mountains, and its generally mild (if not overly rainy) weather and temperatures. But “the Beaver State” is actually one of the most geographically diverse regions of the United States. Western Oregon boasts a  west coast marine climate, while Central to Eastern Oregon consists of a semi-arid climate, complete with deserts.

This photograph, which depicts Eastern Oregon’s arid disposition, was taken by landscape photographer Alex Noriega during a camping trip in Oregon’s Alvord Desert, near Steens Mountain:

desert oregon playa alvord steens lightning thunderstorm strike

“Voltaic Force” by Alex Noriega. (Via Imgur. Click for larger size.)

Noriega recounted how the lightning storm suddenly blew over Steens Mountain without warning while he and his companion were grilling hot dogs near their campsite. As they hurriedly packed their vehicle, Noriega set up his camera and remotely triggered 30-second exposure after 30-second exposure to get a shot of the lightning illuminating the atmospheric downward wisps of precipitation, known as virga, as the storm rolled in.

“The second I got this exposure, we raced off the playa and up the long dirt road at 60 mph, as the storm rolled in behind us,” Noriega said. “We didn’t want to be the tallest objects for miles, in the middle of a lightning storm (nor did I want to pay for a tow out of mud).”

Noriega is based in Minneapolis. He created “Voltaic Force” using a Nikon D7100 camera with an accompanying Nikkor 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED lens set to f/11 and ISO 400.


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Article from: PictureCorrect Photography Tips

7 Steps to Great Black & Whites in Lightroom 5

Posted: 07 Feb 2014 10:29 AM PST

In the quick tutorial below, Levi Sim shows us the workflow he uses to create black and white images using the increasingly popular Lightroom 5. The tutorial is easy to follow and offers professional results making it a great starting point for those of you wanting to learn more about the technique:

In the tutorial, Sims started with a color portrait he took with studio lighting to create the base look he was going for. After doing some minor touch ups, such as blemish removal and correcting the balance, he converted the image to black and white.

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The original image after minor tweaking.

Here is a quick rundown of the process:

  1. To get started, open your image in Lightroom and click on the Black & White button on the toolbar on the right hand side of the Develop module. This will open color channel sliders.
  2. Grab the targeted adjustment tool and use it to adjust the tonal values of the colors of the original image by hovering over select areas of the image.
  3. Use the Tone Curve function to lighten the lights and darken the darks to your taste. You can also use the Basic adjustment sliders such as highlights, shadows, whites, blacks, etc. to further enhance the tones.
  4. Grab the Adjustment Brush to fine-tune the exposure in the eyes separately from everything else.
  5. At this point, you can also use a density filter and dodge and burn to lighten or darken areas of the image that need it. This will help bring focus to the subject’s face.
  6. Sharpen the image. Pay close attention to the lips to enhance clarity and brighten the details. Increase the masking in the Details tab. Press and hold ALT or the Option key to make sure you are only sharpening the edges of things instead of the skin.
  7. Add a Split Tone to the image to tint the highlights. Natural colors, such as copper, work well for split toning, but it can also be fun to experiment with subtle colors.
And the finished image.

The finished, black and white image.

As you see, the process is quick and easy. Keep in mind that you don’t have to use the exact settings Sim uses in the tutorial. Your image will vary from his as far as lighting, mood, and style, so it is important to play around with the sliders to create an image you are happy with.


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Article from: PictureCorrect Photography Tips

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