Landscape Tips, Anyone?

[biglou]

I'm going to shoot downtown KC tomorrow afternoon from the northwest, sun at my back, skyline on the hill silhouetted against the sky and lots of brilliant trees. Supposed to be crisp and cool and sunny tomorrow. All I have is the Digital Rebel and the 18-35mm kit lens. Any tips? I can set it on "Landscape", pull the trigger, and go home, I guess. Unless anyone has any pointers for me to try? Gratzia.

 

[Squid31]

Don't know what to tell you Lou. I've tried landscapes a couple times and did not have very good results. I would say the next time I try it, I will defiantly use a tripod.

This is the best one I have ever shot, and I shot it with my Digital Rebel and 17-40. Pretty sure I shot AV at f8 or so.

Sorry I don't have more for you, but like I said, I don't do a lot of landscape stuff.

 

[Rich Rohrich]

For sure use a tripod. The best money I've spent on gear was for a good tripod.

I'll admit I've shot a lot more sucky landscape shots than good ones but I've noticed that when the light has big variances in the scene if I expose for the highlights the dark areas get lots of shadow noise that I have a hard time fixing. When I expose for a midrange shadow area I seem to get the best balance between shadow noise and blowing out the highlights. One thing is for sure, shoot in brackets and you have the best chance of getting something you can work with in PS later.

Use a tripod, shoot in manual mode, pick a midrange aperture F8 or so depending on where your lens is sharpest, check your metering in an area that balances the light properly, set the shutter speed, recompose with your new settings and let the tripod deal with the shutter speed whatever it is.

It's fun, but I think it takes an eye that I don't posses. :)

 

[Okiewan]

All I can say is the lower the sun (but still lighting the subject) the better the fall colors will look. The kit lens can take good pics, f-8 - f-11 seem to be the sweet spot for landscapes with that lens. Focus about 1/3 - 1/2 into the scene. Like Squid said, use a tripod. Do you have a polarizer? Set exposure at an area that's in the mid light levels. OR, set the bracketing to -1 , 1, +1 take three shots then blend them in PS.

 

[trial_07]

Here is my best landscape pic:

I try to take nice landscape pictures with what I have (Canon Powershot A60) but don't laugh :laugh:.

 

[biglou]

Those are both nice shots, guys. I forgot to mention, I will be quite a ways away from the scene. Maybe 1/2 mile or so. I'll be shooting that far away to get the whole downtown in the shot. And I don't have my tripod with me! I'm leaving from work today and heading over there, since I live 20 miles or so south of downtown. Time should be around 3pm, which is 2-2.5 hours before the sun goes down, so that should help.

I don't think I'd be able to bracket those three shots and have them line up well enough without the tripod, either. Plus, I've never bracketed before. I have an empty card, so I'll just shoot several and then see how they look when I get home.

 

[VintageDirt]

Put in the sprinkler system before you lay the sod.

 

[Green Horn]

Landscape Tips, Anyone?

Don't take pictures that suck. :laugh:

 

[Green Horn]

Lol Vd!

 

[Squid31]

Well, where's the shots? Looking forward to seeing them.

 

[biglou]

I took them. They're "ok" at best. I'll process and post tonight. I might should have used the Sigma 70-200mm after all...

 

[biglou]

Here we go. I didn't spend a whole lot of time on processing these. Although I did clone out some electrical lines, which made me happy!

http://www.441designs.com/gallery/IMG_2470 copy.jpg
http://www.441designs.com/gallery/IMG_2471 copy.jpg
http://www.441designs.com/gallery/IMG_2472 copy.jpg
http://www.441designs.com/gallery/IMG_2477 copy.jpg
http://www.441designs.com/gallery/IMG_2480 copy.jpg
http://www.441designs.com/gallery/IMG_2486 copy.jpg
http://www.441designs.com/gallery/IMG_2493 copy.jpg

 

[MXSparx]

Although I did clone out some electrical lines, which made me happy!

Blasphemy
I like the last pick. You can even see the lightning rod on the highmast light. :cool:

 

[Squid31]

My favorite is the 5th one. This is kind of what I had pictured in my mind when you described where you were going to shoot. I wish I lived in a more interesting location. All we really have around here is flat farmland. Boring...

 

[Chili]

Yup the fifth one is the ticket for me too.