HAWKESBURY Camera Club’s Graham Hodgkins has been a keen amateur photographer for a long time, and shares some of his tips so you can take a great photo for our We Are Hawkesbury: 25 Places Photographic Competition.
Landscape photography is one of the most challenging and most rewarding hobbies a
person can have.
While there is no clear definition of what landscape photography is, most photographers will agree it is outdoor images without any humans or animals in the photo.
If there are any living creatures in a landscape photo, they are not the focus but intentionally included to show a sense of scale to the image.
- We Are Hawkesbury: 25 Places Photographic Competition entry details.
Landscapes seem to be the most popular subject for photographers.
But why is landscape photography so popular? To me landscape photography is popular for a number of reasons.
If we look around us we all live in or near beautiful landscapes; we all love the beautiful colors often seen in landscape photos; we all identify with landscapes as subjects; landscapes are one of the things we shoot when we are on holidays – a reminder of happy times and places; landscape photography is more dependent on artistry and creativity than equipment; and, no special equipment except a camera with a lens and a tripod is required.
It is one thing to be surrounded by beautiful views, and something else to be able to record those views on a camera.
It’s easy to render a mountain unremarkable, waterfalls as boring and static and seascapes as cold, grey and lifeless.
To avoid such disappointments photographers generally follow a few basic rules that help then capture the atmosphere of a location and convey its magic.
The great thing about landscape technique is that it doesn’t matter where or when you’re shooting: all of the tricks and techniques are the same.
Perfect your technique and you’ll be ready to take on the world and enjoy the landscape more than ever before.
The key rewarding landscapes is to walk; you need to explore the subject, even if you viewpoint is limited.
Don’t be afraid to get low down next to the ground or stand on a wall or a rock for a higher viewpoint.
Small changes in position or height can make a huge difference to your photography.
Over the next couple of weeks join us as members of the Hawkesbury Camera Club share additional tips on using your camera to take great landscapes photographs.