Preparing Images For Presentation

This section talks about the computer work that is necessary to prepare images. RAW mode, this is a state where everything is in it original setting and has no manipulation or focus done to it. There are three color spaces most useful to landscape photographers -ProphotoRGB, Adobe RGB, and Adobe sRGB IEC61966. When manipulating RAW images you first want to correct the brightness, then the level curves, color saturation, color balance, and adjust the contrast. Most landscape photographers try to get their contrast correct when they shoot the scene. The last characteristic to change is sharpness.

Digital Darkroom Equipment

The first topic that we discuss in this section is storage for your pictures. It is always a good thing to have a backup storage unit to put pictures on in case something drastic happens while you are out shooting. The author recommends using a one to two gigabyte memory card for landscape purposes. We then go into editing, this is where we learn to adjust color balance, saturation, brightness and contrast, dodge and burn, remove imperfections, straighten horizons and manipulate many other characteristics. The recommended standard program is Adobe Photoshop.

Week 2 Photos

Just getting used to the camera

Here are a few pictures that I took when I first bought my camera. I was not really going for anything specific but more just trying to get a feel for the camera.

Captivating Clouds

The last section in this part is capturing and using clouds. Clouds ensure your chances of producing images that are dramatic and distinctive, because the colors they allow are always different. Clouds are used as diffusers of light that allow some light to go through and gives features you are shooting different tones and detail about it. Thats why it is great to go out and shoot on cloudy days. You will have the best detail and colors.

Wide View Panorama

To get those wide view pictures that you cant capture with just one shot is pretty simple. First situate your tripod away from foreground features. Make sure it is level. Select a focal length that captures all the features you want in your shot. Put your exposure control to manual, and put shutter speed to provide the best exposure of the parts of the scene you really want to capture. You then do a framing sequence, overlapping the shots by 25%. Then its to the computer to do your stitching. This process can be different depending on the programs that you use but each one will have a walk through of how to stitch your pictures to get a wide view photograph.

Twilight Time

The twilight time section deals with shooting after sunset in the short time that you have. This is a time when mosquitoes and other pests like to feed so wear repellent and dress a appropriate such as layers again. Have the area you want to shoot already in mind and be there because the time you have to shoot is a short window. Make sure all your setting and focus's are set. Set your ISO to 200-400 and set your aperture to capture all of the features of the scene. Shoot and bracket with a tripod.