Landscape Photography

[slimwilly]

Fantastic pic's ,well done

[nick crisp]

I was kinda hoping you'd post a couple of shots here Tori, that's some nice work there. I love good landscape work from an appreciation point of view as much as anything.
Do you have any recommendations for some inexpensive software I could try, just to improve some of mine? I mean, it's only a cheap digi snapper, and I really can't afford the time and expense to get the kind of results yourself and VNA get, but I was impressed by how Fazersharp was able to enhance those that I posted here, and would like to be able to have a bit of a play with that myself.

[unfazed]

Have to agree with you Nick, love landscapes myself and in reply to Tori about the Serows in the Snow, blue suited the day its was -5C when the picture was taken. 
Here is one of Glandore Harbour in West Cork taken outside the fishing village of Union Hall with the trawlers tied up at the pier in Keelbeg.

[VNA]

Duncan Ban MacIntyre's hoose'

Duncan Ban MacIntyre 1724 - 1812.  One of the most renowned of the Scottish Gaelic poets. 

This is his old house in the Auch Glen (Gleann Ach-innis Chalein) 

MacIntyre hated sheep, the sheep which caused so many to be cleared from their homes.

"My blessing be upon the foxes, that they hunt the sheep, The sheep with the brockit faces that have made confusion in all the world."

Today the remains of the house are used as a sheep fank.

Took this snap as I was making way back out after 'climbing' Beinn Mhanach.




Nick, you could try The Gimp - http://www.gimp.org/  I've never tried - keep meaning to though - it's the free alternative to photoshop, I'm told it's very powerful but it might also mean a steep learning curve.  I assume there's plenty of guides out there, but finding the right one is the tick.

For anybody starting at photoshop wondering what the heck to do with it I'd recommend Scott Kelby's 7 point photoshop system book.  If you can excuse the terrible American  English and his OTT processing it is a great shortcut to becoming a photoshop shark.  His processing is OTT in my opinion but his technique, knowledge and step by step tutoring are excellent.  Just where he turns it up to 100%, I just turn it up 10%.  You download his images that he works on in the book and follow it all step by step.  Brilliant. 

[Tori]

Nick, gimp is an ok program for free. Photoshop takes a lot of learning. Lightroom is probably what I'd recommend, even an earlier copy, maybe 3, would be pennies on eBay now. I use it for 90% of my editing. Plus, if you ever need a hand with Lightroom, I know it backwards, so I'm always happy to help
Thanks for the nice comments, much appreciated. It's nice when folk like what you do.

[nick crisp]

Took this snap as I was making way back out after 'climbing' Beinn Mhanach.




Nick, you could try The Gimp - http://www.gimp.org/  I've never tried - keep meaning to though - it's the free alternative to photoshop, I'm told it's very powerful but it might also mean a steep learning curve.  I assume there's plenty of guides out there, but finding the right one is the tick.

For anybody starting at photoshop wondering what the heck to do with it I'd recommend Scott Kelby's 7 point photoshop system book.  If you can excuse the terrible American  English and his OTT processing it is a great shortcut to becoming a photoshop shark.  His processing is OTT in my opinion but his technique, knowledge and step by step tutoring are excellent.  Just where he turns it up to 100%, I just turn it up 10%.  You download his images that he works on in the book and follow it all step by step.  Brilliant.

That pic - time to pitch the tent!  :lol
:eek  "the gimp"?! You'll have Exupnut posting on this in a minute!  :lol

Seriously tho, that kind of weather I don't mind in the hills - as long as it doesn't settle in for days. It's when the rain eases and the clouds begin to clear I find that you want the camera ready.

And that shot is just the kind of thing to inspire a watercolour - a perfect composition for it.

Thanks for the tips, it'll give me something to look at through the winter.

Oh, and just saw your post Tori, thanks for that too, looks like I'm going to be busy! 

[VNA]

Just a wee snow flurry Nick at about this time last year, but I think it worked well for the snap.

Don't under estimate the power of the gimp.

I use Lightroom to catalogue my raw files and to set up the raw files up for use in photoshop.
Presumably it can be used on jpeg and tiff files - Tori?

Everything I do starts as a raw file so I wouldn't know.

Certainly if it can, it's a great way to import and catalogue your files and the develop module has the basic controls you need to set up and image and is very easy to use.

There are of course free alternatives.  But not something I've looked into. 

Photoshop is a pig, but Kelby's 7 point system book can turn anybody into a shark.  It's a step by step dummies guide and it works. 

I did look at that shot of yours.  The exposure looks OK but there's a lot of noise which makes doing much with it difficult.  That may just be the shortcoming of a basic compact - dunno.

There's some really good compact and small system camera out there that produce nice clean low noise shots.  A Canon g15 for less than 300 quid for example.  I think it's got a decent sized one inch sensor, so noise levels should be low.

I'm using a Panasonic G1 for my walking shots, it's got a 4/3rds sensor (decent size).  You can get the much more up to date and much better G5 with a kit lens for about 350 quid I think.  I got one because it's compact and light, plus there are good optics available.  There's an EVF (electronic viewfinder) rather than an optical viewfinder.  It's basically an SLR with the pentaprism and mirror box stripped out, which is why it's so compact and in turn the lens sitting closer to the camera allows for physically smaller lens. 

My G1 is the first generation, I think Panasonic were dipping their toes in the water with a new concept and the sensor is not the greatest.  So I'm itching to upgrade to the GH3 which has a much sweeter sensor. 

Blah blah blah blah blah ............................

[nick crisp]

Well, I'd be starting from absolute basics, so some of the terminology I don't understand. I can grasp that raw files contain the data from the sensor, but beyond that it gets a little confusing. I also noticed when browsing earlier today that some of the software packages limit what you can do with JPEG format, which is what my little snapper produces. A lot to learn. Can you recommend a good book on the subject for total beginners, something that perhaps explains the terminology in layman's terms?

Unfortunately, I'm not really in the position to start buying camera kit while I'm paying off the bike (bike always comes first for me!). But I also noticed that although, as Tori said, Lightroom 3 is cheaper, surprisingly not by much compared to lightroom 5. So any advantage for an amateur like myself, one over the other, and bearing in mind my camera's limitations? But will have to look at other options you've mentioned too.

Just really want to play with what I already produce to get started, I don't know if I'll ever take it much further. Dip a toe, so to speak.

[VNA]

When you shoot raw you just record data from the sensor.
When you shoot say, jpeg, the camera is making decisions on what to do with the data in order for it to become a digital image.

The advantage is shooting raw is that I make the decisions after the shot has been taken rather than the camera when the shot is taken.
You get a bit more flexibility in what you can do with a raw file and how much correction it will take before it turns to mush.

But raw is not available on all cameras, though it is becoming increasingly popular on more advanced compacts etc.

But you don't need to worry about raw.  Though if you buy Lightroom make sure it will handle jpeg and tiff files.

If you just wanna dip a toe why not read up on and try some of the free software out there.

Though Lightroom pricing, unlike photoshop, is not unreasonable.

A quick google;

Top ten free image editors - http://www.techradar.com/news/software/a...ry-1135489 

[VNA]

Time for another snap.

Is roadscape allowed?

The main trunk road through South Harris;

[nick crisp]

Fleetwith Pike, Buttermere, Lake District.

Yeah, but I'm at a disadvantage  :'(

[mickvp]

these are all straight out the camera too nick with no PP done. before I got my DSLR though(well, the first two are, not the last 3):

The view from the top of the CN tower in Toronto:


The view from the hotel room in Niagara:


Back to our own country(This ones from near Arrochar):


And again:


Nighttime Run up Rowardennan (this was taken in near pitch black whilst resting the camera on top of my car):


thats more than enough for now. Ive only actually managed out 1 day this year (which is when i took the image above in pitch black). Just dont get enough time for it nowadays. shame, as I was just about starting to figure things out  :rolleyes

[nick crisp]

Wow, that sky in the Rowardennan shot is fantastic. 

For everything that can be done with photo software, nature, I think, has some equally astounding effects.

[mickvp]

for me, i noticed a marked improvement in my shots after i moved to my basic DSLR, as it allowed much more control over just "auto" mode. for the first few weeks i was finding i would only get 1 or 2 "keeper" shots out of 100 or so, but over time it gets easier.

does your compact allow you any control over shutter,aperture, or iso, Nick? (As I know some of them do, which is essentially all I fiddle with on mine - I dont have many fancy lenses just yet)

[nick crisp]

No Mick, but it has various modes for portrait, landscape, night time shots, slow shutter speed for a couple of different applications, sunset mode (enhances colours, but not hugely effective), snow scenes etc. I guess these use various combinations of ISO, shutter speed etc, but don't give total control.

Wish I lived in an area like Scotland, Lakes etc. It'd be much more worthwhile laying out for some decent kit then, and could get out in the hills all times of day/year.  :\

[mickvp]

you should consider even getting some cheap budget used gear if you want to get more into it Nick. that way the outlay will be minimal and you can sell it on again for no loss if you decide its not for you.

FWIW, Talk Photography has quite a busy sales section on there forum, but you do need to have a certain amount of posts to get access. Getting a cheap DSLR, or even a bridge camera which gives you more control, will help you better understand the shenanigans going on inside the camera (that last picture I posted wouldnt be possible with a compact, as I had to set the shutter open for around 6-8 seconds in order to get enough light in - something beyond the scope of most compacts)

[Tori]

Nick, the best way to learn is to get out there and shoot, shoot and shoot some more. Your eye will improve also. Don't get hung up on all the technical stuff at the moment, enjoy what you have. I like the shot you just posted

[devilsyam]

Fontana lake



rio grande



utah



cortez

[nick crisp]

That Rio Grande landscape looks like good backpacking country Luke. Course there's always the risk of bears, but I know lots about them so would be ok. You just need to heed the advice that's available. Like this:

In bear country, wear small tinkling bells, so that you alert bears to your presence without startling them.
Also carry pepper spray in case you do encounter a bear.
And it's useful to be able to tell black bears and grizzly bears apart by their droppings. Black bear shit tends to contain berries and maybe small squirrels.
Grizzly bear shit contains little tinkling bells and smells of pepper spray....

And another way to be able to tell them apart:
If you see a bear, climb a tree. If it climbs the tree and kills you, it's a black bear. If it knocks the tree down and kills you, it's a grizzly bear.......

[slimwilly]

:lmao2 :lol :lol :lol :lmao2
:lmao2              :lmao2
    un un
        un