In this portion of my photograph essay I am going to talk about camera techniques, capturing landscapes, and tips for taking pictures. Taking pictures of landscapes seems like an easy feat, and for the most part it is. Most landscapes we photograph are beautiful enough that any camera angle can’t help but be beautiful as well. On the other hand, in order to reap the full reward from taking the picture you really must explore with different angles, viewpoints, and much much more. For example the picture I included here is the same backyard as in the previous post, but the camera is tilted and raised above my head. By doing this I have allowed myself to see the scenery in a different light. At least in my imagination the picture went from being a classic river landscape that I have explored extensively, to a river flowing down the side of a mountain with trees tipping precariously over what seems to turn into a waterfall. I also seemed to capture more of the river by turning my camera like this, allowing the viewer to see the rapids that my smooth flowing river leads too. Other then tilting or raising your camera to capture a better view there are plenty of other things that can be done to increase the intrinsic value of your picture. Kodak.com shares loads of tips for taking photos of nature, here I will talk about some of the tips I felt were helpful to me. One of the things that you can do to better capture a picture is to “step into the light”. Kodak says to “Look for interesting combinations of color, light, shadow and texture.” this may mean changing the zoom setting or flash setting of your camera, just work with things until you think you have it just right. Speaking about settings Kodak also says that when taking a picture you should “explore your camera modes”. Most cameras have at least three settings including: “Landscape mode” which “optimizes the camera settings for landscape photos and capturing objects at great distances”, I used this mode on my camera when taking my pictures. “Macro-mode” is also another helpful mode that is “perfect for taking extreme close-up photos”. And lastly “Panorama stitch mode” which can stitch several pictures together. Another thing that Kodak warns about, is that you should be careful of glare in your pictures. This happens when light obstructs the photo, and can be avoided by simply changing your position or angle. Although changing settings and the angle of your shot is important, remember that what makes a picture beautiful is primarily the picture itself. This is why Kodak reminds us that one of the most important aspects of taking a picture is “Location, location, location”. Get out of your house and explore nature until you find that one view that you want to keep forever, and capture it.
Works Cited: http://www.kodak.com/ek/US/en/Home_Main/Tips_Projects_Center/Learn/Photo_Tips_Techniques/Nature_Photography/Nature_Photography.htm
