20

INDISPENSABLE
PHOTO
TIPS
IAN PLANT
 dian plant photographys
reamscape
20 Indispensable Photo Tips
by Ian Plant
Copyright 2014

All rights reserved. This book, and all of the photographs and written text contained therein, are the intellec-
tual property of the author and are protected by U.S. and international copyright laws. No part of this book
may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the prior written permission of the author.

Author: Ian Plant

Publisher: Dreamscapes
Editor: Chris Flack
Forty photos. Twenty tips. Simple as that.
My mission is to educate, inspire, and entertain others in the art of photography. So I make my books prac-
tical, informative, fun to read, and pack them with plenty of delicious eye candy.

This eBook introduces you to many important concepts in photography. The ideas in this eBook are cov-
ered in greater depth on my blog and in other books and video tutorials for sale on my website; to delve
deeper into how to improve your photography, visit the blog or my online store.

Enjoy the bookyou'll be taking better photos in no time!

Ian Plant
Website Workshops eStore Blog

World-renowned professional landscape, wildlife, and travel photographer and

writer Ian Plant is a frequent contributor and blogger for Outdoor Photographer
Magazine, a Contributing Editor to Popular Photography Magazine, and a monthly
columnist for Landscape Photography Magazine. Ians work also appears in many
other books, calendars, ad campaigns, and magazines available worldwide. Visit his
website for plenty of gorgeous images, and daily inspiration and education in the
art of photography from top pros in the business.
1 shoot stunning light
We all love beautiful sunrises and sunsets, so it
almost goes without saying that you should take
photos at these timesbut Ill go ahead and say it
anyway. When the skies light up with color, you
should be taking photos! Sunsets and sunrises are
usually most intense when partly to mostly cloudy
skies prevail; as long as there is a large enough
gap on the horizon where the sun is going up or
down, youre likely to get colorful light striking
the clouds, as is the case with the image to the left.
Los CuernosTorres del Paine National Park, Chile.
Canon 5DII, 45mm, polarizer filter, 2-stop graduated
neutral density filter, ISO 200, f/11, 0.4 seconds.

Quick Tip: A two- or three-stop graduated neutral

density filter can come in handy when shooting
sunrise or sunset, helping to balance bright skies
with relatively dark foregrounds.
Sunrise and sunset light can create stunning color, contrast, and shadowsso get
up early and stay out late. Sleep is overrated! Cerro Gran GendarmeLos Glaciares
National Park, Argentina. Canon 5DII, 82mm, ISO 100, f/16, 1/125 second.
 2 turn obstacles into opportunities
I was getting nasty lens flare from the setting sun just outside the image frame. My
solution? Use the flare creatively. Selecting a small aperture, I created a radiating burst
of light framing the lone tree in the meadow. Whenever a technical or artistic problem
arises, find a way to turn it to your advantage. Light is LifeMt. Rainier National
Park, USA. Canon 5DII, 37mm, ISO 100, f/16, 0.4 seconds.
I couldnt get a clear view of this heron through the
trees, so I decided to use the screen of leaves cre-
atively. A wide-open aperture ensured the leaves
were rendered as out-of-focus colorful blurs. Color
SplashChincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, USA.
Canon 5DII, 500mm, ISO 200, f/4, 1/800 second.
 3 wait for the
decisive moment It is important to wait for the moment
when your subject does something
interesting; stretching its head, yawn-
ing, bitingor as is the case with this
sea turtle, surfacing for air. Becoming
a master of the moment will greatly
improve your photos. Ideally, the
moment will tell a story about your
subject. It may take some waiting, but
when the right moment comes, youll
be glad you were patient. Snorkel-
ingGladden Spit and Silk Cayes
Marine Reserve, Belize. Canon Powershot
S100 with Fisheye Fix Underwater
Housing and Fix UWL-28 Fisheye Wet
Mount Conversion Lens, ISO 200, f/4,
1/320 second.
The decisive moment occurred
when this mother cape fur seal
turned to bark at her pup. Moth-
erly LoveCape Cross Seal Reserve,
Namibia. Canon 5DIII, 500mm, ISO
800, f/8, 1/640 second.
 4 lead the eye
Nothing demands our attention more than leading
elements. Leading lines in particular can be very
powerful, but leading elements can include other
shapes, or even a progression of objects from fore-
ground to background. Leading elements encour-
age the viewer to travel deep into the composition,
creating a high level of visual engagement. For the
image to the right, I used a strong leading
lineformed by the reflection of the sky in the
water within a flooded slot canyonto direct the
viewers eye from foreground to background.
Into the West AwayGlen Canyon National
Recreation Area, USA. Canon 5DIII, 14mm, ISO 100,
f/11, 2.5 seconds.

Quick Tip: Lines provide an obvious visual cue

pointing to what is important in an image. If you
use a leading line, make sure it points somewhere
interesting. If it points, for example, outside of the
image frame, then youre not going to excite view-
ers, but rather confuse them.
Here, I selected a camera position which created a
progression of elements from near to far, helping
to draw the viewers eye into the image frame.
RemnantsJkulsrln, Iceland. Canon 5DIII,
16mm, polarizer filter, 1-stop graduated neutral den-
sity filter, ISO 200, f/11, 1 second.
 5 go with the flow with long exposures

Although humans perceive the passage of time,
cameras can record time in ways our eyes can-
not. Moving elements gradually lose distinct-
ness and form, becoming abstract and artistic
blurs and brush strokes. Long exposures can
help you capture a new perspective on reality,
and show the world in an unexpected way.
MoonscapeAdirondack State Park, USA.
Canon 1DsII, 12mm, ISO 100, f/11, 17 minutes.
For this image of Angel Falls, I used a 10-stop neutral density filter to lengthen
my exposure during sunset. Kerepakupai VenCanaima National Park, Vene-
zuela. Canon 5DIII, 16mm, 10-stop neutral density filter, polarizer filter, 2-stop gradu-
ated neutral density filter, ISO 100, f/8, 141 seconds.
 6 focus on shapes

Nature has an infinite variety of cool and interesting

shapesuse them to your advantage! Look for swirls, cir-
cles, triangles, curves, and other simple, powerful shapes to
create boldly graphic and visually engaging imagessuch
as this curve created by the interaction of shadow and light.
Shadows and SandDeath Valley National Park, USA. Canon
5DII, 50mm, ISO 50, f/11, 1/15 second.
I was attracted to the striking
shapes of these dead trees
buried in the desert. Dance of
the DeadNamib-Naukluft
National Park, Namibia. Canon
5DIII, 134mm, ISO 100, f/18,
0.5 seconds.
7 make a statement
with reflections
Reflections are a great way to add some extra style
to your nature images. Still water often works best,
although rippled or moving water can create
abstract reflections. Reflection images often work
well with a 50/50 split between the subject and its
reflection; sometimes, however, other variations
make more sense. Consider photographing only
the reflection itself and add a hint of mystery. For
the image to the left, my position was such that the
reflection (at first glance, at least) doesnt quite
seem to match the birds above, adding an eerie
quality to this photograph. The GatheringDing
Darling National Wildlife Refuge, USA. Canon 5DIII,
500mm, ISO 800, f/9, 1/500 second.
P. S. A polarizer filter is your secret weapon
when photographing reflections. Although full
polarization will remove reflections, little or no
polarization can actually enhance reflections. I
used a polarizer filter to bring out the colors in
this image, which is dominated by several differ-
ent kinds of reflections. KaleidoscopeZion
National Park, USA. Canon 5DII, 14mm, polarizer
filter, ISO 200, f/16, 8 seconds.
 8 draw attention to the center
Radiating diagonal lines leading from the image corners to the center can be very
effective at grabbing the viewers attention and holding interest over time. The key to
success is to also have areas of off-center interest, creating a visual tug-of-war between
the center and other parts of the composition. The Devils EyeApostle Islands
National Lakeshore, USA. Canon 5DII, 14mm, polarizer filter, ISO 400, f/11, 0.5 seconds.
Although some compositions can be
made to work best centered, off-
center placement can also be very
dynamic. Here, the jackals off-center
placement, coupled with its upward
diagonal stare, help create consider-
able compositional energy. Eyes on
the PrizeCentral Kalahari Game
Reserve, Botswana. Canon 70D, 560mm,
ISO 250, f/6.3, 1/400 second.
9 tell a story
The best photographs tell a story
about their subjectsuch as a well-
earned nap after a hard day of
monkey business. The Politics of
DistractionTambopata National
Reserve, Peru. Canon 5DIII, 700mm,
ISO 800, f/5.6, 1/200 second.
P. S. Wildlife images arent the only ones which can tell a
story. Use weather events to tell a story with your landscape
photos as well, such as a lost world briefly emerging from
the clouds. The Lost WorldCanaima National Park,
Venezuela. Canon 70D, 35mm, ISO 100, f/10, 1/100 second.
10 use visual anchors
Visual anchors are bold, eye-catching elements
which help simplify an otherwise busy composi-
tion by attracting the viewers attention. The
visual anchor provides an obvious reference
point, and a place for the viewer to start their
visual journey. Other elements of the scene may
attract the eye, but the visual anchor will always
command attention. The best visual anchors lead
the eye deeper into the scene, and then attract
the eye back to the anchor, staring the process
over (and hopefully over) againthe boulder in
the foreground of the image to the right is a
good example. The effect is a composition which
captivates the viewer, making it hard to tear
their eyes away. Virgin WatersChugach State
Park, USA. Canon 5DII, 21mm, polarizer filter, ISO
100, f/11, 0.8 seconds.
Theres a lot going on in this photo! The visual anchorthe motionless old woman in the
lower left with the colorful, eye-catching robehelps keep things grounded. Dreaming of
MarrakechMarrakech, Morocco. Canon 70D, 16mm, ISO 800, f/6.3, 1/6 second.
 11 light up the
world with flash
Flash is a vital, although often ignored,
nature photography accessory. Flash has
multiple uses: it can be used at low power to
add an attractive catch light to a wildlife
subjects eyes, it can provide fill light for a
subject in shadow, or it can be used at night
and during twilight to create surreal images
(such as the one to the right). Start experi-
menting with flash, and look for interesting
ways to incorporate flash into your work
flowit can open up many bold creative
opportunities. Night HeronBlackwater
National Wildlife Refuge, USA. Canon 20D,
500mm, flash, ISO 400, f/5.6, 1/4 second.

Quick Tip: A flash extenderbasically, a

lightweight, portable device which focuses
and concentrates the output of your flash
through a magnifying filtercan help you
illuminate distant subjects.
I used flash to create some fill-light for this backlit
image, and to add catch lights to the cheetahs eyes.
Morning HuntNxai Pan National Park, Botswana.
Canon 70D, 513mm, ISO 400, f/5.6, 1/200 second.
12 provide context
Dont just zoom in tightconsider taking a wider
view to provide context and show your subjects
interacting with their environment. For this
image, I didnt just want a picture of elephants;
rather, I wanted a picture that said Africa. So I
zoomed out to show the surrounding landscape,
including the characteristic tree on the left. The
result doesnt just merely record a momentit
tells a story as well. The Spirit of AfricaEtosha
National Park, Namibia. Canon 5DIII, 70mm, ISO
6400, f/2.8, 1/60 second.
By taking a broader view, I was able to show the fox in the
context of its wintry environment, telling more of a story
about its life. IceboundYellowstone National Park, USA.
Canon 1DIII, 500mm, ISO 400, f/8, 1/250 second.
13 keep it simple
Exclude extraneous elements that confuse your composition. Boil each subject down to its
essence. If something doesnt add to an image, exclude it. This scene is stripped to its barest
elements: just a hint of light, a man walking past, and then inky darkness all around. I
choose to let the alley fall in deep shadow so that it didnt compete with the most important
parts of the scene. Anything more, and the impact of the moment would have been lost.
Morning CommuteFes, Morocco. Canon 70D, 16mm, ISO 400, f/8, 1/13 second.
For this image, I zoomed in on the
most important elementsthe
caimans eye and its reflection.
Eye to EyeOsa Peninsula, Costa
Rica. Canon 5DIII, 560mm, ISO
1600, f/5.6, 1/200 second.
14 focus on the eyes
The eyes are the window to the soulthis popu-
lar expression applies with double force to wildlife
photography. For many images, an animals eyes
are the most important part of the picturethe
eyes tell the story. By making the eyes the focus of
your imagesand I mean this both literally and
figurativelyyou can greatly improve your wild-
life photographs. Above all, make sure that the
eyes are in focus. Beyond that, pay close attention
to what the eyes are doing and the direction they
are pointing. For the image to the right, eye con-
tact gives the viewer a sense of being there right in
front of the bear. One cant but help feel like
theyre being stalked with such hungry eyes upon
them. StandoffLake Clark National Park, USA.
Canon 5DII, 400mm, ISO 1600, f/5.6, 1/400 second.

Quick Tip: Sometimes autofocus will try to lock

on to your subjects ear, head, or nose instead of
the eyes. If you are having this problem, try using
a smaller aperture (such as f/8) to give you enough
extra depth-of-field to ensure the eyes are in focus.
P.S. Eye contact isnt necessary to make compelling
images. Here, the upward glance of the white-
headed capuchin monkey creates more mystery
than if the monkey had been looking at the camera.
Higher ApsirationsOsa Peninsula, Costa Rica.
Canon 5DIII, 600mm, ISO 1600, f/6.3, 1/1000 second.
Framing is an effective tool for creating depth in a photograph,
simplifying a composition, and focusing attention on important
elements of the scene. Examples of commonly used frames include
trees, natural arches, and old barn windows. Frames can also be
abstract, formed (for example) by areas of deep shadow or a con-
trasting color. Desert WindowArches National Park, USA. Canon
5DII, 17mm, 10-stop neutral density filter, ISO 200, f/18, 30 seconds.

15 frame for emphasis

Multiple frames emerge from shooting with a view of several roomsone inside
the next, like Russian nesting dolls. The Blue RoomKolmanskop, Namibia. Canon
5DIII, 24mm, ISO 400, f/14, double exposure blend of 2 seconds and 8 seconds.
get low . . . get close . . .

16 get in your face!

If you really want to wow viewers, get low and

close to interesting foreground elements with a
wide-angle lens. An in-your-face perspective
can really give viewers a sense of being there in
the scene. Also, the juxtaposition of nearby fore-
ground elements and more distant background
elements creates an illusion of perspective and
scale, which helps encourage the eye to wander
through the image. For the shot to the right, I got
very close to the foreground rocks with a wide
angle lens. I wanted to exaggerate their relative
size and importance; by making the cobbles more
prominent, they are able to visually compete with
the colorful sunrise and other elements in the
background. EventideAcadia National Park,
USA. Canon 5DIII, 17mm, 2-stop graduated neutral
density filter, polarizer filter, ISO 400, f/11, 5 seconds.
P.S. Low and close isnt just for wide-angle land-
scape images. For this portrait of an African wild
dog, I used a ground-level camera position and a
long lens for a bold perspective. On AlertNxai
Pan National Park, Botswana. Canon 70D, 506mm, ISO
400, f/6.3, 1/1000 second.
 17 shoot twilight
The colors of twilight can be otherworldly. Moving elements (such as clouds and water)
blur during long exposures and a colorful, soft light bathes the landscape. Twilight
photography means shooting on the edge of light, requiring long exposures. Adjust
your ISO to lengthen or shorten exposure times if necessary. Ancient PortalIsle of
Lewis, Scotland. Canon 5DIII, 17mm, polarizer filter, ISO 100, f/11, 30 seconds.
Shot two hours after sunset in the long-lasting twilight of an Iceland summer, this
image has an ethereal quality and unearthly mood. Time Stands StillJkulsrln,
Iceland. Canon 5DIII, 16mm, polarizer filter, 1-stop graduated neutral density filter, ISO
400, f/8, 82 seconds.
18 shoot backlight
Although some photographers live by the
maxim shoot with the sun at your back, Im
always on the lookout for opportunities to do
the exact opposite. Backlighting presents some
unique technical challenges, but the results are
well worth the effort. Backlighting can often be
dramatic, creating striking and graphic images
which attract attention from viewers. The
impact of backlighting can be especially power-
ful when the subject is in the light and the back-
ground is in shadow. Here, I photographed this
bison rolling around in backlit dust at sun-
setwith a very evocative (some might say
demonic) result. The BeastYellowstone
National Park, USA. Canon 5DII, 500mm lens, ISO
400, f/5.6, 1/1250 second.

Quick Tip: Flare is a significant challenge when

working with backlit subjects. To prevent flare,
shade your lens with a lens hood or your hand.
This stops stray light from striking the glass.
When shooting backlit subjects, I often like to include the light
source (in this case, the sun). Here, the sun creates an eye-
catching point of interest. Sand StarGreat Sand Dunes
National Park, USA. Canon 5DII, 24mm, ISO 50, f/16, 1/30 second.
 19 fill the frame
It is often (but not always) a good idea to fill the
frame with visual elements. I dont mean that
you should try to stuff everything including the
kitchen sink into your composition, but you
should include a sufficient number of visual
elements to nicely fill the frame. For example,
for the image to the right, there is an even distri-
bution of visual elements progressing from
bottom to topno area of the image is left
blank or empty. Multiple visual elements help
encourage the viewer to wander through the
composition, and to study multiple areas of
interest. Of course, many compositions work
with few elements and plenty of empty
spacebut that is a lesson for another day! The
Snake RiverGrand Teton National Park, USA.
Canon 5DIII, 61mm, 2-stop graduated neutral den-
sity filter, ISO 100, f/11, 1/30 second.
Here, I zoomed in tight to fill the frame with zebra, creating a
dynamic composition with depth and energy. Lost in the
HerdEtosha National Park, Namibia. Canon 5DIII, 700mm, ISO
400, f/5.6, 1/1250 second.
 20 get off the
beaten path
You dont need to trek deep into the wild to make
great images (although there is certainly nothing
wrong with doing so)you just need the courage
to try something different. Dont merely follow in
the tripod holes of the photographers who have
come before you. Strive to develop a style which
is your very own, and never be afraid to try new
places and subjects. Dare to dream big, and big
things will come to you. Dawn GreetingLos
Glaciares National Park, Argentina. Canon 5DIII,
24mm, ISO 400, f/6.3, 1/640 second.
Eternal MirrorTorres del Paine National Park, Chile. Canon 5DIII,
24mm, polarizer filter, 3-stop neutral density filter, ISO 100, f/11, 30 seconds.
 Explore Your Vision
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