HOW TO

PHOTOGRAPH
LANDSCAPES
LIKE A PRO
With Multi-Award Winning
Professional Photographer

STEVE RUTHERFORD

[Link]
[Link]
Praise from photography students taught by Internationally Awarded and Accredited Australian
Pro Photographer Steve Rutherford who has been teaching photography for over a decade.

“WOW, great training, so much content, wish I had done this earlier, thanks for your local
advice too, Steve”
Heather Francini, Auckland NZ

“If you want to take your photography to the next level you have to discover photography
with Steve Rutherford”
Dave Phillips, Mackay ([Link])

“Hi Steve, Brilliant content....what a way to learn, now I know spending the $$ on my
camera was worth it...thanks so much.”
Tracey Woolstock, Darwin, NT

“Hey Steve, Thanks a million for your help I have over 400 images from my holiday to
work on, I’m on it, Cheers”
Sandra Marks, Brisbane, QLD

“I haven’t come across a better way to learn how to capture images in any situation, than
this training”
Michael Pollock, Atherton QLD

“Enjoyable, casual approach, awesome content.”

Pam Whyte, Cairns QLD - The Boutique Collection
COPYRIGHT STATEMENT
RUTHERFORD INTERNATIONAL PTY LTD

The Author and the Publisher specifically disclaim any liability, loss or risk, which is incurred
as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and application of any contents of this work.
Readers are encouraged to seek the counsel of competent professionals, with regard to such
matters as interpretation of rights, lawful entry, and permission pertaining to personal and
location releases of subjects. This book is not intended to provide legal advice for
photographers in any way, and the opinions expressed and compiled herein serve only as
opinions and general guidance.

First published in Australia in 2013 by Rutherford International Pty Ltd.

PO Box 2421, Chermside Centre, QLD 4032
Ph. +617 3102 3353
admin@[Link]

Copyright © Rutherford International 2013

The moral right of the Author, Steve Rutherford has been asserted. All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in
whole in or part, in any form or by any means, without the express written permission of the
Publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which
it is published and without a similar condition including the condition being imposed on the
subsequent purchaser.

First Published in 2013

Ed. 1.1
ISBN 978-0-9874576-0-8
OTHER GREAT TITLES IN THIS SERIES...
[Link]
[Link]
HOW TO PHOTOGRAPH ANYTHING LIKE A PRO
HOW TO PHOTOGRAPH YOUR KIDS LIKE A PRO
HOW TO PHOTOGRAPH PEOPLE LIKE A PRO
HOW TO PHOTOGRAPH WILDLIFE LIKE A PRO
HOW TO PHOTOGRAPH THE NIGHT SKY LIKE A PRO (Coming early 2013)
HOW TO PHOTOGRAPH WATERFALLS LIKE A PRO (Coming early 2013)
HOW TO PHOTOGRAPH ARCHITECTURE & REAL ESTATE (Coming early 2013)
HOW TO TELL A PHOTOGRAPHIC STORY LIKE A PRO (Coming early 2013)
PHOTOGRAPHY FOR TEENAGERS (Coming early 2013
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Ah... books. What a wonderful resource at the end of our fingertips. Often it takes many people
to bring a single book together, and often a seriously large team to bring a series of books
together. A wise man once said, “the heights of success are not climbed by oneself, rather
with others holding the ladder with you”, implying a team of mentors and helpers, is what
drives you towards success, not the efforts of the “lone ranger” There are a few people that
have helped bring this first set of books in the “How to Photograph Anything” Series together,
and they are to be acknowledged for their support, ideas, tenacious critique and selfless
assistance.

Firstly, to my wife and intimate personal mentor, Tanya, thank you for your assistance, love,
drive and commitment, in bringing this project to life. I love you very dearly. I’d also like to
thank my friend and best selling author and entrepreneur, Andrew Griffiths. You have well and
truly aided me in many areas of business, marketing and the importance of personal
relationships. I can’t thank you enough for your friendship. To the contributors and
photographers, who assisted in this compilation of content in this series of books, thank you
also.

Finally I am deeply thankful to the multitudes of attendees at my photography training seminars,

in Australia, and those readers of our magazine, Photographic Fanatic Magazine, for your
continued support. Without each of you there would be no point in teaching people the passion
of photography.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Australian Photographer, and Editor of Photographic Fanatic Magazine, Steve Rutherford is

regarded as a reputable name in the international photographic world. With a multitude of
Australian and International awards, high demand for his creative vision in fine art, and
hundreds seeking his training courses and seminars, he is clearly a photographer on the move.

Previously a high level manager within the Australian Federal Police and a Prison Officer with
the notorious Long Bay Prison’s Riot and Emergency Response Squad in Sydney, Steve
Rutherford’s background has been as diverse as the images he captures. There is no doubt that
any person with this past has seen both the best and the worst that humanity can be. Steve uses
this experience when adding his own unique perspective to the world. Such a perspective can
expose the story of a single floating leaf on a tropical island paradise, or the grandeur of
midnight in New York.

Steve Rutherford is accredited and registered as an award winning professional photographer

by the AIPP (Australian Institute of Professional Photography), and the PPA (Professional
Photographers of America) having accumulated over 50 International and National awards so
far. Steve is also qualified as an Associate of Photography with the AIPP and NZIPP (New
Zealand Institute of Professional Photography), and was past President of the N. QLD Chapter
of the AIPP

Steve Rutherford travels extensively, both for commercial clients and to collect images for his
own fine art library. He has photographed extensively around Australia, NZ, Vanuatu, New
Caledonia, Indonesia, Hawaii, mainland USA, Alaska and Canada. He is also represented by In
Transit Images in Montreal, Canada. Visit – [Link]
CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
HOW TO PHOTOGRAPH LANDSCAPES LIKE A PRO
WHAT EQUIPMENT DO I NEED?
WHICH LENS FOR WHICH LANDSCAPE?
WHAT TYPE OF LIGHT DO I NEED?
HOW TO CHOOSE A COMPOSITION FOR GREAT LANDSCAPES.
HOW TO DEMONSTRATE SIZE AND SCALE IN LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY
THE HORIZON LINE AND KEEPING YOUR HORIZONS STRAIGHT
TIPS AND TRICKS USED BY PROFESSIONAL LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHERS
WHAT TO SHOOT IN BAD WEATHER
HOW TO SHOOT ON CLOUDY DAYS
HOW TO SHOOT IN BRIGHT SUNLIGHT
TIPS FOR SHOOTING PANORAMAS
TIPS FOR SHOOTING SUNRISES AND SUNSETS
THE TRICK TO GETTING RICHER COLORS
GETTING RID OF LENS FLARE
CAPTURING INTERESTING MOUNTAIN SHOTS
TIPS FOR SHOOTING FORESTS
WHAT ARE THE LEGALITIES I NEED TO BE AWARE OF WHEN SHOOTING
LANDSCAPES
HOW DOES COPYRIGHT WORK (IN MOST COUNTRIES)
WHAT CAN I DO WITH MY IMAGES?
WORLDS BEST LOCATIONS FOR LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY
GLOSSARY
What you’ll discover in this book...
“How to Photograph Landscapes like a Pro”
Landscape photography can be fun and exhilarating, travelling to different exotic locations to
see some of the most beautiful natural environments in the world. This book, “How to
Photograph Landscapes like a Pro” will take you on a journey of discovery of the many secrets
that professional landscape photographers, use to capture stunning award winning shots.

The No. 1 SECRET pro photographers use to get the WOW factor every time.
The tricks and techniques pro photographers use for every shot.
Which camera will turn your shots from amateur to professional?
How to save time and money using the right equipment.
How to turn your photography passion and creativity into a BIG $ income.

Finding the best resource to better your photographic skills can often be like looking for a
needle in a haystack, but the “How to Photograph Anything like a Pro” Book Series, has been
built to GIVE YOU the very best tools and step by step resources to help you take great photos.
Internationally Awarded and accredited Australian Pro Photographer Steve Rutherford has
been teaching photography for nearly a decade and has a genuine ability to explain photography
techniques in simple easy to understand practical terms. For just the cost of a coffee, Steve has
now captured all these secret techniques and tips in this easy to follow affordable Photography
Book Series. Make sure you also claim your free gift at the end of the book (before the
glossary)!.

Photography is a way of seeing the world and capturing your memories; it’s also the most
popular hobby on the planet. Some say great photos can only be created by a photographer, who
has mastered the broad technical and aesthetic challenges that require quick decisions.
Decisions about shutter speed, aperture, ISO, composition, focal length, gesture, and the
precise moment of exposure when capturing a photograph. With the “How to Photograph
Anything like a Pro” book series, these decisions become instinctual through the easy step by
step instruction provided by Steve Rutherford, an award-winning industry professional.

Enjoy the book.

WHAT EQUIPMENT DO I NEED?
Landscape photographers really need to focus on having equipment that easily fits in a
backpack, as you will need to be mobile. Getting the perfect landscape shot often means hiking
for miles in search of the correct framing and the right sun position to get the lighting you
desire. You need to be able to react quickly, for both your personal safety and what is
happening in the scene you are looking to capture. Even though your target is not a moving one,
positioning is vital to ensure you have your shots that stand out from the rest.

Choosing Your Camera

Although it may seem obvious, investing in a good camera is crucial to capturing high quality
images. DSLR cameras usually have all the features you will need to access, in order to
manipulate and work your images quickly and efficiently. The more you work with your
camera, the more you will understand the settings. You will be able to figure out how to get the
right exposure in order to highlight the landscape in a pleasing way.

With so many models and different brands to choose from, buying a camera for landscape
photography can sometimes be harder than picking a location to shoot. Your primary concern
will probably be whether you want to use a digital or film camera. Each has distinct advantages
and disadvantages. The prime advantage of digital cameras is convenience, being able to
download your images straight away onto a computer without having to wait for any film to be
developed. With film, the advantage (in my opinion, and considering price points on what you
get for your money) is quality.

If you decide you want to get serious about photography, you will at some stage have to buy a
medium and large format camera, either digital or film. These cameras can provide a negative
up to 10 times larger than that of a standard 35mm negative, (See Film), or larger digital
sensors, that can capture seriously large digital files, some up to 200MB per file. The latter
will cost you much more, than a film version of a large format camera, but the convenience is
far greater, due to the need to manually scan film.

The king of landscapes is without a doubt the panoramic format. This format is predominantly
available in film formats only, but there is one panoramic digital camera, the Seitz...but it will
mean you’ll need to shell out $30,000 plus. Available in all film sizes, from 35mm to large
format, there are relatively cheap versions of panoramic cameras that will get you started with
immediately high quality images that can be printed to over a meter wide, without loss of
quality.

For landscape and travel photography, definitely consider using an SLR rather than a compact
point and shoot camera. If all you want is an easy-to-use camera that offers a limited zoom
range, then a point-and-shoot will do just fine to get you started though.

Common Film Cameras - $500 - $3,000

Common Digital Cameras - $200 - $7,000

35mm Panoramic FILM Cameras - $1000 - $5,000

Large Format Panoramic FILM Cameras - $10,000 - $15,000

Digital Panoramic Cameras - $30,000 +

Digital Large Format Cameras - $30,000 +

You should choose a camera that leaves you room to grow. Even though it might seem like the
settings or possibilities are above your skill level, as you spend more time working with it, you
will find these are exactly the features you need to take the shots you want to take.

Lenses

Lenses or “glass” as photographers refer to the equipment, mean the difference between
professional level photographs and point and shoot jobs. Basically, the glass gives you the
perspective and the ability to take quality images. The balance of the light and the focal points
are all interior to the gearing of the system. Professional lenses are balanced in a way that make
the images come out crisp and perfect.

A wide angle is the lens you will use the most often when it comes to taking scenery shots. As
you need to fit everything in a backpack, you likely won’t want to travel with a huge number of
lenses. It is good to also pack a zoom lens as well. This will give you other framing options
should you not be able to get as close as you like to the landscape you wish to photograph.

Tripod

In order to take a good landscape image you need a pretty large depth of field, but that often
requires a smaller aperture. This means you will not be able to move even in the slightest or it
will show up on your image. A tripod will ensure the camera does not move and it eliminates
camera shake. While there are “steadying” options on the camera, it tends to pixelated the
image and cannot be as effective as the tripod.

Another reason to use a tripod when taking landscape images is you can then try time-lapse
work. You can ensure the exact same shot at different points throughout the day to show the
passing of light and the sun. This often produces a great effect and ultimately ends up with you
getting exactly the shot you were looking for.

Filters

Filters help a lens process light differently. A filter is something that can make up for things you
cannot control on your own. A UV filter and a polarizing filter can both help when the sun is
affecting your shot. It also helps to reduce flare in your lens and can make up for light
variations. Neutral density and color correction filters can adjust the overall coloring your
landscape shots. You can use different color filters to add a different hue to your shot than what
actually existed. While you can do much of this in post-production or after effects now, this is
the traditional way to change images on the fly. You can see the difference immediately because
of the digital screen.
Neutral/Graduated Density Filters have a graduated area of color (or density) across the
surface of the filter. Neutral filters are good for holding back the brightness of a sky so you can
expose for a dark foreground. They typically come in one, two and three stop densities.
Colored graduates do the same thing but add a tinge of color to the sky. You often see this effect
in magazine advertisements. The best split field filters are manufactured by Cokin and Hoya
and are available as a rectangular filter that slides into a lens-mounted frame so you can
precisely position the area of density.

Star filters are great to experiment with for starscapes and night photography. They create
pretty patterns from the point of a light source, such as starts, light bulbs, candles and the
sparkling reflection on water. Typically they come in 4, 6 and 8-point configurations..

Spare Battery

Spare batteries are very important. You don’t want to finally make it out to the perfect spot only
to find out that you don’t have any juice for your camera. At least one back-up battery is good,
but you might want two. If you have a separate flash or anything else that takes batteries in your
kit such as a light meter, be sure to pack batteries for that as well.

Remote Image Capture

Remote image capture is a button you can hold in your hand that releases the shutter on the
camera. This is an important feature if you are taking low light images. The slightest movement,
such as pushing the button, can mess up the photo. By using a remote button you are not affecting
the camera at all, it is all electronic and your shot will be perfect.

A good and heavy-duty camera bag

When it comes to a camera bag, you will want something that is heavy duty and can handle the
backcountry. You don’t want anything that is easy to snag or tear. You want a bag that is easy to
carry, so it should have a handle length that works for you. Another option is to get one that is a
backpack. This allows you to easily carry it and keep both of your hands free.

You want the inside to be well padded to protect your camera and your lenses. You also need
to ensure you have different compartments for your various pieces of equipment. You will also
want to have straps that will allow you to clamp equipment to the outside of the bag as well,
such as the tripod.
WHICH LENS FOR WHICH LANDSCAPE?
There are no steadfast rules when it comes to lenses and photography. Each photographer
develops a style of their own in order to leave their personal stamp and vision on the pictures.
Ansel Adams is probably one of the most famous landscape photographers and his images are
marked by incredible contrast. As you experiment with different lenses and different
landscapes you will find your own personal preferences.

Wide-angle Lens

In photographing landscapes, the most common lens photographer’s use is the wide-angle lens.
With many to choose from, you should research the various lens companies and how the lens
attaches with the camera body you have chosen. The wide-angle lens will allow you to get
closer to a landscape and still catch more of the area. If you have a standard lens you will only
be able to see a small portion of the mountain or the sky whereas the wide-angle lens gives you
a bigger scale to work with. You have more control of the framing when you deal with a wide-
angle lens. This should probably be your first lens purchase if finances limit you. You can then
experiment and decide on other lenses to buy as you have more money to spend later on.

Telephoto Lens

A telephoto lens is not typically thought of when it comes to landscape photography but it can
be a good addition to your photography kit. With a telephoto lens you can take images of
landscapes that are a bit farther away. You can pinpoint a portion of the image and frame things
differently. You can easily remove parts of the surroundings that are undesirable. This should
be the last lens purchase you make if you are trying to limit the money you are spending up
front.

Standard Zoom Lens

A zoom lens should be the second lens you consider when you are buying. This gives you the
option of changing your focal length and your framing without moving too far. This is
particularly good for areas you cannot get to by walking or driving. You have a greater freedom
when it comes to controlling the overall frame of your landscape shot. Zoom lenses tend to
require more light than other lenses, so it is not the ideal lens for working in dark conditions.
Macro Lens

A Macro lens is not really for landscape photography as a whole, but it is a good way to add to
the environment. A macro lens gets you up close to particular things like raindrops, leaves and
bugs. It features a very small focal length and gets the details of what you are looking at. You
can use this to work with what is becoming popularly known as “micro-landscapes.” This
means up close to a tree or water or anything that has detail taking time to discern. There have
been many photos taken of various leaves and environments and then allowing others to figure
out what the image is of.
WHAT TYPE OF LIGHT DO I NEED?
Landscape lighting has to do with the ambient and natural light available to you. Because you
are dealing with such a vast environment and often from a great distance, you can’t really
control the light on the landscape in any way. This means you need to understand the lighting of
different parts of the day. You will also find out that different times of the year produce
different light patterns.

You may even discover you want to go back to the same locations in order to catch the colors
and lighting of various times of year. You can even do a series showing all the seasons in one
particular area. Most importantly you need to know how the light is going to affect the look of
the final image. The weather also affects how the light will play off the landscape; overcast
days are often some of the best for photography.

One or Two Hours before Sunrise

Sunrise and sunset provide very different looks to the surroundings. In the morning the light
tends to be more purple and golden than at sunset. You will also get a few different shades of
pink. As the sun comes up it may also give clouds an “aura” or glowing look, which add depth
to your landscape photographs.

Sunrise

Once the sun is actually starting to come up you can get a hint of the actual sun in your image.
You can also use the slightly muted light to give you an eerie look to mountains and trees. If you
shoot with the sun behind you, it will be eerie. If you shoot towards the sun it gives you more of
a glowing, fresh look, but be careful of lens flare. Shooting directly into the sun, can cause the
light to bounce directly off your lens straight through your image, causing spots or circles of
light, that look similar to bubbles. Depending in the effect you are looking for, this flare may
help your shot or kill it.

Late Afternoon

Late afternoon photos are often preferable because they produce fewer shadows across your
landscape. The placement of the camera can completely eliminate any shadows at all. Because
the sun is lower in the sky, light penetrates through a lot more of your landscape, is a lot less
glary, and can really add drama and appeal to your shot. Whatever you do, try to avoid the
middle of the day, your camera will struggle, your eyes will struggle, and you’ll have a lot less
editing to do.

Sunset

Sunset and slightly before is known as “golden” hour. This is when you will get a golden hue
on just about anything you shoot. It can add warmth to the imagery taking the landscape to a
whole new level. You will be surprised at how differently the very same landscape can look at
this time of day.
Night

Night lighting is very complicated. You need to make sure you set the shutter speed slow
enough so you have enough light to expose the image but not so large that it will become overly
noisy, or grainy. This can be a great time to take city landscape images, as the streets carry a lot
of lighting and can create an overall glow, using reflected light.

The seasons tend to produce a different sense of light because of our proximity to the sun.
Summer offers the most orange of hues. Springtime tends to produce lots of pink light. Fall or
autumn gives you lots shadows and yellow hues to your images. Winter tends to be absent of
color but you can still get lots of “glow” on your images. Studying your area or the area where
you are traveling to, will help you determine what to be prepared for when you go. You will
want different filters depending on the time of the year and the type of light you will be
encountering.
HOW TO CHOOSE A COMPOSITION FOR
GREAT LANDSCAPE
Composition is the art aspect of photography. It is how a photographer sees, arranges and
combines the elements of an image. It requires a sense of style as well as knowledge of the
technical aspects of how an eye perceives and processes images. You may or may not have the
“natural” instincts some people have but you can always learn the technical aspect of
composition in order to make pleasing images. The more you practice the better your “eye”
will become. What feels weird and complicated at the start will become progressively easier
with each photo you take.

Rule of Thirds

Taking the time to find a pleasing and effective placement for your main subject is crucial to the
success of your landscape photographs. This is the number 1 SECRET pro photographers use to
get the WOW factor everytime. One method, first explored by painters from the Renaissance
period, which artists have been using for centuries, is the Rule of Thirds. It involves mentally
dividing the viewfinder frame into thirds, both horizontally and vertically. A bit like a Naughts
and Crosses or a Tic Tac Toe board. The four lines and four intersections of these lines can
then be used as invisible guidelines to help you find the most dynamic subject placements.

By locating a subject at one of the four intersections--as opposed to nailing it squarely in the
centre of the frame, for example--you give it added emphasis. The technique works well with
all subjects but is particularly effective when you are photographing a relatively small subject
surrounded by a large expanse of space or against a plain background. The visual weight of
your subject balances the vast emptiness.

A sailboat on a calm sea centered in the frame appears stagnant and overwhelmed by its
surroundings, but if it is placed at a thirds intersection, its position fulfills our need for a
dynamic visual tension. Sounds strange, but subliminally, your brain processes it easier due to
nothing other than a balanced view of the scene.

You can also use thirds to help organize and support secondary subjects by setting them at
diagonally opposite intersections--for example, placing a lone oak tree (the main subject) at the
lower left juncture and the rising full moon (a secondary subject) diagonally opposite and
above at the upper right intersection. Again, you achieve balance and dynamics.

Thirds divisions can also help you decide where to place the horizon. If you place it along one
of the two frame divisions, you have a quick and effective shortcut for deciding how to arrange
the composition. Imagine, for instance, that you’re photographing a Caribbean beach scene that
includes sand, sea, and sky. Placing the horizon at the upper line gives the sky one third of the
frame and the foreground two thirds, accenting the beach and water. Conversely, placing it
along the bottom division line accents the sky by giving it two thirds of the frame. You can use
the same principle whether you’re shooting horizontally or vertically. Remember though,
whatever you place into the two-thirds section, make it interesting, this is especially the case
with expansive skies.
You simply divide the frame into three pieces both horizontally and vertically. You want to put
the parts of the image you are most interested in closest to the intersections. For example, a
sunset requires that you put the sunset itself in the bottom third leaving the sky in the top two
thirds rather than putting it right in the middle. It provides a more pleasing result, one that your
eye naturally takes in as the way the sunset really looks.

Leading Lines

You should use any naturally occurring lines you see, to create lines in your image. These are
known as leading lines and draw the viewer into the image, creating a perception of depth. This
makes sense and ensures a really easy way for eyes to comprehend a certain perspective.
You may not think of lines as being as exciting a landscape subject as, say, a jungle snake
slithering through the grass. But photograph that snake and you will surely have captured a
distinctive---and emotionally charged--line. Nor would the idea of photographing a line in the
sand seem irresistibly intriguing, unless of course, it was the sinuous line of a sand dune
shifting in a desert wind.

Lines have many uses in a photograph. They can divide, unify, or accent certain parts of a
composition. Lines lead the eye into a scene. Stand on a train platform and you’ll see it’s all but
impossible to keep your eye from following the line of the tracks to the horizon. Parallel lines
that appear to converge this way create what’s known as one-point or linear perspective, potent
for showing distance and depth in a photograph.

Curves

Curved lines can lead equally well: The undulating lines of the country road draw the eye into
the frame. Curved lines are most effective when there is some relationship between line and
subject, such as winding stone steps leading to a castle door. You can exaggerate their impact
further by using a wide-angle lens and finding a vantage point close to the beginning of the
lines, getting close to a railing of fence, for example. Curves can be used to bind a few areas
together. Flowing rivers or the edge of a lake can help to give a forced perspective to how
massive the landscape you are shooting is. You don’t want a curve right in the center of the
photo but rather in one of the outer thirds to force the eye to focus on the flow. If it is too
centered it feels as though the bend is all the viewer should see.

Foreground, Middle ground, Background

The entire image should not all be on one plane. Some trees in front of the mountains or a small
building or wildlife can help you see how large the whole background is. It also helps to give
the image depth and build scale. Most often the main focus of your image should be in the
middle, while the foreground (what’s close to you) should be something not too distracting like
leaves, or shells or sand. The background (what’s far from you) of landscapes is usually clouds
or sky or maybe a lighthouse. This helps to give you sense of how far reaching the view truly
extends.

Framing

There’s an old adage in photography that says if you want to improve your photographs 100
percent, move closer. It’s true. The one sure way to keep from including too much extraneous
information in a photograph is to fill the frame with your subject and nothing but your subject.
Filling the frame from edge to edge leaves little doubt about what your intended target was.
There are two ways to get closer: Use a telephoto lens (see Lenses) or put some more wear on
your walking shoes.

The simple act of making your subject bigger in the frame involves the viewer at a much more
intense level. A chin-to-forehead portrait of an interesting face, for example, immediately puts
the viewer eye-to-eye with your subject. A very tight shot of a bear--even if you made it with a
long lens at the zoo--creates breathless drama. As soon as you think you’re close enough to
your subject, take a few steps forward (provided you’re not on the rim of the Grand Canyon)
and try again. Just before you snap the shutter, roll your eye around the frame and see if there’s
anything you can eliminate.

A somewhat unknown little fact is that the human eye sees at an angle equivalent to a 50mm
lens in the 35mm format. So....a wide angle lens, say 28mm, which captures more than the eye’s
direct vision and invokes our “peripheral vision”....has to push the subject away in the frame to
fit it all in.....hence why your waterfall can look like its 100m away as opposed to the 30m
away that it actually is.

Using the surroundings to create a frame around your central focus helps the eye to know what
you find the most important as the artist. Even if you are putting your major focus off center, the
way you set your framing is the clue to your audience as to what you were going for when you
took the photo.

Knowing these rules of photography can help you understand how others see what you see. You
are more than welcome to break the rules or change the rules as you see fit but you need to
practice in order to know what you like best, and more importantly when these rules can be
broken. Overall, the final composition is up to you, but showing others your work will help you
get a feel for what is working and what is not. Your images are only as strong as what other
people can understand from them.
HOW TO DEMONSTRATE SIZE AND SCALE IN
LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY
Many breathtaking landscapes span a broad area, and the majestic becomes dwarfed because
there is no true sense of size. Grand mountains only seem grand when you understand the scale.
A large tree only seems so large if you have something to compare it to. If not it all only looks
like the three inches it is on the photograph, in other words not very impressive. In order to
convey this size you must scale your images.

With people

Human scale is often used in landscape photography, but only in the portrait sense. While it is
something you are likely used to working with, it is not particularly helpful when you are trying
to grow your landscape shooting capabilities. Most landscapes are not shot with people. Where
you can use it, is in silhouette or from a great distance. You just need to make sure you do not
make it look like a portrait.

Small people at the edge of a river help to showcase how large the river is. Small bodies
climbing a trail can help you to show the size of a mountain. Trees can often be used as well,
but there often needs to be something quite specific, so you can see how tall the trees are.

With relatively known objects

Buildings next to vehicles or trains or even planes can help you showcase how grand the scale
of the landscape is. The cars on a bridge can help you see how large the bridge is. A boat on a
large lake can give the viewer a sense of the overall size of the lake as well as the type of
weather the water is experiencing. In more deserted areas, you can use something that juts out
of the grass or off the beach to showcase just how sweeping the dunes or formations might be.

With animals

Animals are of particular importance in areas like the desert or the Serengeti where the
landscape is very flat. A giraffe next to a tree can help to give you a depth through the tall grass
all around. Typically, it will be wild animals but in city landscapes, a cat along a ledge or a
dog on a balcony can give you a sense of how high up the building truly extends.
You can get more creative with scaling items as well. It might seem hard with landscapes, as
you usually don’t’ want to detract from the full image. Scaling is much easier to do when you
are shooting people or smaller scale items. You will find you can get very creative when trying
to work with landscapes, you might even find something that becomes your own signature.
THE HORIZON LINE AND KEEPING YOUR
HORIZON STRAIGHT
Horizon lines give a photo a sense of perspective. You don’t often notice the horizon because
your eye is so used to seeing it, but it is really how you process your place and your
surroundings. Your horizon in a photo needs to be straight in order for your image to make
sense. It helps to set up the overall feel of the placement of the things in the image and how it
relates to the world.

In most cases, it is ideal and recommended to keep the horizon perfectly straight, especially in
landscape photography. This is because our brain seeks a natural level or balance to reference
from. When the horizon line in your photo is slightly tilted, it would cause confusion, thereby
creating an imbalance around the photograph. This is a common mistake of new photographers
because it is a tiny element that is easily overlooked.

Trying to make certain your horizon is straight; it is often best to use the viewfinder rather than
the LCD screen. There can be a bit of distortion when the image is translated from the lens to
the screen. The viewfinder gives you a more accurate view of what the lens is seeing. You also
need to work on keeping your hand still. If you cannot do so, working with a tripod will keep
your camera level and the horizon level.

Where you place the horizon determines the focus of your image. By working with the top or
bottom third of the image you usually put forth a better perspective. A line right down the
middle of the image either horizontally or vertically tends to divide the image in half and it
doesn’t make a pleasing image in the end.

Again if you do it the other way around, still practicing rule of thirds, putting the horizon line on
the upper portion of the frame parallel to the top horizontal line, it can show distance and
vastness. The foreground element emphasizes the sweeping line of the horizon, be it a field,
dessert or mountains. Keeping your aperture high (such F11, 13, 16 etc) can assure sharpness
and focus of your photograph as you do this.
TIPS AND TRICKS USED BY PROFESSIONAL
LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHERS
There are many factors that can affect the quality of your photos. Professionals stand out mostly
due to practice and a deeper understanding of the landscapes being shot. Professionals did not
always shoot images that were perfect; they developed this technique over time. There are a
few things you should focus on in order to improve the quality of your own images. You can
develop your style and your eye the longer you work with your camera and the surroundings.

Focus

Keeping everything in focus is very vital in landscape photography. Your viewer must be able
to see the details of your photograph. An Aperture of f/11 to f/16 is ideal to get everything
sharp from foreground to the horizon. You’ll just need to compensate for the low light the
camera sees, with a longer shutter speed if that is what you are using.

It is not that everything needs to be in focus, in order to give a true sense of depth of field,
portions of the image will be “more” in focus than others. It is most important to choose what is
most important and get that area in the sharpest focus of all.

Lenses

In general, choose wide-angle lenses and capture the entirety scenery thus providing more
scope and better viewpoint. Professionals invest in high-grade lenses, because of the way they
are manufactured to be the sharpest they can be. Experiment with various areas of focus to
perfect your knowledge of your lens and its abilities at certain settings. But remember, you
should always put the main subject of your image in the exact focal point area so it is the most
in focus at all times.

Filters

The use of filters is the trick of many professionals that separate them from common shooters.
Filters can weave magic in your photographs, or quickly turn them into fake looking mistakes,
so use them wisely, especially special effect filters. The sky could be corrected by using
graduated filters such as a neutral density filter at varying densities, to give your image a more
“balanced exposure”, without the need for editing afterwards. There are also the color
correction filters that you can add to your collection of tools to help you get your desired color
intensity. The various color additives help to make your images unique to how you see the
world. Filters are just one way to help you accomplish your goals. As you experiment with
filters you will find what works best for you.

Use Tripod and Shutter Release

Again, for best results, use a tripod and shutter release, where possible. This will make your
shooting easier, reduce vibration, maintains your angle and horizon line, and helps provide
overall comfort while shooting.
Best Time to Shoot

You should work with the natural light in order to choose the best time to shoot. Cloudy days
help to reduce the intensity of the sun so your photos turn out better, but they can look quite
bland. Early and late in the day tend to be the best. If you are going for a night shot, you should
check the schedule of the moon as it can give you a nice glow to your images. The added light
helps you give your photo a punch of contrast.

Post Processing

What you do after you take your photo is just as important as what you do during your photo
session. You can use Photoshop and other digital means to adjust the color on your image and
even add more contrast. What you cannot do is change focus, so that remains the most important
part of making your images look more professional.
WHAT TO SHOOT IN BAD WEATHER
Photographers are usually reluctant to go out shooting when the weather is bad for many
reasons. Of course, it is so much better to just curl up on a couch when it is raining, lighting or
snowing outside and you don’t want to damage your equipment. Unfortunately, some of the most
amazing things you will find only happen during inclement weather. Of course, often you cannot
plan for such things so you have to be willing to go at any time.

Lightning and Storms

Lightning, like rainbows, produces a dramatic but unpredictable show in the sky. Unlike the
peaceful colors of a rainbow, the connotations of lightning are of danger, power, and gloom. As
those who are careless about being outdoors in an electrical storm sometimes find out, lightning
can deliver on its threat of danger. You should photograph lightning only from a distance and
preferably from inside a building or a car. If you’re outdoors, seek shelter the minute a storm
begins to approach. You’ll probably also need to concern yourself with keeping your camera
and yourself dry, if you’re outside.

You can photograph lightning day or night, though night shots are generally more productive. In
daylight, the technique is simple: With your camera on a tripod and aimed at a likely sector of
sky, you could wait for a large bolt and fire. If you’re lucky, you’ll get something. The best way
is to select a longer shutter speed, 10-15 seconds. Base your exposure on the existing light
conditions, but underexpose by at least 1 x F Stop, as the lightning bolt will add sufficient light
to tour exposure to render it decent. (Move from F8 to F11 as an example). Using a small
aperture and the above shutter speed or the longest you have available, if your camera is
limited in features, keep firing away, measuring your shots and the timing between lightning
strikes. The odds are slim that you’ll catch a spectacular streak, but it’s possible, if you persist.
Your chances of creating a thrilling lightning shot increase dramatically after dark. One way is
to capture exposures ranging from several seconds to several minutes and record a series of
bolts on the one frame. An upper-floor hotel window with a city view is a good and safe
vantage point. The method is simple but requires that your camera have a B (bulb) setting and
that you use a locking cable release and a small sheet of black cardboard. Here’s how it works:
With your camera on a tripod, compose around a simple foreground with a large area of open
sky. Set the camera’s shutter-speed dial to the B position and lock the shutter open using your
cable release. Keep a lens cap or the black cardboard over the lens until you see a flash,
uncover the lens and then recover it, and wait for the next flash. Once you have several bolts on
the same frame, close the shutter, advance to the next frame, and try it again. Exposure isn’t
critical; use an aperture of around f/5.6 with an ISO of 100 to start, and then bracket by
changing the aperture.

A FREE TIP - (Safety) – If you wait for a bolt of lighting, and then begin counting the
seconds until a clap of thunder, this will roughly give you an indication of how far away
the storm is from you.

E.g.: 10 seconds between a bolt of lightning and a clap of thunder says the storm is
roughly 3kms/2 miles from you. If the seconds reduce, then naturally the storm is
approaching you. Be aware though, a storm within 10 kms/6 miles of you can put you in
imminent danger of a fatal lightning strike if you are not protected or are over exposed in
an open field. Remember, tripods standing in the middle of an open field make fantastic
electricity conductors, because they are predominantly made of metal, and lightning will
often strike the tallest metal object in an area. Be careful and smart. Don’t risk your life
for the shot.

Waves

Although there are constant waves along some shorelines where you won’t need bad weather to
see them, the rough waves and matching cold and gray sky that bad weather brings is yet
another example of landscape, ripe for photographing. You would need yet again a tripod, a
cable release, rain covers for you and your camera, and a good location that would keep you
safe. Ideally, study your location and weather forecast seriously and arrive there 3 hours before
the tides gets high, set up, run test shots and you are good to go. Try to locate yourself, where
you can see down along the wave as opposed to directly in front of it. This will create interest
for the viewer to follow and insert a form of leading line into the composition.

Rainbow

In the aftermath of bad weather, you may come across a rainbow, that’s why patient landscape
photographers stay for not only the storm, but also the after effects? You can use bracketing
here to enhance the color of the rainbow, but be careful trying to do this with a polarizing filter.
Rainbows are simply the color spectrum bouncing through light, off the water droplets formed
in rain. Using a polarizer may well remove tour rainbow from the shot altogether, unless you’re
careful. For a bit of composition, don’t just try to shoot the rainbow and the sky but try to find
any foreground element that could add drama to your picture.
Grey Skies and the Rain

Not a very popular landscape subject but if composed and shot well, grey skies could give a
cold and dramatic effect, which works particularly well if converted to or shot in black and
white, monochrome. For many reasons I love shooting in the rain. It gives a different kind of
drama that most people can relate to and gives a different kind of perspective to nature. Just
remember that it is not wise for you to interchange lenses when shooting in such weather, as the
rain, or high wind, may damage the inside of your equipment. Try to use only one lens, so
assess beforehand which lens would work best in your chosen location. Above all, safety must
be your very first priority.
HOW TO SHOOT ON CLOUDY DAYS
It may seem easy to shoot when a blanket of clouds fills the sky, but the trick is picking a
subject or composition suited to your limited and some would say, boring, lighting situation.
There are advantages though. Firstly, clouds block most of the light coming from the sun, which
although being an essential tool in getting much colored landscapes, they can act as a filter or
giant diffuser, for softening the light, making it less harsh. This is perfect for waterfalls, or
rainforests.

Aperture

If the clouds are really thick, use a large aperture, such as f4, 5.6 or even 8, which means you
allow the camera to capture more light. If the clouds are thin, you can use a slightly smaller
aperture, such as f11, 13 or even 16. Take some test shots and assess until you get the desired
image.

ISO

For thick clouds, and a darkening sky, your light will be low, so try increasing the ISO setting.
This will force the camera to let more lit into your scene, by becoming more sensitive to light.
Essentially your ISO setting will go looking for the smallest amount of light, to add to your
scene. This will greatly aid your ability to get a well-exposed shot, but there will be a trade
off. The higher you push your ISO, the grainier your image will become, particularly in the
shadows, but with today’s cameras having such great features, even up to an ISO of 1600, you
should see minimal of any degradation of your photo.

Depth of Field

This is still under the aperture setting. Of course you would still want to have a large depth of
field. One thing to do is to not increase your f-stop value too much as this may affect your depth
of field. Use wide-angle lens and adjust your f-stop value to around f/8.0 and you get fairly
good photograph on a dim, cloudy day.

Exposure

Most often, clouds are mobile and from time to time, they move on the direction of the wind. If
there are sunny breaks in this movement, your exposure will harder to manage, due to the rapid
changes in light. Try to pick a setting for the sunny patches and a setting for the cloudy patches,
and remember both. That way you can rapidly switch to each as the light changes, and get a
correct exposure each time. A great way to do this is to use your EV +/- button, which is your
exposure compensation. Usually accessed by a single button and a dial or wheel on your
camera, simply dial in as much light as you need, or dial out to dark your shot.

Composition

Take advantage of this type of weather, where possible. Strange clouds and their patterns can
do wonders in a boring composition. If the day is overcast, it’s time to stop looking for colors
and wonderful textures but look for monochromatic patterns, textures and subjects. Look for
moods that only cloudy days could offer. Mix this with the right camera setting and you surely
will take home photos unique and worth the time and effort.
HOW TO SHOOT IN BRIGHT SUNLIGHT
Although direct sun can pose a lot of disadvantages to your image, there are some ways to
reduce the negative effects. Once you master them, you will find shooting in the sun becomes
easier every time you go out. Using filters, bounce cards and lens covers can help you get
exactly what you are looking for.

Protect Yourself

Safety first. One thing many photographers do is underestimate the sun. The Australian Outback,
Africa and places such as the Canyonlands region of the United States, can be dangerous
places. Dehydration is accelerated rapidly by every degree rise in temperature, and every
minute longer you are exposed to direct scorching heat and sunlight. Be smart, seek shade, and
carry plenty of water, especially if hiking for many hours. Register with wildlife stations and
ranger camps to advise what you’re doing, in the event of a rescue.

Filters

Filters are always handy and useful particularly for landscape photography. Polarizing filters
can help eliminate stray and reflected light from your images and can give it a better saturation.
Using a neutral density filter for example will help reduce your exposure greatly.

Lens Hoods

Helps you get rid of lens flares and haze. You can also use reflectors, bought or improvised to
help eliminate shadows that your subject may cast out. This is helpful when your frame your
shot and the subject are not that far from you.

Camera Settings

Most importantly, set things right with your camera. Use ISO, Aperture, Shutter Speed and
White balance carefully. Your ISO level should be low in well-lit areas, or outdoors. On a
bright sunny day, set ISO to 100 or 200 depending on the capability of your camera. Set shutter
at 1/125 or 1/100. Shutter must be fast so not too much light can come in the camera sensor. Set
the aperture to about f/13 or 16 or there abouts.

Bounce Cards or Fill Flash

These are relatively unknown but very useful for smaller subjects. A bounce card can help to
drop some fill light directly into the front of the lens. Bounce cards traditionally put light on the
subject to illuminate it enough to ensure the viewer does not miss it. You can’t really do that
with a far off subject like a landscape but you can bounce light from the sun on some of the
foreground. This means trees and rocks and other things that can glow to stand out on the side.
The other alternative is fill flash, which is often overlooked as not needed outdoors. Used
smartly it can dramatically assist your images. Imagine a row of funky letterboxes in front of a
farmhouse, with a setting sun in the background. Sioux some additional lit cast on the
letterboxes, they may appear in silhouette, due to the sun beaming into your camera. Adding fill
flash, or even using a bounce card/reflector, will ensure they are lit well enough to really
improve your shot. Remember don’t be afraid to use your flash in the sunlight.
TIPS FOR SHOOTING PANORAMAS
Panoramic images are achieved by taking more than one image of a scene at varying degrees
and then stitching them altogether using software, such as Adobe Photoshop. Many older
professionals still use a specialized camera (sometimes film) with a panoramic format built in.
Panoramic images are available in various sizes, but usually have a format of 3:1 or 2.5:1
ratio. This format is usually suited for landscapes most as it provides for a very wide point of
view.

Shooting a panorama can be very rewarding if you learn how properly, don’t employ shortcuts
and you have the proper equipment available to you.

Getting started

You’ll need a sturdy tripod, with a level bubble on it, to indicate when you’re level. A tripod
head that allows for level balanced swiveling. These are commonly called panoramic heads,
and are quite easy to find, from any serious camera store. You’ll also need stitching software
for joining your panoramic images together. There are a lot of software packages, so be sure to
Google them and test them as trial downloads to find the best software for you.
Panoramic Software available -

Adobe Photoshop
PTGui
Panorama Tools
Panorama Studio
Panavue
Panorama Factory
RealViz Stitcher
AutoStitch
Pano Stitcher

How to Shoot

You should always leave a little overlap as you can cut out what you don’t need but you can’t
build in what is not shot. Using trees, lakes, rocks and other static markers will help you get the
perfect panoramic shot. Using a tripod will also help you keep the horizon on the right level
throughout each of the images.

The idea is to capture a series of images, whilst rotating your camera on a flat plane or axis that
is perfectly level. Snap your images with care, every tiny detail captured will need to be
perfect in order to save you a mile of headaches later on when you get to the software and
editing stage. You should pick distinct edges for your images so it is easy to frame the next shot.
It’s ideal that you overlap each shot by at least one third of the previous shot. This means small
movements when rotating your camera on the tripod. This can be done by hand, but requires a
very trained eye, watching not only the horizon is level, but being able to use a landmark in
each shot, as a reference point for the overlap. See the illustration below....
Another important thing to note is the exposure of your camera. Make sure not to use auto
exposure mode because this may cause dramatic changes in between your shots to make it look
like a single image later. You can set your camera’s exposure to “cloudy” or simply “lock” the
settings so the light will be the same on each portion of the photo.

Stitching

Once you are done and your photos are ready, it is time to load them into your computer and let
the software weave its magic. If you’ve been less than regimented when shooting, the software
will show this, by being unable to stitch your image without distortions, cracks between the
stitching and some blended areas that have doubled up. That’s why you’re shooting is crucial.
Once done right, this “stitching” technique gives the illusion that it is all one image rather than a
series of photographs.
TIPS FOR SHOOTING SUNRISE AND SUNSETS
Sunrise and sunsets are probably the most abundant and photographed events of nature. Almost
everyone is captivating by the majestic rising and setting of the sun as it fills the whole horizon
with wonderful tone of colors. It is for this reason as well, that photographers are enthusiastic
in taking pictures of sunrise and sunsets. With users of simple point and shoot cameras doing a
great job of capturing the essence of a sunrise or sunset, the challenge is how to capture
something special, so it stands out among the rest.

Exposure

How you set your camera’s exposure almost determines the quality of photos you are going to
have. If you use automatic mode and just allow your camera to decide the exposure settings,
chances are you may get a beautiful shot, but the majority will be ordinary. The automatic
settings cannot truly handle what the eye is seeing. First key is to shoot manual or at aperture
priority (AV) or shutter priority (TV). Try shooting it at different exposures. This is known as
bracketing. This function is available to most digital SLRs as a built in feature. However, for
those that do not have it, all you have to do is to look at the exposure setting your camera is
suggesting and take a picture at a lower and higher exposure of that. You can also take your
camera’s white balance mode off auto, and change the color of the sunrise or sunset right there
in the camera. The “cloudy” or “shade” settings work best for this if you’re trying to increase
the golden hue of the hour.
THE TRICK ON GETTING RICHER COLORS
Landscape photos are at their best when the color is rich and well enhanced. There are several
methods available to enhance the colors in your image. Most professional photographers will
do this “in-camera” but you can also add color enhancement in post production as well. Some
see this as cheating, but with the computer programs available today, it is almost impossible to
tell what is altered and what is real. You need to decide before you shoot how you feel about
the changes in processing.

Some equate the processing options to the choices people have made for years in developing
film. While it might seem like an image is exactly what was seen, it is very rarely true. How
you process your film or digital images enhance certain aspects and change the overall color.
This happens whether you are a purest or not.

Using Filters

Choosing filters are as equally important as choosing lenses. Filters can turn bad light into good
light. They can help eliminate stray light and they can help remove unnatural colors from your
subject.

Probably the king of filters for landscape shooting is the polarizing filter. First thing it does is it
eliminate reflected light from reflective surfaces such as water, glass or any other surface that
could reflect light. Aside from that, it also cuts through the atmospheric haze we see each day to
reveal colors for what they really are. In doing so, it adds rich blues to the sky and can help to
enhance greens dramatically. However, you must be at 90 degrees from the sun (i.e.: the sun
must be overhead, or to your side, not behind or directly in front of you) for it to be effective or
else, it will post no visible result. The result is “dialed in by rotating the outer ring to choose
how much or how little you want to polarize the light.

Another way is to darken the exposure. By doing this, you are increasing the saturation of the
image and thus, revealing more of its color. But be careful, going to dark, can drown out
details. This is also called under exposing your image. You can adjust your exposure to -0.5 to
-0.1 and see the difference. Most, if not all, cameras have this command so try using it and see
its benefits.

Your shutter speed also alters the richness of the color. The more light your camera is exposed
to, the flatter or softer the colors will appear. You want shadow and limited light in order to get
a richer color. This means faster shutter speeds coupled with low ISO to get the deepest,
natural color possible. Of course you have to take into account how much light you need to get
the image processed, but this is the most natural way to enhance the color.
GETTING RID OF LENS FLARE
Lens flare is a light scattered or reflected in the camera film or digital sensor as in enters the
lens. Lens flare has a positive and negative impact on your photo. At times, these flares are
very visible as polygon or rounded shapes. The majority of the time, this is stray light, which
enters the lens and reduces the contrast of the image as a result. It often ruins your photograph
and therefore, we want to get rid of it. Here are some ways how:

Lens hoods

Lens hoods are purposely manufactured to eliminate lens flare. They are designed to block
unwanted sunrays while allowing necessary light to enter the lens. Most camera manufacturers
have lens hoods for their lens range. If you have the opportunity to grab one, do so. They are
also very handy for protecting the outer edges of your lens near the glass front, from small
knocks. Trust me, my lenses wouldn’t be anywhere near as safe without one attached.

As an alternate to hoods, if these are not available, you can actually be creative enough and use
one of your hands to cover the part where the sun is shining. You just need to make sure you
hand is not in the frame. If you’re really creative, I’ve even seen a photographer use a baseball
cap.

Zoom
Zooming in may not totally remove the flare from your photograph but it surely does help
especially when the flare you are trying to avoid is not that intense. Be subtle when zooming in,
in order to avoid changing your framing too much, particularly if you have set up on tripod and
have a top composition in place ready to shoot. You’d be surprised just how much a tiny
amount of zoom, can ruin that perfect shot you’ve lined up.
Changing Your Position

A simple way to solve this is to reposition yourself to get away from the direct sun. Try
changing your position around your frame until you get the right spot. Sometimes this means
hiking further around or climbing up so that you can change the light’s position in comparison to
your lens. This will give you the best shot at capturing the image you are looking for without the
flare.

Image blocking

This is a way of trying to get rid of the flare by blocking it with the very image that you are
shooting. Try to work with your subject whether it is a tree, mountain, building etc., and try to
put it between the sun and the lens. This sometimes produces an interesting glow but you need
to decide what you are looking for. If you can raise yourself or the camera slightly you can
often get rid of the glow altogether if that is not what you are looking for. Also remember,
shooting into directly blocked sunlight will silhouette your subject, so you may need some fill
flash.

Deal with it

Not all lens flares are bad; you can use them to render a mood or dreamy kind of feel to your
image. They can add beauty to certain landscapes, as well, especially looking across water,
such as a lake at sunset.
CAPTURING INTERESTING MOUNTAIN SHOTS
Great mountain shot are often a challenge, as most require hiking and can be quite physically
demanding, so it is best to make sure you are physically prepared as well. Hiking, biking,
walking and running will help you get ready for getting where you need to be. If you are
planning on hiking extremely high mountains you will want to practice at elevation as well. You
don’t want to get stuck somewhere feeling light-headed or not prepared.

You want to streamline the gear you are taking as well. You will likely only want to bring one
or two lenses in order to cut down total weight. You should pack a flexible and adjustable
tripod so you can bring just one. Don’t forget rain gear for your camera and equipment even if it
does not seem like there is any weather on the horizon. If something blows in, you don’t want
anything to get ruined based on you not being prepared.

Another option is to join a climbing tour. On these you will pay to be led into the backcountry
via horses, mules or yaks. You can then bring more equipment and your meals are taken care of
for you. This gives you less to carry and more time to shoot. If you do a group trip you will be
slightly limited but you can also rent out private tours that will give you full choice over where
you go and what you will be able to shoot.

One of the most important tools in mountain shots is the light. At this, unlike in studios, you
have no direct control of. You work with what is offered to you for that very time and day. But
the good news is that if you understand light, you can work with it. Just observe and assess the
quality of light, brightness, softness, and direction, which are all key to getting a good shot.
Because you cannot move your subject, you have to get there at the right time of day in order to
achieve the look you want. Overall, you should be flexible and remember the golden rule, light
in the early morning and late evening is always the most magical. Your limitation will be the
direction in which you are facing your subject. Not facing directly east or west is often
preferable, but you can also get some amazing “glows” by facing out of or into the sun. Planning
your trip to hit all directions can give you more options when it comes to lighting.

Avoid taking photos at mid-day. During this time, the color of the light is unforgiving and
strong. It can be very hard for you to create a composition out of this light, as it tends to kill
your image. The very high plays havoc with your camera. Very high-end expensive cameras
tend to deal with this harsh light better, but they will cost you. The one exception can be water
shots. The glistening of the water droplets can be best at high sun times. Again, you need to
make sure you have a lens hood handy, to avoid lens flare, should it pop up.

Use Foreground Elements

These are very useful for it gives depth to your image. Try using lakes, trees, rocks, bark or
anything that serves the purpose you can find in the area. Sometimes, these elements can be
difficult to incorporate but it would be worth the search and consideration.

Basically you are not only creating texture but also adding a sense of scale to your image.
While you are standing in the looming shadow of the landscape you are photographing it is
difficult to remember that in a 4x6 image it is going to look small no matter how big it is.
Foreground elements give a perspective to the image so you can truly appreciate the scale of
the mountain or background you are capturing. Many of Ansel Adams most famous works are
framed by pine cones and trees and small “peep holes” to bring the mountain to its full glory.

Keep watch for unnatural shadows that might fall into frame. Also, try to use wide-angle lens
so as to capture the entire scene. By adding texture, scaling pieces and light adjustments you
will get a more accurate representation of what you are looking at. This can take much practice.
The truth is many people believe some things never photograph as pretty as they see them, but it
is really a lack of skill that makes this seem so. With the right perspective you can capture
exactly what the eye sees as beautiful, just maybe not the first time. This is where patience and
practice comes into play.

Remember that anything you see as beautiful with your naked eye will be gorgeous in an image
from the right perspective. Don’t give up easily and don’t be afraid to try different things.
Experimentation is the only way you will learn what you like best and what is best for your
style of landscape shooting.
TIPS FOR SHOOTING FORESTS
Forests offer vast options when it comes to composition and it can be a bit overwhelming.
First, you must have in mind what kind of shot you want to compose, what emotion or feeling
you want to achieve in your photo? Try to imagine it way ahead, is it light and magical, or is it
dark and dramatic? It is a lot easier if you already have this in mind so you can plan the time of
day, the lenses you will need as well as the props you may wish to include, to get the
perspective on the forest. Not being able to see the forest for the trees is a very real saying and
when you’re standing in a forest and trying to photograph it, you will understand the confusing
nature of it even more.

Point of Interest

When shooting, always find a point of interest. Be creative; look for uncommon barks, trees,
leaves or insects that could be your point of interest. Most of all compose your shot in such a
way that you would be leading the eyes of your viewer to the subject to want to highlight.

Do Not Hurry

Take your time. Sometimes the magical or dramatic photo does not come in an instant. Try
strolling through the forest and consider all sides, sizes and shapes. Play between telephoto and
wide-angle lenses. Try to capture the height of the tree or the vastness of the whole forest. Be
creative and imaginative.

Camping out in a forest for an extended period of time will change how you see the
surroundings as well. Just as when you look at one picture for a long time and you see things
you never saw before, the same will happen when you are looking at a forest. Things will jump
out at you and this is how you find an amazing shot. It might be something small growing out of
something large. It may be a tree that forms the shape of a heart. It may just be the way the light
comes down between the leaves. The bottom line is that these moments will not hit you all at
the same time so you have to sit, wait and be patient to discover what you are looking for. Take
dozens of shots along the way (the joy of digital) knowing that some won’t be anything.
Patience and sheer number make the perfect marriage when you are shooting a forest.

Curves, Patterns, Pattern breaks, Lines

In places such as forests, these are fairly abundant and come in many sizes and from many
sources. Look for these on the trunks of trees, falling leaves, winding river, etc. Curves are
most often better than lines for they offer more creativity and story telling appeal. But you can
try playing with lines by looking for a pattern, like diagonal lines.

These curves and patterns when put together make the composition of your image more complex
and pleasing to the eye. In order to show how vast a forest truly is, a stream cutting through a
third of it gives the photo depth and interest. It gives the viewer a perspective and it breaks up
the image so it is not so repetitive. If you only have one type of thing in the photograph, there is
no way for the eye to determine the size or the scope of the things in the photo. You need to
have something that helps to break up the monotony.
Just as when you are photographing anything else, you want to use the rule of thirds. This is
something that the brain looks for in everything. It provides a scale and a symmetry you cannot
create on your own. Don’t fight how your mind processes things, but rather use this knowledge
to your advantage.
WHAT ARE THE LEGALITIES I NEED TO BE
AWARE OF WHEN SHOOTING LANDSCAPES?
We live in a digital world. High technology gadgets are being developed to capture every
memorable moment in life of a certain person or place. As you can see, photography is a trend
nowadays. It is the science or art of creating durable images by recording light either
electronically (through the use of an image sensor) or chemically (by means of a light sensitive
material such as photographic film).

People enjoy the freedom to capture or take pictures in his/her field of interest. However, this
freedom has limitations. Before you get caught by the police for taking pictures, one must know
the basic legalities in photography. These legalities also apply when shooting landscape
photos. Below are some of the legal commandments in photography that you should be aware
of.

- Anyone in a public place can shoot or take pictures of anything they want provided that it will
not endanger the safety of other people. This is a rule that applies in most free and democratic
countries, but be wary of local rules, as places like Tibet have strict policies.

- If you are standing on public property, you can take pictures of a private property (say a
building owned by private corporations).

- If you are on private property and the management/owners prohibit the taking of pictures, then
you are obliged to strictly follow and honor the rule.

- Sensitive government buildings such as nuclear facilities and military bases have the right to
prohibit photography the area if it is deemed a threat to national security, so be careful, or at
least ask first.

- Any person can be photographed without their consent if they are in public
establishments/places unless they have secluded themselves and can expect a degree of
privacy, such as rest rooms, change rooms or other privacy facilities.

- Children, celebrities, law enforcement officers, public utilities, residential and commercial
buildings, bridges, transportation facilities, industrial facilities, accidents, criminal activities,
and fire scenes can all be photographed from public places.

- Taking photos of publicly visible subjects does not endanger someone’s “security”, nor does
it infringe on a company’s trade secrets.

- If time comes that you are challenged by someone, you are under no obligation to answer
unless by a lawful authority.

- If faces are visible and you plan to make money off the images, you should try to get a release
signed just to protect yourself. This is usually not a problem with landscape images.

- Private personalities have very limited rights to detain you against your will in taking pictures
and can be subject to legal confrontation if they harass you.

- No one is allowed to directly confiscate your camera and/or film. If they take it by force or
threaten you, they can be sued and be liable for things like robbery and coercion. For the part of
law enforcers, they need to secure a court order before they can confiscate your camera and/or
film. Again this rule applies in most free countries, but if you are traveling in places like China,
these laws are not the same. When taking foreign images you should always verify local laws
and customs.

Suitable punishment may be imposed to the persons who do not conform to these legal
commandments. One must know your basic rights and limitations on taking pictures and other
photography-related subjects to avoid imprisonment and any form of harassment.
DISCLAIMER.

The above text is for information purposes only and is not to be taken as current and accurate legal advice in any
form. Different countries have different laws, and what may apply to one country could drastically differ from
another. You are strongly advised to study the laws in your chosen country or state and adhere to those relevant
laws, by-laws and statutes in accordance with what you are doing to remain within the boundaries of the law and
avoid prosecution. Steve Rutherford and Rutherford International Pty Ltd take no responsibility for the actions you
take from reading this book.
HOW DOES COPYRIGHT WORK?
The word “copyright” pertains to a legal concept enacted by the government giving the creator
an exclusive right to reproduce, to be credited for such work, and to determine who may adapt
the work to be used in other forms. Basically, it can be attributed to the form of intellectual
property, which can be applied to any expressible idea, art, or information that has a significant
impact to the society.

Copyrighting your work gives you sole control over what is done with it. If you have taken the
photograph, you are the sole copyright owner of the photograph. It is particularly important if
you plan to sell or make money from your works. It is also important as to stop others from
selling or reproducing your work without your permission.

- The reproduction of the work in various forms such as printed publications and other print
media.
- Its use in public performance such as in play or musical work.
- Recordings of the work, for example, in the form of compact discs, digital versatile/video
discs, cassettes or videotapes.
- Broadcasting of the works in any forms, for example, by radio, cable or satellite.
- Its translation into other languages, or its adaptation, such as a novel into a movie or
screenplay.

You spend large amounts of time creating your compositions and you have every right to protect
your work from piracy. While this is not usually a step amateurs take, if you begin getting a
reputation it is a good idea to protect yourself in advance. As the creator you don’t want to see
your work used in ways that you find displeasing or stolen as a whole. You also don’t want
unlicensed people making money off your work without your permission. While you may not
always make money from a copyright, you are always protecting your property and your hard
work. You are giving yourself recourse if you ever discover your images have been stolen,
especially on the Internet. It is a false belief that any images loaded into websites or onto the
Internet are free for use and are not subject to copyright by the owner. Be careful, illegal
downloading and use of images without the copyright owners permission, can quickly land you
in court.

Because copyrighting is not a cheap endeavor, it is often advisable to copyright your images as
a group. This allows you to pay a single fee for many images all at the same time. You can
either do this as a book or a collection but it gives your protection over all the images
including. You need to ensure you are applying for a full copyright. You want to protect the
images whether they are single or in the same layout as the book. If you only copyright the book,
some can argue you don’t have rights to the images all on their own. This is why there is
usually a blanket replication clause stating the use of the images on their own or as a group is
not allowed. In places such as Australia and the UK, registering your copyright for images is
not required, because the laws automatically assume, you as the photographer, are the sole
copyright owner, unless you forego and give or sell your rights to someone else in writing.

You can also do what is called a “poor man’s copyright.” This means sending yourself the
images in a sealed envelope that you never open. While this is more often used when working
with writing, it can work just as effectively with images. Many people are using blogs and
Internet sites as a way to claim ownership of photos. Signing and dating your images can often
be enough to ensure no one can steal or alter your photos without your permission. Of course,
with landscape shots you need to know that there will likely be others who have taken shots
similar to yours just because it is a beautiful area. Without something that truly distinguishes
your shot it might be difficult to prove that it is actually yours. This is where it is important to
have your copyright information embedded in the metadata of each and every image file you
save to your computer. Software such as Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop will do this for you
automatically if you set it up right.
WHAT CAN I DO WITH MY IMAGES?
There are several things that you can do with the images that you’ve taken. First and foremost
you can frame and hang your images to decorate your home. You can also give your images
away as gifts. As you get better you might even find you want to put together various collections
that are themed to particular types of landscapes.

Earn Money

It will likely take some practice before you can earn money off your images, but there are many
different ways to sell your landscape photos. Companies often want to find landscapes to put in
offices or on the walls. You can also distribute your images to various hotels and the hotel
chains around the world. These types of contracts are quite lucrative, but you will need to build
an extensive collection first.

As you are developing your collection you can check in with local coffee shops and restaurants
about putting your work on display. You put your card up with your images so people know
how to contact you in order to buy your work. You will have to invest in good framing in order
to make your image look as professional as possible.

You can also check with local museums to find out about shows they do focusing on new artists
or if they ever add new pieces to their collection. Sometimes they will sponsor particular
shows with openings and tickets in order to help you sell your photos. The larger the group of
artists the more exposure you can garner as you will all be bringing people you know to look at
the images. This expands your network and helps you sell pictures.

Contacting an art agent is also very helpful. You can use your photos as additions to books or in
films and television. This is often a great way to license your work and make money quickly. If
someone likes your work, they may even commission more landscape photos of a particular
type for future books or films.

Stock footage companies also buy up landscapes. They then sell and license these images all
over the Internet via social media and otherwise. You can either sell the photos for complete
ownership or take a percentage of each license fee that is paid for your image. Groupings
usually earn more money over time.

Art Collections

Art collections can be sold as a group or can be used in your own home. You can develop your
own type of collection. Many people choose to use landscape photography to tell the stories of
their travels. You can take images from everywhere you go and frame them to put on display.
You can make certain walls or areas in your home about different places.

You can also use these collections to showcase at local museums or even for use in the visitor
center of an area. Depending on whether you are trying to sell the images or if you just want
them to be used to educate the public. There are many places that enjoy showcasing collections
shot by locals.
Publications

Putting together your own publication is also an option. There are many art books out there and
there is always room for another perspective. You can hand pick the images from your
collections to put together in a way that makes sense. Whether you want to showcase mountains
of different areas or foliage or even waterways, there is a way to tell a story with landscapes.

You can also use your landscapes to help with brochures or other informational pieces. Some
of these jobs will be works for hire, where someone seeks you out in order to get the images
they need for their business while others you might think of on your own. This is when you can
bring around your work and see what people like and want to purchase.

You can also sell your images to newspapers or magazines. Once you are in with a particular
publication they might start giving you assignments or coming to you with requests for future
issues.

Blogs

One of the newer ways to make money on photographs are blogs. While this tends to be a
combination of writing and photographing, it is a way to build an audience. This audience can
then be advertised to and make money for you based on the sheer numbers of people who look
at and follow your blog. Often traveling images are a great way to get people to come to your
site.

You can also use your website to license the usage of images for others. Whether the people
want to pay to use your images on their own websites or to publish them elsewhere, like in
magazines or books, you can charge per use. This type of licensing can be quite lucrative and
often is enough to pay for the trips you must make to capture the photos.

Share Your Adventures with Friends

Finally you can use landscape images to share your work with friends. A slide show is often a
great way of putting together all your shots. With the new electronic images you can put
together a slide show that features music that goes with the imagery. This helps keep your
viewers interested in your work and in your stories.

You can also use your landscape images for cards or postcards. You can send them while you
are traveling or when you get home. It is a great way to give a sense of what you are doing to
all those you have left behind. These are more personal than the cards you buy from the store
and can be designed in any way you choose.
WORLD’S BEST LOCATIONS FOR LANDSCAPE
PHOTOGRAPHY
Here is a list of 30 places around the globe you might want to consider visiting for great
landscape photography. Whilst there are thousands that landscape photographers love to
photograph, these are a great start for the budding beginner. Some locations may be difficult to
access or present dangerous hiking conditions, so be mindful of where you’re travelling to,
check local restrictions and always, always, always tell someone where you are going. Places
listed are not in order of rank or preference.

The American Southwest such as the Grand Canyon, Antelope Canyon, Bryce Canyon,
Horseshoe Bend, Death Valley and counting.

- These places have sharp contrast between light and color. The vastness of the canyons, tend to
add a significant depth to the images. The light is almost always amazing because of the latitude
at which these locations exist. They happen to be in very sunny areas providing nice shadows
and highlights on the very red earth. Desert shots tend to have two purposes, one to showcase
the unique beauty and the other to showcase a feeling of isolation and desolation.
South Island, New Zealand such as the Southern Alps, Milford Sound, McKinnon Pass,
and many other protected forests and National Parks, are worth the trip!

- The South Island of NZ contains about one quarter of the New Zealand population and is the
world’s 12th-largest island. It is divided along its length by the Southern Alps, the highest peak
of which is Aoraki/Mount Cook at 3754 metres (12,316 ft). There are eighteen peaks of more
than 3000 metres (9800 ft) in the South Island. The east side of the island is home to the
Canterbury Plains while the West Coast is famous for its rough coastlines, very high proportion
of native bush, and Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers. The dramatic landscape of the South Island
has made it a popular location for the production of several films, including the Lord of the
Rings trilogy and the The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe.

There are several bird species that are endemic to the South Island. They include the Kea,
Great Spotted Kiwi, Okarito Brown Kiwi and South Island Kōkako. The South Island has 15
named maritime fiords that are all located in the southwest of the island in a mountainous area
known as Fiordland.

Most of New Zealand’s glaciers are in the South Island. They are generally found in the
Southern Alps near the Main Divide. There are 4 extinct volcanoes in the South Island, all of
which are located on the east coast. Numerous National parks are spread throughout the region.
The most famous is Mount Cook/Aoraki Region. This area is a focus for mountaineering, ski
touring and scenic flights, making the park an area of outstanding natural beauty.

Japan such as the Japan Flower Park, The Alps, etc.

- Japan has a much wider variety of landscape than many people know. From the mountains to
the sea you can find cliffs, unique animals and lush forests to photograph. That says nothing of
the urban landscapes you can also capture in the more populated regions. These are feats of
manmade grandeur, worth spending time photographing.

The Netherlands Flower Park, such as Keukenhof.

- A manmade beauty, this is a good place to practice focusing on color and contrast. The flower
park features every available flower that can be grown in the region. For this you can enjoy the
contrast in color, size and shape. You can work with wide landscape shots as well as micro
landscapes. This means focusing on a small section but shooting it as a whole landscape and it
makes the flowers just pop off the screen.

Norway with its great Fjords like Geirangerfjord and Lysefjord.

- Taking advantage of the many waterways and the ice fields, to give you a view of landscapes
with a temperature sense. This means you can add a sense of warmth to areas that are totally
frozen or you can add the idea of beauty to something entirely uninviting. This type of landscape
photography is all about personal vision and contrast. It gives you a chance to be creative with
the surroundings.

Philippines with the Rice terraces, Chocolate Hills of Bohol, El Nido, Palawan and many
others.

- Islands often offer a unique perspective on the world around. The Philippines are no
exception. The lush green nature of the area is pressed next to the rolling hills of the area
around. The water is incredibly warm and a bright blue/green that practically pops next to the
edge of the land. You can also choose to focus on the rice paddies and manmade beauties of the
landscape. Here you can capture birds and people along with the sweeping landscape all
around.

Patagonia located in the regions of Chile and Argentina.

- Chile and Argentina are both well known for their peaks. The Andes Mountains offer some of
the most sweeping views of the region surrounding the mountains as well as some of the lushest
rainforests. You can take photographs that showcase the lush, green, rainy area with the
clouded peaks rising above. These mountains are often photographed but are not as “overly”
documented as some of the mountains in the US and Asia. This gives an exotic feel to your
images that will make them totally unique.
The Palouse located at Southeastern Washington and North Idaho.
- Washington is thought of as a part of the lush Pacific Northwest but as you move inland away
from the coast you will find a traumatic contrast. The Eastern side of both Washington and
Oregon both turn into volcanic, desert looking areas. The edge of Washington and Idaho merge
into this marriage of water and desolation that pop off the surface and make your photographs
come to life while showcasing death. This is a great place to show rebirth in the form of deep
landscape imagery.

Assiniboine Provincial Park in British Colombia, Canada. With its Magog Lake
and Creek.
- Mount Assiniboine , also known as Assiniboine Mountain, is a mountain located on
the Great Divide, on the British Columbia/Alberta border in Canada.

At 3,618 m (11,870 ft), it is the highest peak in the Southern Continental Ranges of the
Canadian Rockies. Due to Assiniboine’s pyramidal shape, it has been unofficially named the
“Matterhorn” of North America. It rises nearly 1,525 m (5,003 ft) above Lake Magog.

Mt. Assiniboine lies on the border between Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park, in British
Columbia, and Banff National Park, in Alberta. The park does not have any roads and thus can
only be reached by a six-hour hike 27 km (17 mi), three-hour bike ride (now disallowed to
reduce human / grizzly encounters) or helicopter. The usual approach is via Bryant Creek. From
Canmore, Alberta follow the Smith-Dorien road to the Mount Shark parking lot. The trail is
well signed. A helipad is also here.

There are no scrambling routes up Mt. Assiniboine. The easiest mountaineering routes are the
North Ridge and North Face at YDS 5.5, which are reached from the Hind Hut.

The Sahara Desert

- While many don’t make it over there, the Sahara offers the vastest desert on the planet. This
means you can get unique views of violent dust storms, rising sand dunes and the loneliness of
the planet. The ability to capture the feeling of the smallness of human life when compared to
the sheer size of the earth in one landscape shot is often a once in a lifetime opportunity, one
that is worth quite a bit of money if you are willing to take the trip. You can also head into
Egypt to get landscapes with the manmade great pyramids and other shrines to great gods.

The Oregon Coast with its Cape Kiwanda.

- The Oregon Coast has much the same feel as New England except with evergreen trees
instead of desciduos ones. This gives a bright green contrast to the gray coast below. You can
photograph sweeping mountains that are solid green next to the orange sand, the gray sky and
the blue water. Add to it the coastal wildlife and you have unique landscapes much less
processed than those of the east coast.
New England, which is located in the Northeastern corner of the United States.
-Here you can take advantage of the vast coastline that is sharp with cliffs and rich with
lighthouses. These offer the most amazing shots of manmade landscapes pressed up against
natural beauty. The splashing water offers a sense of energy to a landscape shot, the power of
the ocean coming face to face with the immovability of land. This is also a great place to come
in the fall to photograph the vast number of colors that happen when the trees start to turn.

Olympic National Park in Washington State with its Seven Lakes Basin.

-This is an amazing marriage of the greenery of the Pacific Northwest with the sharpness of the
cloudy, rainy atmosphere that makes it so lush. The Seven Lakes Basin features of a number of
lakes, trees and mountains all pressed up against the Olympic sized beauty of the incoming
clouds and grayness.

Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming, USA.

- Grand Teton showcases why they are called the Rocky Mountains. There is not much lush
tropical green here, but there are millions of trees. The huge open spaces showcase the rocks
that give the range its name and the vastness of the boulders are worth taking pictures of on
their own. If you bring a little rope, you can scale a few walls and capture the beauty of
everything below. There are also a number of four-wheeling trails that get you to some of the
more remote mountain vistas to take the sweeping landscape shots many envy.

Glacier National Park in Montana with its St. Mary Lake.

-This is the type of mountainous beauty you probably think of when it comes to national parks,
as it is very green and lush. It is also quite cold, so you can find unique glacier formations to
take pictures of. Many of the landscape shots here include wildlife such as the big horn sheep
that like to sit on impossible ledges above the road. A little hiking will get you to a new place,
one that may or may not have been photographed before; it is all about your personal
perspective in this untamed wilderness.

Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming and Montana.

-Some believe that Yellowstone sits in the largest Super Volcano basin anywhere. There are
mudpots and thermal areas that are totally unique to the region. You can take images of
landscapes with bright blue water that is so hot it would instantly burn off your skin. You can
capture geysers shooting out of the ground or you can capture the beauty of one of the largest
lakes in the United States with 14,000-foot peaks peaking out behind it. Whatever you want to
find, there is a plethora of variety in Yellowstone National Park.

Yosemite National Park in Northern California.

-Yosemite is known for some of the most landscapes on the planet. Both John Muir and Ansel
Adams made much of the area quite popular. It sits in the basin of an active volcano, meaning
there are tons of sheer drops, interesting rock formations and mountain lakes. The elevation
changes, Half Dome and the myriad of trees make for interesting compositions for all types of
landscape photos.

Cinque Terre on the Italian Coast.

-This is a series of villages on the western Italian Coast. High above the ocean below you can
take a trail between the lands. This gives you an opportunity to shoot vineyards from afar and
up close. You can capture the homesteads as they sit high above the water below and you can
even see the fog as it rolls in during the morning time. At night you have an excellent shot at a
sunset landscape that is entirely unique. It is a one of the most comprehensive areas to shoot
buildings, fields and natural formations all in one place.

Daintree Rainforest – is one of the most ancient rainforests in the world, estimated at 180
million years old, tens of million years older than the Amazon in South America.
- The Daintree Rainforest is a tropical rainforest on the north east coast of Queensland,
Australia, north of Mossman and Cairns. At around 2,600 km2 (1,000 sq mi), the Daintree is the
largest continuous area of tropical rainforest on the Australian continent, and is considered to
be millions of years old. Along the coastline north of the Daintree River, tropical rainforest
grows right down to the edge of the sea. Much of the Daintree Rainforest is part of the Wet
Tropics of Queensland World Heritage Site, being listed by UNESCO in 1988 in recognition of
its universal natural values highlighted by the rainforest. The Daintree Rainforest contains 30%
of the frog, reptile and marsupial species in Australia, and 65% of Australia’s bat and butterfly
species. 18% of bird species in the country can be found in this area. There are also over
12,000 species of insects

Great Barrier Reef – the largest natural living reef in the world.
- The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest coral reef system composed of over 2,900
individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over 2,600 kilometres (1,600 mi) over an area
of approximately 344,400 square kilometres (133,000 sq mi) The reef is located in the Coral
Sea, off the coast of Queensland, Australia. The Great Barrier Reef can be seen from outer
space and is the world’s biggest single structure made by living organisms. This reef structure
is composed of and built by billions of tiny organisms, known as coral polyps. It supports a
wide diversity of life and was selected as a World Heritage Site in 1981.

CNN labeled it one of the seven natural wonders of the world. It is particularly beautiful if
photographed from the air, especially a helicopter, but being underwater is where the real
beauty is, thriving with fish. The Great Barrier Reef supports a diversity of life, including many
vulnerable or endangered species, some of which may be endemic to the reef system. Thirty
species of whales, dolphins, and porpoises have been recorded in the Great Barrier Reef,
including the dwarf minke whale, Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin, and the humpback whale.
Large populations of dugongs live there. More than 1,500 fish species live on the reef,
including the clownfish, red bass, red-throat emperor, and several species of snapper and coral
trout.

Ayers Rock- the largest rock monolith on the planet.

Uluru is one of Australia's most recognisable natural landmarks. The sandstone formation
stands 348 m (1,142 ft) high (rising 863 m/2,831 ft above sea level), with most of its bulk lying
underground, and has a total circumference of 9.4 km (5.8 mi). Both Uluru and the nearby Kata
Tjuta formation have great cultural significance for the Aṉangu people, the traditional
inhabitants of the area, who lead walking tours to inform visitors about the local flora and
fauna, bush foods and the Aboriginal dreamtime stories of the area. Uluru is notable for
appearing to change colour at different times of the day and year, most notably glowing red at
dawn and sunset. Kata Tjuta, also called Mount Olga or The Olgas, lies 25 km (16 mi) west of
Uluru. Special viewing areas with road access and parking have been constructed to give
tourists the best views of both sites at dawn and dusk.

Himalaya – in Nepal, Pakistan and India.

The Himalayan range is home to some of the planet’s highest peaks. They form a barrier
between the Plateau of Tibet to the north and the alluvial plains of the Indian subcontinent to the
south. The Himalayas include over a hundred mountains exceeding 7,200 metres (23,600 ft) in
height. One of these peaks is Mount Everest (Tibetan: Chomolungma; Chinese: Qomolangma
Feng; Nepali: Sagarmatha), the world’s highest, with an elevation of 29,035 feet (8,850
metres). Pictured above are Taboche (6367m) and the Khumbu Valley.

The higher regions of the Himalayas are snowbound throughout the year, in spite of their
proximity to the tropics, and they form the sources of several large perennial rivers, most of
which combine into two large river systems. Take care when trekking for your photographs;
many areas can be extremely dangerous and unpredictable. The Himalaya region is dotted with
hundreds of lakes. Most lakes are found at altitudes of less than 5,000 m, with the size of the
lakes diminishing with altitude. Pangong Tso, which is spread across the border between India
and China, and Yamdrok Tso, located in central Tibet, are amongst the largest with surface
areas of 700 km , and 638 km , respectively. Other notable lakes include Gurudogmar Lake in
2 2

North Sikkim, Tsongmo Lake, near the Indo-China border in Sikkim, and Tilicho Lake in Nepal
in the Annapurna massif.

Mare, New Caledonia in the Southern Pacific Ocean.

Maré Island is the second largest of the Loyalty Islands, in the archipelago of New Caledonia,
an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. The island is part of the commune of
Maré, in the Loyalty Islands Province of New Caledonia. The interior of the island is the
former lagoon, surrounded by a rim of higher land that was the ring of reef islets. Its fossil
coral rock is honeycombed with caves, pools, and pits of all sizes, whose sharp edges make for
difficult walking. Because of the lifting, the current shoreline is relatively recent and supports
only short sections of nearshore fringing reef, unlike the extensive barrier reef found on the
main island of New Caledonia, Grande Terre. The narrow beaches of Maré are often backed
by cliffs and are absolutely stunning for capturing picture postcard shots.

New York City, in the USA.

Located on one of the world’s largest natural harbors, New York City consists of five
boroughs, each of which is a state county. The five boroughs—The Bronx, Brooklyn,
Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island—were consolidated into a single city in 1898.

The Hudson River flows through the Hudson Valley into New York Bay. Between New York
City and Troy, New York, the river is an estuary. The main river, the Hudson, separates the city
from New Jersey. The East River—a tidal strait—flows from Long Island Sound and separates
the Bronx and Manhattan from Long Island.

Winters are cold and damp, and could for a few days be as low as 10 °F (−12 °C) and as high
as 50 °F (10 °C). Spring and autumn are unpredictable and can range from chilly to warm,
although they are usually mild with low humidity. Nighttime conditions are often exacerbated
by the urban heat island phenomenon, and temperatures exceed 90 °F (32.2 °C) on average of
17 days each summer and can exceed 100 °F (38 °C).

New York has architecturally noteworthy buildings in a wide range of styles and from distinct
time periods. A must see are the Chrysler Building, the Empire State Building, Rockafeller
Centre, Macy’s (especially at Christmas for its incredible christmas displays), and the Statue of
Liberty. The latest addition is the newly constricted World Trade Centre in Lower Manhattan.
Other must-sees for photographers are Central Park in Manhattan, Prospect Park with its
extensive woodlands in Brooklyn, Flushing Meadows in Queens and Staten Island.

North Shore Coast of Oahu, in Hawaii.

The northern hemisphere winter months on the North Shore see a concentration of surfing
activity, taking advantage of swells originating in the stormy North Pacific. Notable surfing
spots include Waimea Bay and Sunset Beach.

The spot of Ehukai Beach, commonly known as the Banzai Pipeline, is the most notable surfing
spot on the North Shore, and is considered a prime spot for competitions due to its close
proximity to the beach, giving spectators, judges, and photographers a great view.
The North Shore is considered to be the surfing mecca of the world, and every December
host’s three competitions, which make up the Triple Crown of Surfing. The three men’s
competitions are the Reef Hawaiian Pro, the O’Neill World Cup of Surfing, and the Billabong
Pipeline Masters. The three women’s competitions are the Reef Hawaiian Pro, the Roxy Pro
Sunset, and the Billabong Pro on the neighboring island of Maui.

Make sure you have a long fast lens (ie 200-400mm, f2.8 or F4), and stake out a spot early if
attending one of these events. The beaches can be packed solid with people.

Pilbarra Region in remote North Western Australia.

The Pilbara is a large, dry, thinly populated region in the north of Western Australia known for
its Aboriginal peoples, its stunning landscapes, the red earth and its vast mineral deposits, in
particular iron ore. The Pilbara consists of three distinct geographic areas. The western third is
the Roebourne coastal sandplain, which supports most of the region’s population in towns and
much of its industry and commerce. The eastern third is almost entirely desert, and is sparsely
populated by a small number of Aboriginal peoples. These are separated by the inland uplands
of the Pilbara Craton, including the predominant Hamersley Range, which has a considerable
number of mining towns, the Chichester Range and others. These uplands have a number of
gorges and other natural attractions.
Pilbara contains some of the world’s oldest surface rocks, including the ancient fossilised
remains known as stromatolites and rocks such as granites that are more than three billion years
old. In 2007, some of the oldest evidence of life on Earth was found in 3.4 billion-year-old
sandstones at Strelley Pool, which preserve fossils of sulfur-processing bacteria. The
mineralized spheres, which were found on an ancient beach and have a cell-like morphology,
were chemically analysed, revealing that they used sulfur for fuel.

Temperature out in the Pilbarra can get incredibly hot. The climate is arid and tropical. It
experiences high temperatures and low irregular rainfall that follows the summer cyclones.
During the summer months, maximum temperatures exceed 32 °C (90 °F) almost every day,
although temperatures in excess of 45 °C (113 °F) are not uncommon.

The region also has a number of cattle-grazing stations, and a substantial tourist sector, with
popular natural attractions including the Karijini and Millstream-Chichester national parks, the
Dampier Archipelago and the Ningaloo Reef. It is therefore, a photographer paradise.

French Riviera, known as the Azure Coast (Côte d’Azur) such as Nice and Monaco.
The French Riviera surrounds the principality of Monaco with a total population of over two
million. It is a major yachting and cruising area with several marinas along its coast. As a
tourist centre it benefits from 300 days of sunshine per year, 115 kilometres (71 mi) of
coastline and beaches, 18 golf courses, 14 ski resorts and 3,000 restaurants. Many celebrities,
such as Elton John and Brigitte Bardot, have homes in the region, so it is a mecca for paparazzi
and celeb spotting.

The Great Wall of China, one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
The Great Wall stretches from Shanhaiguan in the east, to Lop Lake in the west, along an arc
that roughly delineates the southern edge of Inner Mongolia. Several walls were being built as
early as the 7th century BC; these, later joined together and made bigger, stronger, and unified
are now collectively referred to as the Great Wall. Especially famous is the wall built between
220–206 BC by the first Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang. Little of that wall remains. Since
then, the Great Wall has on and off been rebuilt, maintained, and enhanced; the majority of the
existing wall was reconstructed during the Ming Dynasty.

Some of the following sections are in Beijing municipality, which was renovated and which are
regularly visited by tourists today include -

“North Pass” of Juyongguan Pass, known as the Badaling. When used by the Chinese to
protect their land, this section of the wall has had many guards to defend China’s capital
Beijing. Made of stone and bricks from the hills, this portion of the Great Wall is 7.8
meters (26 ft) high and 5 meters (16 ft) wide.
“West Pass” of Jiayuguan (pass). This fort is near the western edges of the Great Wall.
“Pass” of Shanhaiguan. This fort is near the eastern edges of the Great Wall.
One of the most striking sections of the Ming Great Wall is where it climbs extremely
steep slopes. It runs 11 kilometers (6.8 mi) long, ranges from 5 to 8 meters (16–26 ft) in
height, and 6 meters (20 ft) across the bottom, narrowing up to 5 meters (16 ft) across the
top. Wangjinglou is one of Jinshanling’s 67 watchtowers, 980 meters (3,220 ft) above sea
level.
South East of Jinshanling is the Mutianyu Great Wall, which winds along lofty, cragged
mountains from the southeast to the northwest for approximately 2.25 kilometers (about
1.3 miles). It is connected with Juyongguan Pass to the west and Gubeikou to the east.
25 km (16 mi) west of the Liao Tian Ling stands a part of the Great Wall which is only
2~3 stories high. According to the records of Lin Tian, the wall was not only extremely
short compared to others, but it appears to be silver. Archeologists explain that the wall
appears to be silver because the stone they used were from Shan Xi, where many mines
are found. The stone contains extremely high levels of metal in it causing it to appear
 silver. However, due to years of decay of the Great Wall, it is hard to see the silver part
of the wall today.

Another notable section lies near the eastern extremity of the wall, where the first pass of the
Great Wall was built on the Shanhaiguan (known as the “Number One Pass Under Heaven”). 3
km north of Shanhaiguan is Jiaoshan Great Wall, the site of the first mountain of the Great Wall.
15 km northeast from Shanhaiguan, is the Jiumenkou, which is the only portion of the wall that
was built as a bridge.

Niagara Falls

There are more places that are suitable for landscape photography however the above-
mentioned places are among the best locations in the world.
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Steve Rutherford
GLOSSARY
1,2,3
4K. 4K is an emerging standard for digital motion picture resolution. The standard is so named
because it refers to its approx. 4,000 pixels of horizontal resolution. 4K incorporates a number
of aspect ratios that all utilize 4,000 pixels of horizontal resolution x differing numbers of
pixels of vertical resolution. This is contrary to the standard HD resolutions of 720p and
1080p, which represent the number of vertical pixels.

51 Point Auto-Focus System. Available in selected Nikon D-SLRs, the 51-point AF system
positions 51 points of focus within the frame to allow photographers to choose a variety of
focus configurations to suit the shooting situation.

The 51-area grid forms a wide rectangle across the frame, with minimal spacing between each
AF area. The system keeps even quick-moving subjects in focus across a wide extent of the
frame. The 15 points of the three center rows of focus points employ cross-type sensors for
powerful focus detection.
A
AA- Power source/battery type. Also NiCad and NiMH

AA Filter - Most Digital SLR’s have a «Low Pass Filter» (LPF) or AA (Anti-Aliasing) Filter
in front of the CCD or CMOS sensor. This helps to eliminate colour aliasing problems, or the
«moire» effect.

AC Power - Alternating Current that is used to operate your digital camera directly from the
mains supply rather than a battery. Sometimes supplied, but normally requires additional
expense.

Accessory Shoes - also often called «Hot Shoe». The early flash types were simple metal
brackets. To install a flash unit, you just slide the mounting foot of the flash into the accessory
shoe. No electrical connection is made between camera and flash - it’s just a simple and
convenient way to attach the flash unit to the camera. Subsequent accessory shoes have been
built as part of the camera and usually reat on top of the camera’s pentaprism; others are
separate items that you mount on the camera body when you need them. Some like the Nikon
early professional camera has special dedicated which was designed around the rewind knob.

Aberration. Failing in the ability of a lens to produce a true image. There are many forms of
aberration and the lens designer can often correct some only by allowing others to remain.
Generally, the more expensive the lens, the less its aberrations (More attention to optical
quality). While no single lens is called a ‘perfect lens’. The «ideal» lense would reproduce a
subject in a faithful, clearly defined image on film. Aberrations, which can be divided into six
basic faults, affect the Ideal performance in an optical system.

a) Spherical aberration. Basically, a beam of light passing through a lens parallel to the optical
axis converges to form 3-focused image on the film. Spherical aberration is the term for an
optical fault caused by the spherical form of a lense that produces different focus points along
the axis for central and marginal rays.

b) Curvature of field. This optical defect causes points on an object plane perpendicular to the
lens axis to focus on a curved surface rather than a plane.

c) Astigmatism. Rays of light from a single point of an object which is not on the axis of a lense
fail to meet in a single focus thus causing the image of a point to be drawn out into two sharp
lines, one radial to the optical axis and another perpendicular to this line, in two different
planes near the curvature of field.

d) Coma. This optical defect causes the image of an off-axis point of light to appear as a comet-
shaped blur of light. Coma, as well as curvature of field and astigmatism, degenerate the image
forming ability of the lense at the rims of the picture.

e) Distortion. Even if the first four aberrations were totally eliminated, images could result that
still have a distorted appearance. For an example, a rectangle may appear as a barrel or pin
cushion-shaped object.
f) Chromatic aberration. This aberration is caused by light rays of different wavelengths
coming to focus at different distances from the lene. Blue will focus at the shortest distance and
red at the greatest distance. Since the natural rays of light are a mixture of colors, each
aberration will give a different value corresponding to each color thus producing blurred
images.

Add-on Lens - Some point and shoot digicams have a filter thread on the front of the fixed lens
that will enable the attachment of an additional lens. Usually wide-angle or telephoto.

AE - Auto Exposure. When the camera is set to this mode, it will automatically set all the
required modes for the light conditions. I.e. Shutter speed, aperture and white balance. The 3
types are:

Program Mode. The camera will choose the shutter speed and aperture automatically,
effectively making your SLR a «point-and-shoot». It will normally assign a shutter speed
of 60th of a second or higher if possible.
Aperture Priority. You choose the aperture setting and the camera will automatically
choose the shutter speed according to the lighting conditions. Best setting for controlling
the depth of field.
Shutter Priority. You choose the shutter speed and the camera will select the correct
aperture as long as there is enough light. Good for sports or action photography where you
need control over the shutter speeds.

AE Lock. This enables you to lock the current exposure reading and re-frame the shot using the
same setting. A half-press of the shutter is normally required to activate this function, fully
pressing only when you want to capture the image.

AF. Auto Focus. All digicams and most modern SLR lenses have this function now. The lens
automatically focuses on the subject as quick as the eye. The only difference is that with an SLR
you can normally select manual focus if necessary.

Aliasing. This is an effect caused by sampling an image at to low a rate. It causes rapid change
(high texture) areas of an image to appear as a slow change in the sample image. Once this has
happened, it is extremely difficult to reproduce the original image from the sample.

Ambient Light. The available natural light completely surrounding a subject. Light already
existing in an indoor or outdoor setting that is not caused by any illumination supplied by the
photographer i.e. not by artificial light source.

Angle of View. This is calculated by the focal length of the lens and the size of the image
sensor. The 35mm equivalents differ according to the sensor size.

Anti aliasing. This is the process whereby you can reduce the «Stepping» effect on your
images, by smoothing the edges where individual edges are visible. A great program for
correcting this is Genuine Fractals by LizardTech. It is a plug-in for Photoshop.

Aperture. The lens opening that allows more, or less light onto the sensor formed by a
diaphragm inside the actual lens.

Aperture Priority AE. When using this mode, the user selects the aperture giving control over
the Depth of Field. A large aperture letting more light in gives a small depth of field; meaning
not much will be in focus. Whereas a small aperture, not letting much light in, will give a
greater depth of field or more will be in focus from the front to back of the image.

APO. Apochromatic. Having the ability to bring all colours of the visible spectrum to a
common plane of focus, within close tolerances, usually refer to a lens with such superior
colour correction. Also refer to «ED», «LD», «SD», and “UD».

Aperture ring. A ring, located on the outside of the lens usually behind the focusing ring,
which is linked mechanically to the diaphragm to control the size of the aperture; it is engraved
with a set of numbers called f-numbers or f- stops.

Artificial light. Light from a man-made source, usually restricted to studio photo lamp and
domestic lighting. When used to describe film (also known as Type A or Type B) invariably
means these types of lighting.

Archive. A collection of data in long-term storage, usually the hard drive on your PC or an
external hard drive.

ASA. American Standards Association. Group that determining numerical ratings of speed for
US made photosensitive products. Eg films. In 1982, its role and its influence were narrowed
down by the establishment of the ISO (International Standards Organisation).

Aspect Ratio. The ration of horizontal to vertical dimensions of an image. For example, 35mm
slide film = 3:2, TV = 4:3, HDTV = 16:9, 4x5 Film = 5:4.

Aspherical Lens. A lens with edges flattened so that it is not a perfect sphere. These produce a
much superior image.

Automatic Exposure. The camera sets the shutter speed and aperture for the correct exposure
according to the light.

Automatic Focus. The lens on the camera focuses automatically when the shutter is half
pressed. The viewfinder normally has focussing points shown to assist the user in knowing
what will be in focus.

AVI. Movie clip in Windows AVI format. A lot of digicams now have this feature for
producing small video clips.

AWB. Automatic White Balance. Most digital cameras have this feature where the camera sets
the white balance. Override is available in most DSLR’s.
B
B & W. Abbreviation for Black and White.

Back Lit. Meaning the subject is lit from behind which can cause underexposing. Is also used
for portrait photography for special effects and bringing catchlights to the hair.

Backlight. The illumination for a colour LCD display on digital cameras or phones.

Banding. An artefact of colour gradation in computer imaging. When graduated colours break
into larger blocks of a single colour, the smooth look of a proper gradation is reduced.

Barrel Distortion. A common geometric lens distortion causing an acquired image to pucker
towards the centre and be rounded along the outer edges.

Beauty Dish. Light modifier used in a studio setting that has two dishes facing each other, the
light is reflected from one smaller dish into the other being much larger, and onto the subject.
The result is a soft but rather directional illumination. Used widely in the fashion and glamour
portrait industry, particularly Hollywood.

Bit. The smallest unit of memory. The word comes from binary and digit or 1 and 0. Also
sometimes known as on and offs.

Bit Depth. Refers to the colour or grey scale of each individual pixel. For example a pixel
with 8 bits per colour (red, green and blue), gives a 24-bit image. 24-bit resolution is 16.7
million colours.

Bitmap. The method of storing information that actually maps an image pixel bit by bit. Formats
include; .bmp, .pcx, .pict, .tif, .tiff, .gif. Most picture files are bit-mapped.

Blooming. An effect caused by overexposing a CCD or sensor to too much light. This can cause
distortions of the subject and/or colour.

BMP. Bitmapped graphics file format, which is popular with Windows PC’s. It is an
uncompressed file format like a TIFF.

Borderless. Quite simply, this means a printed photograph with no border around it.

Bracketing. Can apply to flash or exposure. It is used to create usually 3 photographs. The
cameras meter exposes one photo automatically, one under exposed and one overexposed by a
predetermined number of stops. Also «exposure bracketing».

Brightness. Value of a pixel in a digital image giving its value of lightness from black to white,
with o being black and 255 being white.

Buffer. Temporary storage areas held in your camera or computers RAM. This acts as a
temporary holding area for data that will be manipulated by the CPU before saving it to another
device. For example if you are shooting in continuous mode, when the RAM buffer on your
digital camera is full it will slow to a much slower rate while the buffer empties to your
compact flash card or other device.

Bulb Setting (B). Term used for a long exposure setting normally more than 30 seconds. The
start of the exposure is made by pressing the shutter, only ending when the shutter button is
released. Excellent for night photography and a remote release is recommended to prevent
camera shake as you press the shutter button.

Burst Mode. Also know as continuous mode or «Auto wind» on older SLR’s. However,
today’s Digital SLR’s have bust modes of up to 8 frames per second. Great for sports and
action shots.

Byte. A collection of 8-bits of memory in a computer. I.e. 8 bits is a Byte, 1000 bytes is a
Kilobyte (KB) or 8000 bytes, 1000Kb is a Megabyte (MB) or 8,000,000 bytes and so on.
C
Calibration. The act of adjusting the colour of one device to match that of another. For example
when you match the calibration of your screen to that of your printer to ensure what you see is
what you print. It is also used in the film SLR’s Canon EOS-3 and EOS 5 which have eye-
controlled focussing. You calibrate the cameras focussing to where your eye is looking in the
viewfinder. (Some fighter planes also have this. The missile follows the trajectory of the
pilot’s eye).

Card Reader. Used for transferring data from your flash memory card to your PC. A better
way of transferring your image files than connecting the camera to your PC. Sometimes the
cameras circuitry can become corrupt. Better to fry a memory card than your camera.

CCD (Charged Coupled Device). This is a light sensitive chip used in your digital camera for
image gathering. The CCD Pixels gather the colour from the light and pass it to the shift register
for storage. CCD’s are analogue sensors, the digitising occurs when the electrons are passed
through the A to D converter. This «Analogue to Digital» converter converts the analogue
signal to a digital file or signal.

CD. Compact Disc. You should have heard of these by now. Storage media capable of holding
around 650MB of data. These come in 2 forms;

CDR - Compact Disc Recordable. Can only be used once, no matter how little
information you write to it. Can be re-read many times.
CDR-W - Compact Disc Re-writeable. This can be erased and re-used many times.

Centre - Weighted. Term used to describe an automatic exposure system that uses just the
centre portion of the image to adjust the overall value. So in effect, the exposure will be
weighted to what you see towards the centre of your viewfinder.

CF. Compact Flash card. Used in your digital camera to record images. Storage space ranges
from 16MB up to 12GB. A company in Japan is currently developing a CF card that will store
2TB of information or 2,048 Gigabytes.

Channel. One piece of information stored with an image. For example, a true colour image has
3 channels, red, green and blue.

Chroma. The colour of an image element or pixel. A chroma is made up of saturation plus the
hue values, but is separate from the luminance value.

Chromatic Aberration. Also known as purple fringing. It is fairly common in 2MP digital
cameras and above, especially if they have long telephoto lenses. You can see it when a dark
area is surrounded by a highlight. In between the dark and light, you may see a band of purple
pixels that shouldn’t be there. There are ways of removing this, which I have covered in the
Photoshop section.

CIFF. Camera Image File Format. This is an agreed type of image storage used by many
camera makers.

CMOS. Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (now you can see why it is abbreviated) -
Another imaging system used by digital cameras. These produce lower amounts of power
consumption, but are not as popular as the CCD sensors used in most digital SLR’s

CMS. Colour management system. A software program designed to ensure colour matching and
calibration between video and/or computer monitors and any form of hard copy output.

CMYK. Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and BlacK. Colours used by most printers to produce your
prints. Colour shifts can be caused when the colour management system tries to convert your
PC’s RGB files to CMYK. Before printing, try converting your images to CMYK and see what
the difference is.

Codec. A Codec compresses information to enable it to be sent across a network much faster. It
will also decompress information received via the network.

Colour Balance. The accuracy with which the colours captured in the image, match the original
scene.

Colour Cast. This is a very unwanted tint of one colour in an image caused by the wrong
amount of Cyan, Magenta and Yellow. It can be corrected using your editing software.

Colour Correction. To correct or enhance the colours within an image.

Colour Depth. Digital Images can approximate colour realism but the process is referred to as
colour depth, bit depth or pixel depth. Most modern computer displays use 24-bit true colour. It
displays the same number of colours that the human eye can discern, about 16 million.

Colour Space. Digital cameras use known colour profiles to generate their images. The most
common is sRGB or Adobe RGB. This along with all of the other camera data is stored in the
Exif header of the Jpeg file. The colour space information ensures that graphic programs and
printers have a reference to the colour profile that the camera used at the time of taking the
exposure.

Colour temperature. Description of the colour of a light-source by comparing it with the

colour of light emitted by a (theoretical) perfect radiator at a particular temperature expressed
in kelvins (K). Thus «photographic daylight» has a colour temperature of about 5500K.
Photographic tungsten lights have colour temperatures of either 3400K or 3200K depending on
their construction.

Compact Flash. See CF. This is the most commonly used type of memory. It is small,
removable and available in a wide range of sizes up to 12GB.

Composition. The pleasing arrangement of the elements within a scene-the main subject, the
foreground and background, and supporting subjects.

Compression. A Digital photograph creates an image file that is enormous. To enable image
files to become smaller and more manageable cameras employ some form of compression such
as JPEG. RAW and TIFF files have no compression and take up more space.

Continuous Autofocus. As it says. The auto focus system is continuously working on focussing
on the subject.

Continuous Servo (Nikon’s term). AF Focus detection continues as long as shutter release
button is lightly pressed and the reflex mirror is in the viewing position. Useful when the
camera-to subject distance is likely to change.

Contrast. The measure of rate of change of brightness in an image.

CRW. The RAW CCD file format used by Canon Digital Cameras. Comes from Canon RAW.
D
Dark Frame. A noise reduction process where a camera takes a second exposure of a black
frame after the camera takes a long exposure image. The image noise is easily identified in the
black frame shot and is then electronically removed from the actual image. This helps to reduce
the amount of hot pixels that normally show up in long exposure shots from digital cameras.

DC. Direct Current. Battery power such as 9v DC battery

Decompression. Process by which the full data content of a compressed file is restored.

Dedicated Flash. An Electronic Flash Unit that is made to be used directly with a specific
make or model of a camera. Canon, Nikon Minolta and Olympus for example, all have
electrical contacts in the hotshoe, which passes TTL (through the lens) metering and AF range
information to and from the flash unit or speedlight. You cannot interchange flash units and
cameras. I.e. a Nikon speedlight on a Canon camera.

Depth of Field. (DOF). The range of items in focus in an image. This is controlled by the focal
length and aperture opening of a lens. A large or wide aperture gives a shallow depth of field
(not much range in focus) and a smaller or narrow aperture give a large depth of field (more
range in focus).

Diffuse Lighting. Lighting that is low or moderate in contrast, such as on an overcast day.

Diffusing. Softening detail in a print with a diffusion disk or other material that scatters light.

Digital Film. Quite simply that. Solid-state flash memory cards in place of emulsion film.

Digital Zoom. A digital magnification of the centre 50% of an image. These give less than
sharp images because the new zoomed image has been interpolated. Don’t be swayed by the
incredible 500% zooms on some cameras, the images won’t be really acceptable. The optical
zoom gives much more clarity to an image.

Digitisation. The process of converting analogue information into digital for use by a computer.

Dioptre Adjustment. This adjusts the optical viewfinder’s magnification factor to suit the
eyesight of the cameras user. There should be a knob or dial near the viewfinders eyepiece,
however, not all cameras have this feature.

DOF. Abbreviation of Depth of Field.

Download. Term used for the transference of image data from the camera to your computer.
Can be done via a serial port or the faster USB port. Downloads can also be done via
Bluetooth or Infrared without the need for cables.

DPI. Dots per Inch. This is a measurement value used to describe the resolution of a display
screen or that of a printer
DPOF. Digital Print Order Format. This allows you to embed printing information on your
memory card. You just select the photographs that you want printed and how many prints to be
made. Some photo printers such as Pictbridge use this information at print time.

DRAM. Dynamic Random Access Memory. A type of volatile memory, which is lost when the
power is turned off.

DRAM Buffer. All digicams have a certain amount of fixed memory to facilitate image
processing before the finished picture is saved to the flash memory card. Cameras with burst
more have a larger buffer of 32MB or bigger to cope with the files however, they are more
expensive.

DSLR. Digital Single Lens Reflex (SLR). Camera with interchangeable lens.

DVD. Digital Versatile Disk. DVD is DVD recorded on a DVD-R or DVD-RW disc.

Dye Sub. Dye sublimination is a printing process where the colour dyes are thermally
transferred to the printing media. The printers use CMYK colour format. The paper is run in
and out of the printer 4 times, once for each colour (C, M and Y) and a fourth time when a
protective overcoat is applied. Dye sub is continuous tone printing; it prints tiny square dots
each of which is denser in the centre and lighter on the edges. The dyes are transparent so
different coloured dots can be printed on top of each other to form any one of 16 million
colours.

Dynamic Range. This is a measurement of the accuracy of an image in colour or grey level.
More bits of dynamic range results in much finer gradations being preserved.
E
EPP. Enhanced Parallel Port. This is the newer, hi-speed, bidirectional printer port on modern
PC’s.

E-TTL. Canon’s «Evaluative Through The Lens» exposure system that uses a brief pre-flash
before the main flash in order to calculate the correct exposure.

EV. Exposure Value. The ability to override the auto exposure system to under or over expose
the image.

EXIF. Exchangeable Image File Format. The embedded information about camera and exposure
for each image. Most decent graphics programs can read this information.

Exposure. Amount of light that hits the image sensor of film controlled by the shutter speed and
aperture.

Exposure Bracketing. Camera will take 3 or 5 images and varies the exposure up or down for
each photograph ensuring at least one will be well exposed.

Exposure Compensation. You can lighten or darken the image by under or over exposing the
image. (EV compensation).
F
F-number. The numbers on the lens aperture ring and the camera’s LCD (where applies) that
indicate the relative size of the lens aperture opening. The f-number series is a geometric
progression based on changes in the size of the lens aperture, as it is opened and closed. As the
scale rises. Each number is multiplied by a factor of 1.4. The standard numbers for Calibration
are 1.0,1.4, 2, 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16, 22, 32, etc., and each change results in a doubling or
halving of the amount of light transmitted by the lens to the film plane. Basically, calculated
from the focal length of the lens divided by the diameter of the bundle of light rays entering the
lens and passing through the aperture in the iris diaphragm.

F-Stop . Number indicating the size of the aperture. It is an inversely proportionate number as
in F2.8 is a large opening and F16 is a small opening.

File. A collection of information like data, text or images, which are saved on a CD. DVD or
hard drive.

File Format. Type of program or data file. Includes JPEG, TIFF and BMP

Fill-flash. A method of flash photography that combines flash illumination and ambient light,
but does not attempt to balance these two types of illumination. Also see «balance fill flash»

Filter. A colored piece of glass or other transparent material used over the lens to emphasize,
eliminate, or change the color or density (ND) of the entire scene or certain areas within a
scene. Also see «colour temperature», «UV». Technically, it explained as a piece of material,
which restricts the transmission of radiation. Generally coloured to absorb light of certain
colours. Can be used over light sources or over the camera lens. Camera lens filters are usually
glass either dyed or sandwiching a piece of gelatin in a screw-in filter holder.

FireWire. Officially known as the IEEE 1394 protocol. A high-speed data transfer interface
used on digital camcorders and the more expensive Digital SLR’s.

Firmware. A micro program often used and stored in ROM. Normally the ROM based
software is in all computer based products from PC’s to digital cameras. You will often see
firmware updates for electronic goods that deal with problem issues.

Fisheye lens. Ultra-wide angle lens giving 180 angle of view. Basically produces a circular
image on 35 mm, 5-9 mm lenses showing whole image, 15-17 mm lenses giving a rectangular
image fitting just inside the circle, thus representing 180 across the diagonal.

Fixed Aperture. Aperture remains constant regardless of the lens’ focal length. I.e. The Canon
«L» series have a constant fixed aperture when zooming.

Fixed Focal Length. Basically a non zoom lens. 100mm, 50mm, 200mm etc.

Fixed-Focus. Describes a non-adjustable camera lens, set for a fixed subject distance.
Fixed-Focus Lens. A lens that has been focused in a fixed position by the manufacturer. The
user does not have to adjust the focus of this lens, applies on most entry or disposable cameras.

Flash. The artificial light souce in the dark. Electronic flash requires a high voltage, usually
obtained from batteries through a voltage-multiplying circuit. It has a brief, intense burst of
light, usually used where the lighting on the scene is inadequate for picture taking. They are
generally considered to have the same photographic effect as daylight. Most flash will correct
the color temperature back to 5000 kelvin - the daylight color. You can play around with filters
mounting on the flash head for some specific effects or alter the color if necessary. Modern
flash has multiple TTL flash exposure control functions and even extend to autofocus control.
Some specialized flashes are high-speed repeating flash, which can use for strobocopic effect,
UV-flash for ultra violet light photography etc.

Flash Bracket. Often called handle mount flash. It comprised of one arm of the L-shaped
bracket extends under the camera body and uses the camera’s tripod socket to mount the camera
on the bracket. The vertical arm of the bracket serves as a handle and mounts a flash unit in an
accessory shoe often on top of the handle portion, but there are other methods. Flash mounted in
a bracket usually requires a separate electrical cord to make the electrical connection between
camera body and flash unit.

Flash Exposure Bracketing. Enables a photographer to automatically bracket exposures at

varied flash output levels, in TTL auto flash shooting, without changing the shutter speed and/or
aperture, this is a one of the top flash feature that can only be found on some higher ranked
cameras.

Flash synchronization. Timing of the flash coincides with release of the camera’s shutter.
There are two types of synchronization: Front-Curtain Sync, which fires the flash at the start of
the exposure, and Rear-Curtain Sync, which fires the flash at the end of the exposure. Also see
«Rear-Curtain Sync», «Front-Curtain Sync», «X setting».

Flash sync speed. Exposure time with a focal-plane shutter is measured from the instant the
first curtain is released, to begin its travel across the frame, until the instant the second curtain
is released, to begin its travel across the frame. When the first curtain reaches the end of its
travel, the film frame is uncovered as far as the first curtain is concerned, so it closes the
electrical contacts for X sync and fires the flash instantly. Shutter speed at which the entire f
iIm frame is exposed when the flash s fired in flash shooting. Most modern camera with
vertical travel shutter curtain have faster flash sync speed like 1/250 sec. or slower, some top
camera model like Nikon F5, changeable to 1/300 sec. with the Custom Setting.

Flash output level compensation. A control used to adjust a TTL auto flash operation,
enabling an increase or decrease of flash output to lighten or darken the flash effect.

Flash shooting distance range. The distance range over which a flash can effectively provide
light. Flash shooting distance range is controlled by the amount of flash output available. Each
automatic Speedlight’s flash output varies from maximum duration to minimum duration Close-
up subjects will require lower (to minimum) output while more distant subjects will require
more light up to the maximum output. The flash shooting distance range varies with the aperture,
film speed, [Link] so see Guide Number.

Flash Memory Card. A storage medium that uses by most digital cameras. It resembles film in
conventional photography. Flare. An overall decrease in contrast caused by light being
reflected off, instead of transmitted through, a lens surface; controllable through the use of
multilayer coating of individual lens elements in a lens; aggravated by unclean lens surfaces on
front and rear lens elements or filters.

Flat Bed Scanner. Optical Scanner in which the original image remains stationary while the
CCD sensors pass over or under it. The scanned image is held flat by the lid hence the name.

Focal Length. A lens’ angle of view. Such as Wide angle, standard or telephoto.

Focus Assist. Cameras with this send out a light, either normal or infrared to light up the
subject to assist with the autofocus in low light or darkness.

Focus Lock. Focus lock means pre-focussing the subject and re-framing by moving the camera.
This is done by half pressing the shutter to focus and fully pressing to expose. Done to ensure
crisp, sharp eyes for example.

Frame. One of many still pictures that make up a video.

Frame Rate. Number of frames that are shown or sent each second. Live action is around 30
frames per second.

Full Bleed. Otherwise known as «Borderless» printing. Means the ink limit extends to all 4
edges of a print.
G
Gamma. Measure of the amount of contrast in an image according to the properties of a
gradation curve. High contrast = High Gamma and Low = Low.

Gamma Correction. With reference to displaying an image accurately on a computer screen,

Gamma correction controls the overall brightness of an image. Images which are not properly
corrected can look either too dark or bleached out.

Gamut. This is the range of colours that are available in an image or output process. Gamut is
generally used in describing the capabilities of a printer to reproduce colours accurately and
vibrantly.

GIF. A graphic file format mainly used for Web graphic or small animated (GIF) files. Not
good for photographs as it only contains a maximum of 256 colours.

Gigabyte (GB). A gigabyte is a measure of computer memory or disk space consisting of about
one billion bytes (a thousand megabytes). The actual value is 1,073,741,824 bytes (1024
megabytes).

Gradation. A smooth transition between black and white, one colour and another or colour and
no colour.

Grey Level. This is the brightness level of a pixel representing it’s lightness from black to
white. It is usually defined as a value from 0 to 255, with 0 being black and 255 being white.

Grey Scale. A term used to describe an image containing shades of grey rather than colour.
Most commonly referred to as a black and white photograph.

Guide Number. The power output rating of a speedlight flash unit.

H
Halftone Image. An image reproduced through a special screen made up of dots of various
sizes, to simulate shades of grey in an image. Normally used for magazine or newspaper
reproduction of images. It is also how modern inkjet printers work. Half toning or dithering are
the methods used to produce a smooth gradation of colour versus distinct bands of colour or
moiré patterns.

HD. Hard drive (HDD). This is the internal, large-capacity storage unit in home computers,
normally the C-Drive

HDTV. High Definition Television. New video standard that will give 1,125 lines in the
United States instead of the traditional 525 NTSC standard lines. The aspect ratio is 16:9
versus 4:3 of normal TV’s.

Histogram. A histogram is a bar graph analysis tool that is used to identify contrast and
dynamic range of any image. Histograms are found in the more advanced digi-cams and
software programs (graphic editors), such as Adobe Photoshop 7, CS or Elements, and are
used to manipulate images. The histogram shows a scale of 0 - 255 (left to right) with 0 being
black and 255 being white.

Hot Shoe. A flash connector generally found on the top of the camera that lets you attach an
external flash unit and trigger it in sync with the cameras shutter.

Hue. A term used to describe the complete range of colours of the spectrum. Hue is the
component that determines just what colour you are using. In gradients where you use a colour
model in which hue is a component, you can create some rainbow effects.
I
i-TTL. Similar to Canon’s «E-TTL», Nikon’s new flash exposure system is used on the new
D70 DSLR and SB-600 and SB-800 Speedlights.

ICC Profile. «The International Colour Consortium» is a group that sets the standard guidelines
for colour management in the imaging world. Most monitors, printers and scanners (as well as
digital cameras), usually come with a driver disc for Windows and Mac systems that include
ICC profiles for that particular device. Colour profiles simply let one piece of hardware or
software know how another device or image has created its colours and how they should be
interpreted or reproduced.

IEEE-1284. High-speed, bidirectional parallel port specification used on Windows PC’s, used
mostly for printers.

IEEE-1394. Better known as FireWire, it is a high-speed input or output bus used by digital
video devices, film or flatbed scanners, and high end digital still cameras & PC’s.

iESP. Olympus’ exposure metering system.

iLink. Sony’s term for the IEE-1394 FireWire data port found on Sony camcorders.

Image Resolution. This relates to the number of pixels per unit length of image. E.g. pixels per
inch, pixels per millimetre, or pixels wide etc.

Image Sensor. Digital cameras use an electronic image sensor (CCD or CMOS), to gather the
image data, whereas a traditional camera exposes light to emulsion film,

Image Stabilization (IS). An optical or digital system built in to a lens for removing or
reducing camera movement, most effective with telephoto or telephoto zoom lenses. Can be
found on most of Canon’s «L» range of lenses as well as mid-range lenses such as the EF 28-
125 IS USM

Inkjet. A type of printer that «sprays» dots of ink onto paper to create the image rather than
paint or laser it on. Modern inkjet printers now have resolutions of up to 2880dpi and create
excellent photo quality prints.

Interlaced. This is the term used to describe an image sensor that gathers its data by first
processing the odd lines, and then processing the even lines.

Interpolated. Most software programs can enlarge image resolution beyond the actual
resolution by adding extra pixels. This normally decreases the quality of the image but can be
enhanced by a program (or plug in for Photoshop) such as LizardTech’s «Genuine Fractals«.

Intervalometer. (Or Interval Recording) Another term for Time Lapse Photography. You can
capture an image or images at preset intervals automatically. Good quality remote releases
have this function built in, meaning you don’t have to stand around pressing the shutter every 5
or 10 seconds.

IR. Infra Red. This uses a beam of light that is invisible to us humans to either control a device
without wires or as a method of transferring data from camera to computer (or printer) without
cables. Some cameras also employ infrared in the auto focusing system.

ISO. Or ASA. (International Standards Organization). The speed or light sensitivity of a

captured image is rated by ISO numbers such as 100, 400, 800 etc. The higher the number, the
more sensitive to light it is. Similar to film, the higher speeds usually bring on more electronic
«noise» so the image gets grainier. An excellent program for cutting down this «noise» is Neat
Image.
J
JFIF . Also known as EXIF, this is a specific type of the JPG file format.

JPEG. Joint Photographic Experts Group. This is the name of the committee that designed the
standard image compression algorithm. JPEG was designed for compressing full colour or grey
scale digital images of natural scenes. It doesn’t work so well with non-realistic images, such
as cartoons however. JPEG does not handle the compression of black and white (1 bit-per-
pixel) images or moving pictures.

JPEG - 2000. The new JPEG compression standard that may start to be used in digital cameras
and software. It will feature higher compression with less image quality loss.

JPG. This is the most common type of compressed image file format used in modern digicams.
It is a «lossy» type of image storage because even in its highest quality mode, there is
compression used to minimize its size.
K
KB. A Kilobyte of data, or an abbreviation for keyboard.
L
Landscape Mode. This is when you hold the camera in its normal, horizontal orientation to
capture the image. The opposite is «portrait mode».

LCD. (Liquid Crystal Display). There are 2 types. First, a TFT high-resolution colour display
device like a very small TV set. Secondly, a monochrome (B and W) information display using
just black alphanumeric characters on a grey or green background.

LED. (Light Emitting Diode). This refers to all the little red, green and yellow indicator lights
used on most cameras, power supplies and electronic devices.

Li-ion. (Lithium ION). Some digicams are packaged with a lithium-ion re-chargeable battery
pack. Lithium ION batteries are lighter but are more costly than Ni-MH or Ni-Cd (NiCad)
rechargeables. One advantage is that Lithium cells can be recharged regardless of the amount of
discharge; also, they are lighter and maintain a charge much better in colder temperatures than
conventional batteries. Li-ion also holds a charge for longer when idle.

Lossless. Refers to storing an image in a non-compressed format, such as TIFF.

Low Pass Filter. Most DSLR’s (Digital SLR’s) employ a Low Pass Filter (LPF) or Anti-
Aliasing (AA) filter in front of the sensor to help eliminate problems with colour aliasing
(moiré).
M
Mac. Refers to the Macintosh computers. I.e. Apple MAC.

Macro. Lenses with this feature can focus very close (less than 8») for taking pictures of small
objects at a 1:1 ratio.

mAh. (milliAmperehour). A rating used in the consumption of power of an electronic device

such as an LCD, or the storage capability of a device like a NiMH or Nicad rechargeable
battery.

Matrix Metering. Most digicams have a matrix metering option, which uses 256 areas of the
frame to calculate the best overall exposure value.

MB. (MegaByte). Memory term meaning 1024 Kilobytes. Used to denote the size of a flash
memory card such as 4MB, 8MB etc. MB is often confused with Mb (megabit), there’s 8 bits in
a byte so 256Mb = 32MB.

MD. (Minidisk). Digital recording media similar to a small floppy disc. Common for audio
data and has been used on several digicams sold in Japan and Europe.

Megapixel. This is the CCD (or CMOS) resolution of one million pixels. Digicams are
commonly rated by Megapixels. You multiply the horizontal resolution by the vertical
resolution to get the total pixel count. For example 2590 x 1920 = 5 Megapixels.

Memory Stick. A flash memory card type from Sony. They resemble a stick of chewing gum
and vary in size.

Memory Stick Pro. The year 2003 upgrade to Sony’s Memory Stick flash cards. The new MS
Pro cards are available in 256MB, 512MB and 1GB capacities and offer faster read/write
times. All of Sony’s digicams made in 2003 or after can use MS Pro cards.

Metering. Metering is used to calculate the exposure from the existing light conditions.
Includes Matrix Metering, Spot metering and Center-weighted metering.

Microdrive. IBM/Hitachi mini hard disk drive for digital cameras and PDA devices. Packaged
in a CompactFlash Type II housing and available in 170MB, 340MB, 512MB, 1GB, 2GB, 4GB
and above as the years progress!

MiniCD. These are small diameter (3 inch) CD discs. Mini CD-R and Mini CD-R/W discs are
used in the Sony Mavica «CD» series (CD200, CD250, CD300, CD400 and CD1000)
digicams.

MMC. Multi-Media Card. A flash memory card used in some digicams and MP3 players. The
MMC is identical in size and shape to the Secure Digital (SD) flash cards.

Moiré. A visible pattern that occurs when one or more halftone screens are mis-registered in a
colour image. Often produces a coloured checkerboard (or rainbow) pattern.

MOV. Apple QuickTime Movie file format.

Movie clip. A sequence of motion captured in AVI, MOV or MPEG formats. More and more
digital cameras can now capture short movie clips; many can also record the sound.

Motion JPEG. A video clip composed of a sequence of JPEG compressed images. Sometimes
abbreviated to MPEG (see MPEG below), although they are slightly different. The main
difference is that MPEG provides temporal compression, while MJPEG simply provides
spatial compression.

MP. Abbreviation of Megapixel, i.e. 5MP or 8MP.

MPEG. Motion JPEG movie file. See «Movie clip»The digital video compression standard
agreed upon by the Motion Picture Expert Group from the motion picture computer industry.

MPEG-EX. Motion JPEG movie file created by Sony cameras. This was the first motion video
recording sequence mode that was limited in length only by the amount of available storage
space.

MPEG-HQX. Motion JPEG movie file created by Sony in 2002, whose cameras incorporate
the MPEG-HQ (high quality, full-screen) and the unlimited recording capability of MPEG-EX
in 320x240 resolution.

MPEG-VX. Motion JPEG movie file created by Sony digicams in 2003. Its VGA resolution
(640x480) at 16fps with audio and the length is limited only by available storage space. VX
Fine is 30fps or very high quality.

Multi-Pattern Metering. Exposure is determined by reading many different zones in the frame.
This gives a more optimum exposure than those cameras using just a central zone metering
system.

Multi-Point Focusing. The autofocus systems use several different portions of the image to
determine the correct focus.

Multi Zone Focusing. Many digital cameras now offer multi zone focusing. The camera will
automatically determine which zone (centre, left, right, upper or lower) to use to perform the
auto focusing. You no longer have to make sure that your subject is in the centre of the
viewfinder in order to be correctly focused.
N
NEF. (Nikon Electronic Format). The Raw image data file format used by the Nikon DSLR
(D2x, D100, etc) also some Coolpix digicams.

NiCd. Nickel Cadmium (Nicad). A type of rechargeable battery. NiCad was the original type
of rechargeable battery and has been all but replaced by the NiMH type.

NiMH. (Nickel-Metal Hydride). A type of rechargeable battery. NiMH is the more modern
type of rechargeable battery and has been touted as having no memory effect as is common with
Nicad type batteries when they are charged before they have been fully discharged.

Noise. Relates to pixels in your image that were misinterpreted. Normally occurs when you
shoot a long exposure (beyond 1/2-second) or when you use the higher ISO values from 400 or
above. It appears as random groups of red, green or blue pixels. Programs such as Neat Image
can remove most noise from an image.

Noise Reduction. Some cameras that offer long shutter speeds (more than 1 second) usually
have a noise reduction (NR) feature that is either automatic or can be enabled in the menu. This
is to help eliminate random «hot» pixels and other image noise. Can add a more time to the
process, as it needs to write the new image data along with the recorded image. Again, see
Neat Image.

NTSC. Term used to describe the 60-field video output (television) standard used in the U.S.
and Japan.
O
OEM. (Original Equipment Manufacturer). Means that a piece of equipment is made by one
company but labelled for (and sold by) another company.

Optical Viewfinder. An eye level viewfinder that is used to compose the photograph.

Optical Zoom. Means that the camera has a real multi focal length lens, this is not the same as a
«Digital Zoom» which magnifies the centre portion of the picture. Optical zoom gives better
quality than a digital zoom.

ORF. (Olympus RAW format). The un-processed image format created by modern Olympus
Digital SLR’s and high end Digicams.

Orientation Sensor. A special sensor in some cameras that can tell when you turn the camera
round to portrait orientation to take a vertical shot. It also tells the camera to display it that way
later when viewed on a monitor or TV screen during playback.

Overexposure. This is an image that appears much too bright. The highlights and colours are
totally lost and usually unrecoverable even by top software. Either the shutter speed was too
long or the aperture was too wide.
P
PAL. The 50 field video format used mostly in Europe and other places outside of the U.S. and
Japan.

Palette. A thumbnail of all available colours to a computer or devices (much like an artist’s
palette). The palette allows the user to choose which colours are available for the computer to
display. The more colours the larger the data and the more processing time required to display
your images. If the system uses 24-bit colour, then over 16.7 million colours will be included
in the palette.

Panorama. This means capturing a series of images to create a picture wider than what you
could capture in a single image, by «Stitching» the photographs together. Needs special
software to allow and help you do this.

Parallax. An effect seen in close-up photography where the viewfinder does not see the same
as the lens. This is normally due to the offset of the viewfinder and lens. This is not an issue if
you are using the LCD as a viewfinder or if your camera is an SLR.

PC. In camera terms it denotes a type of flash synch connector, popular on most film and high
end digital cameras. Otherwise, it means Personal Computer.

PC Card. Refers to a credit card sized device, which can be a flash memory card, a network
card, a modem or even a hard drive. Comes in two types; the type I/II that is a single slot height
and type III that requires a double height card slot.

PCMCIA. These are the card slots found on modern laptop computers to enable the user to
insert PC Cards. There are PCMCIA adapters for Compact Flash (CF), SmartMedia (SM),
Secure Digital (SD), MultiMediaCard (MMC) and Memory Stick (MS) flash cards.

PictBridge. This is a new standard for direct USB printing from digital cameras to inkjet and
dye sub photo printers. It does not need the use of a computer.

PIM. (Print Image Matching). Epson’s new standard of embedded colour and printing
information for digital cameras. Many of the camera manufacturers have joined with Epson and
now embed the PIM information in the Exif header of the JPEG images created.

Pin-Cushioning. This is a common geometric lens distortion causing an acquired image to

pucker toward the centre of the image, usually found at telephoto focal lengths.

Pixel. The individual imaging element of a CCD or CMOS sensor, or the individual output
point of a display device. This is what is meant by the figures 640x480, 800x600, 1024x768,
1280x960 etc., when dealing with the resolution of a particular digicam. Higher numbers are
best.

Pixelization. The stair stepped appearance of a curved or angled line in digital imaging. The
smaller the pixels, and the greater their number, the less apparent the «pixelization» of the
image. Also known as the «jaggies».

Plug-n-Play. This is an automated installation process used in Microsoft Windows to connect

peripherals to a computer. When new devices are plugged into the computer the computer
automatically recognizes the device and prompts the user to choose setup options and finish
installation.

Polarizer. (Polarising Filter). A filter for eliminating glare and reflections, which attached to
the front of your lens (normally just SLR’s). Just like your polarized sunglasses it will get rid of
glare, the polarizer filter does the same for your digicam. There are 2 types of polarising filter,
linear and circular. Linear is for film only, it screws up most auto focus systems on digicams.
Therefore be sure you use a circular polarizer filter. It can also be used to darken skies and
increase the saturation of colours.

PNG. (Portable Network Graphics). This is an image file format. It is a compressed file format
similar to JPG.

Point and Shoot. Term used for a simple, easy to use camera with a minimum of user controls.
The camera does everything automatically so you literally just point and shoot. PPI. Pixels Per
Inch. A measurement to describe the size of a printed image. The higher the number the more
detailed the print will be.

Pre-Flash. Some digicams use a low power flash before the main flash to automatically set the
exposure and white balance.

Programmed AE. The camera chooses the best shutter speed and aperture automatically.

Prosumer. Refers to more expensive semi-professional digicams aimed at a consumer market.

Q
QuickTime. A motion video standard created by Apple. QuickTime video sequences can
contain an audio track and are stored as .MOV files.

QVGA. Refers to Quarter VGA resolution (320 x 240) motion video sequences.
R
RAM. (Random Access Memory). The most common type of computer memory where the CPU
stores software, programs, and data currently being used. RAM is usually volatile memory,
meaning that when the computer is turned off, crashes, or loses power, the contents of the
memory are lost. More RAM usually means faster manipulation or faster background
processing.

Rangefinder. This is the viewfinder on most smaller digital cameras and is a separate viewing
device, which is independent of the lens. It is often above and to the right or left of the lens. It
exhibits a problem known as parallax when trying to frame subjects closer than five feet from
the camera so it is advisable to use the colour LCD when shooting close-ups for just this
reason.

RAW. RAW files store the unprocessed image data at 12 bits per channel. Directly from the
cameras imaging chip to its memory storage device. «Lossless» compression is applied to
reduce the file size slightly, without compromising the quality. RAW image files must be
processed with special software before they can be viewed or printed. These are normally in
the form of a plug in for Photoshop or as a standalone product. . The advantage is that you have
the ability to alter the white balance, exposure value, colour values, contrast, brightness and
sharpness as you see fit before you convert this data into the standard JPEG or TIFF format.
Professional digital photographers import RAW image data directly into photo-editing
programs like Photoshop CS (which comes with a Camera Raw plug-in that works with most
popular RAW formats.)

Red-Eye. An effect caused by an electronic flash reflecting off the retina at the back of the eye
making it look red. Compact cameras with the flash located close to the lens suffer the worst
from this problem. Professional photographers use a bracket to hold an external flash unit
above and off to the side of the lens to eliminate red-eye. It can also be easily reduced using
most post-editing software.

Red-Eye Reduction Mode. A special flash mode whereby a pre flash or a series of low
powered flashes are emitted before the main flash goes off. This causes the iris of the eye to
contract meaning less light gets in the eye, therefore reducing red eye.

Render. This is the final step of an image transformation or three-dimensional scene through
which a new image is refreshed on the screen.

Resize. In photographic terms, this means to take a large image and reduce it in size. Most
editing programs offer a resize option. Good for cropping images or get them «Web-ready»!

Resolution. The quality of any digital image, whether printed or displayed on a screen,
depends on its resolution, or the number of pixels used to create the image. More, smaller
pixels add detail and sharpen the edges.

Optical Resolution is an absolute number that the camera’s image sensor can physically
record.
 Interpolated Resolution adds pixels to the image using complex software algorithms to
determine what colour they should be. It is important to note that interpolation doesn’t add
any new information to the image - it just makes it bigger!

RGB. (Red, Green and Blue). The primary colours from which all other colours are derived.
The additive reproduction process mixes various amounts of red, green and blue to produce
other colours. Combining one of these additive colours primary colours with another produces
the additive secondary colours cyan, magenta and yellow. Combining all three produces white.
S
Saturation . The degree to which a colour is undiluted by white light. If a colour is 100 percent
saturated, it contains no white light. If a colour has no saturation, it is a shade of grey.

Scanner. An optical device that converts images such as photographs, into digital form so that
they can be stored and manipulated on your PC. Different methods of illumination transmit light
through red, green and blue filters and digitize the image into a stream of pixels.

Scene Modes. Many digicams now have an exposure mode called scene where the user selects
the best pre-programmed scene to suit the current shooting conditions. The camera will
automatically change many settings to capture the best possible image. E.g. Sports, landscape,
portrait etc.

SD. (Secure Digital). A flash memory card used in digicams and MP3 players. It is identical in
size and shape to the MultiMedia Card (MMC). The difference being that SD cards were
designed to hold protected (copyrighted) data like songs. Not all cameras that use SD cards can
use MMC cards so be sure to read your owner manual before buying additional cards. Secure
Digital. See «SD» above.

Self Timer. Preset time delay (e.g. 2, 5, 3, 5 or 10 seconds) before the shutter fires
automatically. This allows the photographer be in the picture without using a long cable release
or remote control. It is also great for taking macro or night shots as by not touching the camera,
you eliminate the chances of camera shake. Is also good to use the «mirror lock up» function if
you have it.

Sepia. The (brownish) mono toned effect seen in images from the original 19th and early 20th
Century cameras. This is now a feature often found as a special image effect on some digicams
and/or editing software.

Shutter. The physical device that opens and closes to let light from the scene strike the image
sensor. Digicams use both electronic and mechanical shutters.

Shutter Lag. The time between pressing the shutter and actually capturing the image. This is
due to the camera having to calculate the exposure, set the white balance and focus the lens. Is
worse with smaller digicams whereas the better DSLR’s now have little or no shutter lag, like
the better film SLR’s.

Shutter Priority AE. This is where the user chooses a shutter speed and the aperture is
automatically determined by lighting conditions. Shutter speed priority is used to control
motion capture. A fast shutter speed stops fast action; a slow shutter speed blurs a fast moving
subject. It is good to use shutter priority for sports or wildlife photography.

Skylight Filter. This is an Ultra Violet absorbing filter that helps overcome the abundance of
blue in outdoor photographs. Not really necessary in digital photography as the camera’s white
balance system adjusts for the colour temperature of the scene. You can also use them to protect
the camera’s lens from scratching, fingerprints or dirt.
Slow Sync. A flash mode in some digicams that opens the shutter for a longer than normal
period and fires the flash just before it closes. Is used for illuminating a foreground subject, but
allowing a darker background to also be well exposed. Good for night time shots of buildings
with people in the foreground.

SLR. (Single Lens Reflex). This means the camera has a viewfinder that sees through the lens
(TTL) by way of a 45°-angled mirror that flips up when the shutter fires and allows the light to
strike the image sensor (or film). Basically, what you see is what you get.

SmartMedia. (SSFDC). A flash memory card that consists of a thin piece of plastic with
laminated memory on the surface and uses a gold contact strip to connect to the camera.
SmartMedia cards are available in various sizes.

Softbox. A box with a diffuser panel that attaches to the front of a flash to give soft even light.
Any visible highlights such as catch lights in eyes, reflections in silverware will be neat and
square. Bigger ones give more surrounded and even light but absorb more light so are best used
with powerful flash heads.

Spot Metering. The camera’s auto exposure system is focused on a very small area in the
centre of the viewfinder to adjust the overall exposure value just for that area.

Stitching. Combining a series of images to form a larger image or a panoramic photo. Requires
special post editing software.

Stock photography. Photographs taken and submitted to a picture library. The library then
sells the reproduction rights and takes a percentage of the fees. A good stock photographer
regularly supplies images to the library and can earn a good income from picture sales
throughout the year

Stopping down. Decreasing the size of the lens opening (aperture); for example, from f/8 to
f/11. This increases the depth of field in a photograph, but a longer exposure is required.

SuperCCD. Fujifilm’s image sensor used in their line of digital cameras.

SVCD. (Super Video Compact Disc). A CD-ROM disc that contains high quality video and
audio. Normally, a SVCD can hold about 35-45 minutes (650MB) of video and stereo quality
audio. The video and audio are stored in MPEG2 format, much like a DVD. SVCD video has
better quality than VHS video.

SVGA. (Super VGA). This refers to an image resolution size of 800 x 600 pixels.
T
Telephoto . This is the focal length that gives you the narrowest angle of coverage, good for
bringing distant objects closer. (i.e. 100mm, 200mm, 500mm etc.).

TFT. (Thin Film Transistor). Refers to the type of hi-resolution, colour LCD screen used in
digicams.

Thumbnail. A small, low-resolution version of a larger image file, which is used for quick
identification or speedy editing choices.

TIFF. (Tagged Image File Format). An uncompressed image file that is lossless and produces
no artefacts as is common with other image formats such as JPEG.

Time-Lapse. Capturing a series of images at preset intervals. Also known as Interval

Recording or Intervalometer.

Tran reflective. This is a type of LCD display that uses ambient light as well as a backlight to
illuminate the pixels. It can be seen more easily in bright, outdoor conditions.

True Colour. Colour that has a depth of 24-bits per pixel and a total of 16.7 million colours.

TTL. (Through the Lens). Used when talking about either an auto focus or auto exposure system
that works «through» the camera’s lens.

Twain. (Technology Without An Industry Name). Protocol for exchanging information between
applications and devices such as scanners and digital cameras. TWAIN makes it possible for
digital cameras and software to communicate with each other on PCs.
U
Under exposure. A picture, which appears too dark because insufficient light was delivered to
the imaging system. Opposite of over exposure.

Unsharp Masking (Unsharp Mask). The process by which the apparent detail and sharpness of
an image is increased. Generally accomplished by the input scanner or through computer
manipulation using editing software.

USB. (Universal Serial Bus). This is the data I/O port on most digicams and is also found on
modern home PC and Mac computers. It is faster than the serial port and transfers up to 12Mb/s
(megabytes per second) with v1.1 interfaces.

USB 2.0. The newest USB standard, which is close in throughput, speed to FireWire, up to
400Mb/s.

UV Filter. This is an Ultra Violet absorbing filter that helps overcome the abundance of blue in
outdoor photographs. Not really necessary in digital photography as the camera’s white balance
system adjusts for the colour temperature of the scene. Can be used to protect the camera’s lens
from scratching, fingerprints or dirt.

UXGA. Refers to an image resolution size of 1600 x 1200 pixels.

V
VCD. (Video Compact Disc). A CD-ROM disc that contains video and audio. Typically a
VCD can hold about 74 minutes (650MB) of video and stereo quality audio. The video and
audio are stored in MPEG-1 format and follow certain standards (White Book). VCD video
quality is roughly the same as VHS video.

VGA. Refers to an image resolution size of 640 x 480 pixels.

Video Out. This means that the digicam has the ability to output its images on television
screens and computer monitors using either NTSC or PAL format.

Viewfinder. The eye level device you look through to compose the image.

Vignetting. The term that describes the darkening of the outer edges of the image area due to
the use of a filter or add-on lens. Most noticeable when the zoom lens is in full wide-angle. It is
also sometimes used as a special effect in the photo editing stage of development.
W
White Balance. Refers to the adjustment of the brightness of the red, green and blue
components, so that the brightest object in the image appears white. See also «AWB»

Wide angle. The focal length that gives you the widest angle of view. I.e. 10mm, 16mm, 24mm
etc.
X
X3 Image Sensor. Foveon’s new image sensor for digital cameras that captures red, green and
blue data on every pixel.

xD-Picture Card. A new flash memory card standard that was co-developed by Fuji film and
Olympus in mid 2002. Rumoured at the time, to be replacing SmartMedia, which had stalled at
128MB. xD is scheduled to go as large as 8GB (at the time of writing), in a form the size of a
postage stamp.

XGA. This refers to an image resolution size of 1024 x 768 pixels.

Z
Zoom Lens. A variable focal length lens. The most common on digicams has a 3:1 ratio (i.e.
35-105mm). Detachable zoom lenses include for example, 24-70mm, 70-200mm and 100-
400mm
HOW TO PHOTOGRAPH ANYTHING BOOK
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