Nature Photography Section Four Recap

           Section four of our nature photography book is titled "Light on the Land."  The first area it focused on was called "Finding Photogenic Landscapes: Ten clues to evaluating the photographic potential of any landscape setting."  This mainly talked about what to look for in a scene for a great picture.  It focused on things like color and how it can really draw to a photo.  It also once again focused on the significance of clouds when taking pictures.  Clouds are an excellent way to draw another layer to your photos while also creating a more preferable lighting.  Another whether related aspect to look for in a landscape is a calm atmosphere.  This will create a great depth of field and often can get very powerful shot.  You need to be aware of what can affect your photo and what you need to adjust to these things when dealing with wind or any other atmospheric changes.
           "Light on Land" also looked at things such as angles and what angels can do to a photo.  It talked about looking at the scene from a north/south angle in order to get the correct lighting for the scene which typically is side light.  It also talked about grasping some foreground details to add more depth and detail to a photo and drawing the viewer throughout the photo. 
           Next was "The Power of Perspective: How to infuse your landscape photos with the impression of three dimensions."  This whole section was kind of a repeat of past stuff we had learned.  It started out by talking about sizing up your picture again.  By sizing up your lanscape shots you can create a sense of depth and focus on the picture.  You also may use angles to capture a sense of depth and what you want to stand out or maybe blend into the scene.  This section also confronted the aspect of highs and lows and the fact that if we just stand and take a picture we often miss the stuff that is directly in front of us. If you are looking to capture a depth in your image or a foreground you are hoping to get, you may want to consider taking the image from a low angle for a great depth in the image.  You may also use overlapping to create a depth or different perspective on an image. 
            There are also ways to use weather or atmospherical conditions to your advantage when trying to get a certain perspective.  Haze can often create a different dimension in a scene along with many other weather trends.  As stated earlier the sun plays a major roll in photography.  Sidelight can often be used to embrace a different perspective on a shot.  It is an excellent tool to create a dimensional image that you may not be able to grasp any other way.  It is a greate way to create volume in a picture and allows for comparisons to be made throughout the photo. 
            The last topic that was discussed in section four was "Nature's Mystical Mirrors: How to record dramatic reflections of the landscape."  Reflection can be an excellent and very powerful tool in nature photography.  When trying to capture a reflection you may need to expand a little on your typical "outdoor wear" and may need to focus on waders and everything water proof.  It often takes a little more "dirty work" to capture that perfect reflection and getting into the water is typically expected.
             When trying to capture a reflection you need to pay great attention to the typical photography aspects.  You need to size things up and timing is very key when trying to capture a reflection shot.  Reflections are also very dependent on atmospheric conditions and don't be surprised if your planned reflection shoot does not go as planned.  When shooting reflections filters are very important and you will want some sort of polarizing filter and a split neutral density filter. By using filters you will get the best out of your filter while also keeping a natural tone.