South Africa are blessed with magnificent landscapes. Here are ten tips to help you photograph them successfully:
- Planning: Plan your trips. Google earth is an invaluable tool as is a detailed map (Slingsby’s maps).
- Preparation: Check your camera kit beforehand.
- Scouting: Spend time at a location to determine the best angles and different compositions.
- Time of day: Use the Golden Hours (hour after sunrise & hour before sunset) to emphasize specific combinations of rich colours, enhanced texture, play of light and shadows, due to the low angle of the sun. Twilight hours (hour before sunrise & hour after sunset) will give more subtle, yet spectacular results due to the magenta, purple and blue reflection from the sky.
- Mood: Weather conditions is important e.g. early morning sunlight filtered through low clouds or mist, dramatic storm clouds with broody colours, striking contrasts between mountains, valley and skies, lightning bolts etc. BUT always be safe!
- Simplify: – Find strong elements/lines within a scene, concentrate on those. Exclude everything that doesn’t contribute positively to the landscape. Strive to include less of a scene without losing its critical content and balance.
- Make use of lines:Use strong diagonal lines within a landscape to guide the eye towards the focal point in the landscape e.g. row of trees, flowing stream, curving road/path.In mountainous areas, use repeating horizontal mountain lines to create a sense of depth.
- Foreground:Foreground provides interest, telling more about the environment while it also serve to lead the eye into the photograph or to frame the main subject.
- Polarize: A polarizing filter is essential to remove haze and glare from the sky and reflections from shiny surfaces
- Stabilize: Use a sturdy tripod to ensure sharpness.
*Joggie van Staden is a professional photographer. Join the photography club or one of Joggie’s photography courses for spectacular results. Cell: 079 500 5529 or e-mail: joggiev26@gmail.com
