The Most Common Questions About Landscape Photography

The article does not aim to show the quality of writers in the field of Landscape Photography, but this is only a collection of questions about matters relating to Landscape and Seascape photography from beginners.

Talking about Landscape photography we certainly know the images that exist in Windows XP, these images become images with the highest commercial value and are a flow of Landscape photography. This photo titled Bliss lined up as the most expensive photo because every unique Windows that is installed into a laptop means that you donate about $ 1 to the photographer's account, even though Windows XP has long been abandoned, but the number of product installations that reach Hundreds of Million Copies will certainly be a number that very fantastic. But before stepping into the question it's good to know some of the gears in the world of Photography.

A. Camera

The camera is an image recorder that is shaped in the form of a city and is light-proof, because the paintings produced by the camera are carried out by light. But now the camera is composed of various types ranging from pocket cameras, DSLR cameras, mirror-less cameras, lomo cameras, and mobile cameras that are on every Smartphone.

All of the types mentioned above are cameras regardless of the outcome, there are many views that a professional or amateur photographer must have a DSLR camera to produce good pictures, but I myself believe that the most influential thing is the man behind the gun, only then the second is determined by the gear used.

1. What type of camera is best used for landscape photography?

All types of cameras are certainly suitable for landscape photography, but the most recommended is a camera with a wide sensor type, full-frame camera, medium format and large format which is most recommended of course accompanied by a wide lens.

2. Which is better between Canon and Nikon?

This question is the most common question that arises in Indonesia, which is comparing Canon and Nikon, even though their types of other cameras with better quality are actually more numerous, only at low prices.

When comparing two cameras with different classes, for example the Canon 5D mark III with the Nikon D3100 is certainly not ail. While comparing two cameras in the same class, for example, having a full-frame sensor size, either Nikon or Canon, of course, goes back to their individual tastes. Each camera has its own picture character like canon which has a slightly yellow and soft color while Nikon is famous for its high contrast. As for my own suggestion Hassalblad might be suitable for Landscape Photography Landscape.

B. Lenses

The lens is an optical component that is located in front of the sensor In addition to the sensor size of the camera, the second thing that gives a big influence on the image view is the lens. In the world of landscape photography, the lenses used are wide lenses ranging in size from 28 mm to wide and super wide ranging from 18 mm. and fish eye lens assessment is based on a camera with a full frame sensor size while for apsc lenses, lenses with a focal length below 20 mm are still included in the wide lens category.

3. What lenses are good for Landscape Photography?

The best lenses are the lenses that you have, each lens has a sweet spot. It's just that it takes a long time to understand the superiority of each lens. , Flectagon, Canon L series and Nikon.

4. Which is better Fix lens 17 mm or zoom lens 16-35 mm?

Well of course the zoom lens is much better because it has a range of shooting so the photographer can choose the space that needs to be removed when taking pictures while the lens with Fix is ​​not.

It's just that the components on the Zoom lens are far more than the Fix lens, so the possibility of steam reduces the sharpness of the image between spaces in the lens area is greater. The result is the sharpness of the Fix lens is far superior.

5. Does the lens coating affect image capture results?

Well, very clear, the lens coating will look like beautiful colors on the lens. Coating does work to interfere with certain colors to make colors look more vivid in the image. The color of the coating is adjusted to the purpose of making the lens, for example the zuiko lens which is famous for its yellow gold coating which makes the skin color smoother and Tokina with a blue and green coating that makes the landscape photo more sharp and contrast.

6. Why does my 18-55 lens produce a picture that is not sharp, when it is in focus?

If what is meant is doubt the quality of the 18-55 mm af lens, because it is always included as a KIT lens from a camera, of course wrong. The KIT 18-55 lens is very sharp at f / 11 and f / 16 openings for the focal range at 18 mm. And as explained above, all lenses have their own character and sweet spot. The easiest way to get it is to see the lens review.

7. Are lenses with wide diaphragm openings better for Landscape?

A wider aperture lens (for example wider than f / 2.8) naturally produces sharper photos compared to photos with a small aperture (f / 8), but keep in mind another effect of the aperture is the length of the focus area or known as the Depth of Field. In the world of photography there are of course no fixed rules about openings but most stinging landscape photographers enjoy using an aperture smaller than f / 8.0 because hyper focal from a wide lens with openings such as producing a DOP from a distance of 1 meter in front of the lens to infinity.

But unlike Star Trail and Milkyway photography, the recommended openings start from not 2.8 or wider. The aim is to maximize the amount of light entering the lens with limited light at night.

Other additional equipment in Landscape Photography

To be able to take landscape photos, the photographer only needs two tools, namely a camera and lens, but to be able to maximize results requires more equipment that supports shooting. Based on the author's experience, the most important sequence in landscape photography is

• Tripod
• CPL filter
• ND filter
• GND filter
• Shutter Release
• Black cloth
• Rain coat

C. Tripod

Tripods are the most important additional equipment in Landscape photography. The tripod keeps the camera's position from shaking when taking pictures. If the picture is taken at a speed slower than 1/30 second, the possibility of a shake is even greater, moreover landscape photography also relies heavily on the sunset and sunrise views that rely on low light conditions.

8. What brand of tripod is the best?

When asked about a good tripod problem is a tripod with weight criteria, ball head and carbon. In some conditions, sometimes the camera must be placed on a stream of water such as a river or beach which naturally makes a tripod made of iron rust faster. The water flow is sometimes strong enough to make the tripod vibrate because usually a tripod is equipped with a hanger at the bottom as a place to hang things so that the tripod is more sturdy. When asked in terms of brands, the most experience with Manfrotto, but Excel alone is enough to produce good photos, the idea requires only a little creativity.

9. Tripod height is ideal for photography?

The ideal size of a tripod is a tripod that has a height of more than 150 cm because in its position the hands are usually a little distressed to remain steady. This type of tripod also provides a different angle of view with the eye so that the images look different. Apart from tall tripods, tripods with a height lower than 30 cm are also recommended. Most inexpensive tripods have a limit on the form of a rigid three legs, but some premium tripods can be bent to a height of 5 to 10 cm for the purposes of Low Angle

D. CPL Filters

Filter CPL or circular polarizer, is a filter that can be used to reduce the amount of light based on the angle of light coming, the STOP size is usually able to reduce the intensity of light ranging from 1 Stop to 3 stops, even some CPL filters reach 32 stops but this type is not recommended . For beginners, the filter almost does not have the same effect, but for those who are accustomed to seeing the details of the direction of falling light, this filter is very helpful in reducing the glow at some points in the picture because the sun's position is blazing.

10. What is the use of CPL? How is Filter ND 2 similar?

This question is most often asked by beginners who consider CPL Filters to only reduce the amount of light entering, but CPL Filters have a range of reduced light. The range of light reduction is based on the direction of light falling. The direction in which the sun's rays come naturally is not fixed, either throughout the year or based on daily motion. CPL filters can be used to reduce the intensity of light entering the camera for points of light in rocks or other objects that reflect light.

E. ND Filters

ND Filter or Natural Density or filters that reduce the density of light naturally. Simply making the incoming light darker or lowering the shooting STOP. This filter has a measure of down light starting with the ND-n2 series. For simplicity, here is a list of ND names and a STOP drop size:

ND-n                 Get off STOP

2                                1

4                                2

8                                3

16                              4

32                              5

400                            9

1000                        11.3

Din Glass                 15

11. When is the ND filter used?

The aim is to help lenses with wide openings in the process of shooting during the day but have limited speed, for example, only limited to 1/1000 seconds. But the effect of this ND filter when combined with a slow shutter speed (long exposure) and a moving object turns out to produce a more dramatic photo because they are all existing movements. For example the ND-9 filter is used to reduce 9 Stop SS to 60 seconds. The result is the movement of clouds looks more dramatic while the movement of water like freezing, while the rigid motorcycle taxis remain in place.

12. What happens if I combine two ND filters?

It makes the number of light stops bigger. The value of the amount of light drop depends on the amount of STop, for example stacking 2 ND-16 filters, the result is not a ND-32 stop but 4 stops + 4 stops or 8 stops.

E. GND Filters

Gradual Neutral Density or ND filter, as the name implies. This filter is an Nd filter but not solid in all parts but in the form of Gradation, that is dark above and light at the bottom. This filter consists of all neis namely GND Hard and GND Soft. This type of filter is a mandatory filter for landscapers.

13. When should I use the GND filter and its function?

Well, when asked when? The answer when taking landscape and outdoor pictures. The aim is to equalize the Expore factor from between the sky and the fore ground. The areas in Khatulitiswa that are exposed to the sun almost perpendicular make the difference in light between the sky and the foreground differ almost 4 stops. GND is used to reduce these differences or simply make your landscape photos remain bright in the foreground and detail of the clouds. GND consists of two types, namely GND hard with difference in exposure between heaven and earth 3 stops while Soft has a stop difference of 1.6 between heaven and earth.

F. Shutter Release

Shutter Release is an aid to suppress Shutter from the camera usually in the form of cable or Wi-Fi signal. The shutter release is connected to the camera part and becomes a replacement for the Shutter Button.

14. Isn't the camera already has a Shutter Bottom?

Which for some Slowspeed photo techniques, the use of a tripod does reduce shocks but does not mean free from Shake. This is more clearly seen in shooting from a range of 8 seconds to up to 1/30 of a second. Now this is the Shutter Release function. In addition, Long Exposure photography activists with a very long shooting speed of up to 4 minutes are sometimes not available by the camera. Because the camera has to be shot in Bulb mode, the shutter release helps hold the Shutter Button without worrying about shaking.

G. Black Cloth

One of the mainstay equipment in the world of photography is increasingly black. The aim is to cover the camera during the shooting process for a long time. Not because the camera will be cold but to reduce the entry of light from the gap in the View Finder, lens and camera. For cameras with high prices or premium class like this problem may not be found but for cameras with middle-end class of course the factor sometimes becomes a problem.

H. Raincoat

Rain coat? Is this a landscape photography tool too? Well no, Raincoats are used to protect the photographer from water when it rains, the goal is that motion is not limited when shooting in various conditions. Some conditions when it rains were able to produce good photos such as when drizzling or foggy rain. Photos will be much more moody because there are always raincoats before it rains.