December 1, 2011 Landscape SIG meeting

Due to the Thanksgiving Holiday, the November Landscape SIG meeting was held on December 1. Those present decided to reschedule the December meeting from December 22 to January 5, 2012 at 3:00 PM - also due to the normally scheduled meeting date's proximity to the holiday. This timeframe - 3:00 PM on the first Thursday of the month - is open if it's more convenient to our group. Please check your calendars and verify whether or not this timeframe would be a better fit for your schedule than our current 4th Thursday at 3:00 PM. We will decide whether or not to switch our meeting time at the meeting on January 5.

Please review the Discussion and photo shoot Topic list (attached) so we can discuss how to schedule them in the most appropriate order to meet our needs at our meeting on January 5th.

I would also like to suggest completing a group project of creating, publishing and marketing a "Landscape Calendar." I had planned to suggest it as a topic at our first meeting this fall, but it fell off my list. There are enough of us who don't spend all 12 months here - some are "snow" and some are "sun " - birds - that it would be most efficient to do most of the work during the months when the majority of us are here. Since I'm proposing this so late in the calendar year, if we decide to do it, we would probably want to either develop it as a 2013 calendar or make it an 18 month calendar (July 2012 - December 2013). We could set it up either for each of us to "get a month" (hence an 18 - 24 month calendar) or select the images for 12 months as a group. I will bring copies of two calendars I have published at Moore Graphic (a Surprise company) as examples of what it could look like. Dan Jacobs - you originally suggested Moore Graphics to me - could you bring your calendars as well? Since we are a Landscape SIG, the calendar should be composed of landscapes. 

   

Practice / preparation for the January 5 Meeting:

- If you took images at either Mel Whaley's "Tempe Towne Lake Sunset" trip or the "Christmas Lights Shoot" that Brady Conn and Gary Jann led on December 6, please bring them on a thumb drive so we can view them. You may be interested in "Glendale Glitters," which has many light displays on Friday and Saturday nights. It runs until some time in January.

- Practice with Hyperfocal Distance settings on your camera < http://www.dofmaster.com/hyperfocal.html >; < http://www.dofmaster.com/charts.html > as we discussed at our May meeting.

For this exercise, use the widest angle lens available to you and place the longer side of the rectangle vertically ( i.e., "portrait " orientation). Then determine how much of the landscape you can get into focus by tilting the camera forward (downward) to include something placed in the foreground (flower, rock, stick, etc.,) as close to your feet as you can; and let the top of the image float to include some of the horizon, if possible, in the background. Try several different focus points - especially one in which you select a focus point that is about 1/3rd of the distance into the part of your image that really needs to be sharp (ordinarily, the foreground and middleground). Bring your results on a thumb drive to share with the group.

- Review the attached list of topics and be prepared to discuss a) additions/deletions; b) priority c) which topics you would like to present to the group.

- You may know that Starbucks has cards for a "free song" and a "free app" each week. This week's free application for your phone is called "Star Walk" and which is a night sky map. I haven't done any more than open it up to take a quick peek, but I assume it changes to reflect the current star and planet juxtaposition. Looks like a neat application. I am guessing that you can download Star Walk free from the Apple store, but I did it from the card. I downloaded "Skyview" quite a while ago and like it as well. I picked up a half dozen cards that I will drop off at the lab on Monday.

Article in the Arizona Republic - Photography's Shifting Focus

 

In case you didn't see it, below is a link to an article that appeared in the Arts and Entertainment section of Sunday's (June 19, 2011) Arizona Republic about a "photography as art" show currently on display at the Phoenix Art Museum.  The show apparently delves into the roots and development of photography as art and the perenniel question of whether any "manipulation" should be allowed. 

 

If you find the article interesting, you may wish to see the show. 

lrl

 

 

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/ae/articles/2011/06/17/20110617phoenix-art-museum-pure-photography-exhibit.html

June 23, 2011 Landscape SIG Meeting

June 23, 2011 Landscape SIG meeting:

 

The group decided to suspend the regularly scheduled meetings for the rest of the summer.  The next meeting will be at 3:00 PM on October 23rd, at which we will discuss front, side and back lighting.  

 

The group would like to schedule landcape photography oriented field trips to:  Sedona (fall colors), Antelope Canyon, Grand Canyon, Tucson and San Diego.  Please provide Larry any additional suggestions. 

 

Discussion regarding the Blog indicated that shortened messages with links to information would be preferable to the narratives currently on the blog. 

 

Landscape SIG members shared images they exposed to demonstrate the use of shutter speed and aperature to achieve a specifically desired depth of field for the image.  After the Depth of field exercise, we discussed Neutral Density, split Neutral Density and polarizing filters. 

 

Jerry Weinstein demonstrated his new, variable (adjustable to up to 8 stops of density)  neutral density filter.  At about $120, these filters cost about a quarter of what a comparable Singh Ray does.  Check them out at your favorite on line store (I.e., B&H, Adorama, Amazon) or at:   

 

http://faderfilters.com/  

 

http://www.singh-ray.com/varind.html 

 

For those of you who already have a Cokin "P" filter holder and would prefer a set of neutral density filters with differing densities (i.e., 1, 2 and 3 stop) they are generally available for about $20 each

<  http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=Cokin+P+ND+filter+set&N=0&InitialSearch=yes>

 

If you are interested in graduated Neutral Density filters, there is a set of five (mixture of hard and soft line) Cokin "P"s available for about $60 

<  http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/387434-REG/Cokin_CH250_Graduated_Neutral_Density_Filter.html   >

 

There is info about a comparable Lee filter kit at 

<  http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=lee+foundation+kit&N=0&InitialSearch=yes  >

 

We also discussed Polarizing filters.  Luminous Landscapes has a brief intro to Polarizing filters at: 

 

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/polarizers.shtml 

Most of us use through the lens metering, so we don't generally need to make calculations regarding the stop reductions atributable to specific filters, but there is some good information about this aspect of filters at:   

<  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wratten_number  >  

< http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photographic_filter  > and  

<  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filter_factor  >

 

May 26, 2011 - Depth of field & hyperfocal distance background

Here is some background information that will be helpful for Thursday's topic.   Reading it before the session would help things solidify.

lrl 

Definitions*:

Circles of Confusion - When a projected ray of a point of light strikes the film plane in a size larger than a point the cone of projected light is called the circle of confusion. 

Depth of Field - The distance between the near and far points in the scene that register as small enough circles of confusion on the film to be seen as sharp points under normal viewing conditions. 

Hyperfocal Plane - The plane at which (and beyond which) elements in the subject are deemed to be sufficiently in focus to appear sharp (i.e., depth of field).   

Hyperfocal Distance - the distance beyond which all objects can be brought into an acceptable focus.  (And an alternative way of saying it - The hyperfocal distance is the closest distance at which a lens can be focused while keeping objects at infinity acceptably sharp.) 

The Basics*:

-    In reality, it is only possible to critically focus one subject plane, and this subject plane must be parallel to the film plane.  Objects further and closer will not be precisely in focus, although they may be considered to be acceptably sharp. 

-    The focusing distance, the aperature used and the focal length of the lens affect the depth of field.  The smaller the aperature, the greater the depth of field.  Each time you double the f-stop, you double the depth of field.  The longer the focal length, the shorter the depth of field.  Wide angle lenses have greater depth of field than telephotos.

-    The "one third rule" states that at any point along the subject plane which recedes from the camera, the hyperfocal distance will be closer to the camera by one third of the distance.  Again, this is subject to focal length and magnification ratio.  The closer the camera to the subject, the narrower the depth of field. 

-    If you focus closer than infinity, you may have a hyperfocal plane behind the focus point as well as in front of it.  The circle of confusion at both hyperfocal planes are equally out of focus. 

-    If the subject is too thick to get everything in acceptable focus, the photographer normally favors foreground objects because of their prominence.  The eye normally anticipates closer items as being sharper than distant items. 

-    When the focus of a lens is set at infinity, the near limit of the depth of field is referred to as the hyperfocal distance for the aperature used.  If the focus is then set at the hyperfocal distance, the depth of field will extend from one half the hyperfocal distance to infinity.  When object at infininty must appear sharp, focusing at the hyperfocal distance gives the maximum depth of field.  The hyperfocal distance is closer to the lens when the lens is stopped down.  

*Information for these discussions and to develop the attached .pdf was taken from:  The Ansel Adams Guide - Book 1; Basic Techniques of Photography and Scheimphlug, Depth of Field and Hyperfocal Distance; by Steve Simmons and Ron Wisner; View Camera; November/December 1990.

Check out the following URLs.  They provide good information on the subject and the first one provides a calculator you can tailor for your (SLR?) camera and lenses to print a chart of depth of field at various distances and aperatures.  

http://www.dofmaster.com/doftable.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperfocal_distance

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depth_of_field

http://www.silverlight.co.uk/resources/dof_calc.html 

May 26, 2011 Landscape Meeting - info

Below is a list of potential topics for Landscape SIG discussions and "photo assignments."  This is just the beginnings of a "brainstorming" list, so please feel free to suggest additions or priorities.  

 

 

Topic / Assignment                                        Month, 2011

"My Interpretation of Cimarron Hole #7 "            April

Leading lines                                                  May

Maximizing Depth of Field                               June

 

Side, back and front lighting 

Making moving water images 

Fill flash / reflectors   

 

Neutral Density & Split Neutral Density filters 

Circular Polarizing filter 

Framing an image 

 

Producing a Calendar  

The Photographer's Ephemeris  

    (& "guesstimate" techniques)

Forshortening (Telephoto) 

 

Building a Panorama

Mat and Frame an image

 

Since I have been slow getting this out, I am planning to develop information to begin the Depth of Field discussion for our session this Thursday (May 26) at 3:00 PM.

 

Please bring in your submissions for this month's assignment (leading lines) on a thumb drive so we can put them on the screen.  If that's inconvenient for you, email your .jpg images to me by Wednesday (noon) and I will copy them to my thumb drive for the session.   

 

I have attached a link to a "blog" written by a Phoenix photographer about a trip he made to the Pacific Northwest last summer.  I think you will not only enjoy the images, but also find it helpful to identify potential photo locations if you travel in that direction.  

 http://www.nwpphotoforum.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=34653   

 

The article defaults to the first of 12 separate articles (#5 was just posted).  To get to #2, #3, etc. scroll to the bottom of the page and click on the "index" button on the left side of the page, where you can select the sections you haven't looked at yet. 

lrl

2011_0425_Agenda for Thursday, 4/28/2011

Landscape SIG - Proposed Agenda for Thursday, April 28, 2011

3:00 PM @ Grand Photos Lab

3:00 - 3:15 PM - Open meeting, finalize agenda, discuss assignment (Cimarron Hole #7 Interpretation) and any problems or difficulties accomplishing the assignment

3:15 - 4:00 PM - Review and Critique images of Hole #7

4:00 - 4:30 PM - Review info in Landscape SIG BLOG (Landscape Phtography definitions and Larry's 4/16 Thoughts on Landscape Photography Process)

4:30 - 5:00 PM - Resolve SIG objectives for summer coordination, meetings and assignements

Some Thoughts on Landscape Photography

Larry Lindner – April 16, 2011

This summary responds to a request at our first meeting that I provide a short discussion of some of the basic things that I watch for when I set up to take an image of a landscape.   There are numerous books and web tutorials available to learn about landscape photography and photographic composition which provide much more intensive and accurate information than I can with a short narrative.  As I drafted this information, it seems to sound stiff, contrived, and long winded, but it really doesn’t feel that way when I’m in the field with a camera.   

My personal image of an “iconic” landscape generally includes interesting visual elements in the foreground, middle-ground and background of a large area of land – preferably without evidence of “the hand of man.”  Including interesting detail in all three “grounds” will generally provide tension and balance within the image.  The intent is to provide enough visual interest within the image to keep the viewer’s eyes moving from one of the elements to another, but always staying within the image.  Even so, care must be taken to ensure that, by including a foreground element, the image does not become cluttered or include large, un-interesting space. 

My process begins when I see something that attracts my attention while I have a camera in hand.  I look more closely to determine the specific elements I am looking at that I like.  I consciously try to visualize how I can isolate what I like and whether an “in-camera-crop” would benefit the image by avoiding the inclusion of parts not needed for the image to have impact while being an expression of the subject.  I generally go through a loose thought process that follows something like the following:

-          What has attracted my attention – specifically?  Is it the light, the color?  Is the subject’s form, color or texture; or is it something more ephemeral like fog, atmosphere or alpenglow?

-          How can I best capture the object of my attention?  Which lens do I need?  How much “zoom” do I need to use to crop out distractions to focus on the important; to “compress” the scene; or to capture the entire scene I’m interested in? 

-          Where does the camera have to be to get this “best” image I have been looking for, considering the light, lenses, distracting elements, etc.?

-          Do I need to move closer, further away or to the side?

-          What lighting do I need to capture the image with the most impact?  This is generally a choice between side lighting and back lighting.  

-          Is there any opportunity to enhance the image by:

o   Including an object in the foreground?  Would any element provide either a  diagonal or curved form or line leading into the image? 

o   Moving sideways to enhance lighting on the subject or to darken the sky? 

o   Zooming in or out to include the most dramatic element(s)?

-          Are there aspects of contrast, axis, convergence, or enframement?

-          Once I have the desired image in mind, what camera settings are necessary to produce the desired depth of field or sense of motion?

-          Do I need any filters to: reduce light on all or part of the image, eliminate/reduce reflection and glare (water, leaves), improve saturation, balancethe light to correct for shadows, enhance clouds, or enhance texture.  

-          Are there other pictures not related to the ones I have taken that I need to capture?  Where else can I move the camera to capture another, entirely different view of what attracted me?

Keep observing and studying the scene!  After reviewing a friend’s images of the same scene I just photographed, I am often startled at the impressive images I could have captured with longer lenses and less foreground. 

Definitions that may help with the above discussion:

The following information was extrapolated from Agricultural Handbook 434:

 An observer sees landscapes in terms of form, line, color and texture. 

Form is the mass of an object or of a combination of objects that appear unified.  When seen in only two dimensions, we call it a “shape.” 

Line is a point that has been extended across our vision, generally as a narrow linear “line.”  It can be a row or sequence such as power lines, avalanche paths, boundaries of vegetation, tree trunks, road, stream, trail, etc. 

Color can be bold or subtle and still enable us to differentiate objects with identical form line and texture.   In large scale landscapes, the bluish haze color caused by dust and moisture helps us separate near and far objects. 

Texture is the pattern – often repetitious - that our eyes see in objects or combinations of objects.  This can be an assembly of forms, lines or colors.  The dominance that texture holds varies with distance.  In the foreground, we can see the individual leaves of a tree.  As the distance is extended, we can only differentiate between large branches, then between individual trees and finally, between large patches of trees.     

The potential visual strength of each of these elements varies greatly over the continuum of most landscapes.   While all four elements are usually present, each exerts a differing degree of visual influence in a particular landscape.   It may be that one element dominates the landscape or that some of them compete for dominance within the captured image.   As a result, any of these elements may be the one that catches our eye in a particular landscape – and each of us may think a different one as being the predominant element.   Ordinarily an individual’s eye seems to focus on one of these elements, which helps us to identify what attracts our interest us as an observer or photographer.   This element then becomes the focus of our attention and the subject of our image.  For instance, there could be a large precipitous mountain range that dominates one landscape, while the thread of a hiking trail dominates another, and the color and texture of a field of flowers is the reason we want to take a picture of yet another landscape.   The photographer needs to be continuously alert to how these elements interact and form an image worthy of exposure. 

Axis is a main line of direction, such as a road, stream or opening that leads directly towards the subject (waterfall, bluff, etc.) 

Enframement uses landscape features to provide a “frame” on at least one side of  the subject - like a picture frame.   The iconic image of Yellowstone falls from Artist’s point is an example of enframement.

  

Landscape Photography - Definitions & prework for April 28, 2011

Please review the information on the following websites, which discuss aspects of what the writers think "landscape photography" should be. 

If you aren't familiar with Wikepedia, this first URL < http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:About  > will direct you to its home page.  Since "anyone" can contribute to it, the definitions will be different from what you find in - for example - Webster's dictionary.  With that caution, I use Wikepedia a lot, since it has lots of background information on the information it presents.  Check out how it defines and what it says about "landscape photography" at <  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landscape_photography  > 

 

I have included a third URL <  http://www.photographytips.com/page.cfm/77  >  to another informative article about landscape photography. 

 

If you have time, please review these items so that we can develop a concensus of how our SIG will use the term "landscape photography" at our next meeting.

lrl

Landscape SIG - Meeting Notes - March 24, 2011
The first Landscape Subinterest Group (SIG) meeting addressed basic organizational needs and what members want from the SIG. 

The group will meet at 3:00PM on the fourth Thursday of the month - the next meeting will be on April 28.

Brainstorming of desired SIG activities included:
- daytrips and organized photo shoots,
- formal training,
- targeted learning assignments,
- project workshops following an itinerary of: a) an information and training discussion, b) completing the activity, and c) reviewing the results. 

There was some discussion about, "What is landscape photography?"  Can it include people and buildings?

There was a request that Larry L. provide a narrative of the steps he follows when he sets up to take a landscape photograph. 

Stan B. suggested, and the group agreed to an assignment for the April 28 meeting.  Members will shoot landscape images of Cimarron golf course hole #7, which is north of Clearview Boulevard, just west of the SR 303 bridge, and bring them on thumb drives or CDs to the next meeting.  The objective is to review and critique all the images to constructively improve our craft.

lrl

New Blog for Grand Photos Landscaping SIG

This is a test posting for the new Landscaping SIG.