Jiangtan landscape photography

The visual elements of beauty are everywhere around us and occupy a large proportion in our daily life, so that most of us turn a blind eye to it. In landscape photography, whether it is plain or magnificent, it contains infinite visual beauty. The following is my lecture on master Jiang's landscape photography for your reference.

Pingjiang scenery photography lecture

How to understand the composition of landscape photography

Sometimes it only exists for a moment, fleeting, and sometimes it is hidden under a very ordinary appearance, which is not surprising and difficult to identify. In fact, this hidden visual beauty is really magical and interesting.

Looking for beautiful lines, colors, shapes and textures from the natural landscape, putting them in the viewfinder, treating them in a completely self-centered way, and then taking photos to let the audience know these visual beauty points at a glance, which is the whole content of composition.

Composition is a thinking process, looking for order from the chaotic things that exist naturally; Composition is an organizational process, which combines a large number of scattered composition elements into an understandable whole; Composition is a process of responding to these elements, and it is also a process of trying to organize these elements in order to let them convey the excitement, reverence, fear, surprise and sympathy experienced by photographers. The atmosphere shown by composition is sometimes calm, sometimes strong or firm, and sometimes active. Nature itself will show the photographer the feelings to express.

Through composition, the photographer made clear the information he wanted to express and directed the audience's attention to the most important and interesting elements he found. Some people compare the composition of painting with that of photography, and come to the conclusion that the composition of photography is subtraction, which is the refinement of the natural scenery of the world. There is some truth in this sentence. Whether addition or subtraction, there is only one purpose, that is, to reproduce the feelings endowed by nature through composition, and to convey this feeling to the viewer with a camera.

Spatial division of landscape photography

In a square or rectangular viewfinder, natural scenery is reasonably distributed in it, which is the spatial division of landscape photography. Natural spatial arrangement, its content is nothing more than the proportional relationship between the earth scenery and the sky, and the proportional relationship between the earth scenery and the scenery. For example, whether there are too many days or too few days in the picture layout depends on the actual situation and personal subjectivity. Generally, which part of the space division method is wonderful should occupy a larger area. But it is worth noting that the main body of landscape photography is the natural landscape on the earth, and the sky is often used as a foil. Therefore, when the sky part does not have the creative elements we need, it should be completely cut out from the composition; If the sky is the main body of the picture, we should also keep a part of the earth's scenery on the picture. Without the background of the earth, the expressive force of the sky will be greatly reduced.

When shooting landscapes dominated by the ground, we should also consider the sense of spatial distance between scenes. Using the focal length of the lens, the air perspective relationship and the radioactive lines, the three-dimensional space effect of the natural landscape is displayed in the picture to the maximum extent, which makes the viewer feel immersive.

Orientation of optical photography subject

No matter what content and object are displayed in landscape photography creation, there are primary and secondary points. The subject is the focus of the picture and the main expression of the theme. There can be one subject, two, three or several subjects. The location of the main scene is also superior to other scenes in the picture, and it is in an obvious position. But not all subjects must be arranged in the center of the picture, which is dull and does not meet the aesthetic requirements. Regarding the position of the subject in the picture, the common method is to split the picture in two? Hmm? Word, put the main body at any intersection of TIC-tac-toe. This method of dealing with the main body is worthy of reference. The specific placement location also varies from scene to scene and from situation to situation. We should not only pay attention to aesthetic laws, but also dare to break through innovation.

Accompanying body of landscape photography

Accompanying body refers to other scenery after determining the subject. Accompaniment is the second in the picture, but it is extremely important to highlight the role of the main body in the picture. Mainly plays the role of setting off the subject and assisting the subject to complete the task of expressing the author's feelings; In addition, if possible, it is necessary to beautify the picture, unify the tone, express the atmosphere and depth space, and cover up some shortcomings. Therefore, the choice of partner should not be the same as the color, tone and shape of the subject, but should be different. The relationship between subject and companion is contradictory and interdependent.

Depth of field of landscape photography

The scene forms a relatively clear image on the photosensitive material, and the longitudinal depth of the clear scene range is called the depth of field. In other words, when we take landscape photos, the distance from the nearest clear scene to the farthest clear scene is the range of depth of field. Most landscape photography requires a wider depth of field. If possible, you'd better take a clear picture of every part. The factors that affect the depth of field are: the size of the aperture, the length of the focal length and the shooting distance. The larger the aperture, the shorter the depth of field; The smaller the aperture, the longer the depth of field. The longer the focal length of the lens, the shorter the depth of field; The shorter the focal length, the longer the depth of field. The closer the shooting distance, the shorter the depth of field; The farther you shoot, the longer the depth of field. To sum up, when shooting natural scenery, the most effective method is to use a short focal length lens (wide-angle lens) and a small aperture (F 1 1, F 16, F22) to shoot distant scenery (about two meters), so as to get the Quan Jingshen to the greatest extent. The above three methods can be used at the same time to ensure the maximum clear range of photos.

Aerial perspective of landscape photography

Aerial perspective refers to the phenomenon that the details of distant objects are blurred. The greater the distance between the photographer and the scene, the thicker the air layer that the light of the scene needs to penetrate. The distant scenery seems to be immersed in a misty fog, and aerial perspective will blur the distant scenery. However, it is this clear visual phenomenon near and fuzzy in the distance that provides our photos with a deep sense of space. It is also by using this visual phenomenon that photographers have taken photos of landscapes with three-dimensional spatial effects.

In nature, weather changes play a decisive role to a certain extent, except that the shooting distance affects the aerial perspective effect. In sunny and windy weather, the air transparency is good and the scenery clarity is high; In foggy days, the air perspective is poor and the spatial clarity of the scene is limited. Therefore, after mastering the basic relationship between air perspective and shooting, we can freely choose shooting scenes under any weather conditions, that is, we can take pictures of large scenes and distant views under the condition of good air perspective; When the air perspective is poor, take some small close-ups

Photometry is the basis of exposure.

After the photographer aims the camera viewfinder at the scene to complete the composition, the next job is to measure the light.

The design principle of modern cameras and professional exposure meters is based on the reflectivity of 18%, which is the reflectivity of standard gray board. However, in thousands of natural scenes, different substances have different colors, light sensitivity and light receiving direction. Therefore, when we are faced with complex and changeable scenes, how to measure the reflectivity of the photographed object becomes the key to correct exposure.

In the face of different scenery and different light irradiation directions, the photometric methods used are also different. When we want to know the reflectivity of an object, we should use reflection photometry; If we want to know the intensity of sunlight or skylight, we should use incident photometry. No matter which photometry method is used, it is the relative basis of exposure value, and this value is not necessarily the most correct. The correct exposure value should be based on the comprehensive analysis of weather, season, lighting area and photometric reference point.

Take reflective photometry as an example. The range of the light measuring point is sometimes the subject itself, and sometimes the sky overhead. For example, you need to use the brightness of the skylight as the metering point. This method is mostly used before sunrise and after sunset. During this period, the scenery on the earth is not directly illuminated by the sun, and the reflected light intensity cannot be accurately grasped by the exposure meter, while the sky part is within the irradiation range of the sun, which can effectively reflect the light intensity. At this time, the direction of our measurement should be the sky, not the scenery. Whether to use incident photometry or reflection photometry in actual creative activities has certain rules to follow. The scattered light in cloudy sky is soft and uniform, so it is more convenient and accurate to use incident photometry. If the illumination is strong, it is best to shoot under the conditions of back light, forward light, side light or surface light, because reflective photometry can accurately measure the light ratio contrast value of the highlight and dark part of the object, which provides a reliable basis for us to accurately calculate the correct exposure data.

Exposure is the key to landscape photography.

Using the shutter speed and aperture size of the camera, a certain amount of light is refracted to the photosensitive material through the lens. This process is exposure.

Exposure value determines the image effect of the shot. Overexposure will make the tone of the captured image lighter, while underexposure will make the tone of the image darker. Only by correct exposure can the color of the scene be truly restored, and the level and texture of the object can be fully expressed.

In actual shooting, we should not only learn the method of photometry, but also understand the compensation and correction of exposure.

Exposure value needs to be corrected when taking high-profile and low-key photos. The so-called high-profile photos are photos with clear colors. Most of the picture is occupied by light white tones, and the image is only an image of light composed of intermediate tones. In order to get high exposure photos, it is generally necessary to increase the exposure level on the basis of the measured exposure value. The so-called low-key photography means that most of the pictures are dark, with only a small amount of midtones and strong light. When taking a low-key photo, one exposure is generally less than the actual measurement of exposure value.

so this is it？ White plus black minus? Practical application of exposure principle in shooting. In addition to the tone of the picture, the depth of the subject color also applies to this principle.

Not all works need accurate exposure, and the amount of exposure depends entirely on our understanding of things and the effect we want to express. We must understand the following knowledge: within the range allowed by exposure latitude, when the exposure is less than half a level or one level, the color of the highlight part of the scene will be fuller, otherwise the color of the highlight part will fade.

Mastering exposure requires continuous accumulation of experience, and some ready-made laws must be memorized. For example, the exposure of 1.5 should be increased when shooting snow scenes; Shoot the scene illuminated by the light in the area, and reduce the semi-exposure after metering according to the highlight area; Shoot a dark scene and increase the exposure level after metering; Shoot the river against the light, aim at the highlight area in the river, and then reduce the first exposure; When shooting the sun at sunrise and sunset, if the dazzling duck egg yellow sun is put into the picture, the exposure data is the aperture F/ 16 and the speed115 seconds (100 degree reversal film); When shooting a scene in rainy days, according to the data obtained by incident photometry, there is generally no need to increase or decrease the exposure, and the color of the scene is restored to be true and full, and so on.

Take pictures of the scenery with light.

The light in the same direction as the camera shooting is called smooth light.

Because the front of the subject is evenly illuminated and the shadow of the scene is cast behind, the shadow of the picture taken along the light is few, and the front is often brighter. The level of the picture is mainly conveyed by the brightness difference or tone relationship of the subject itself.

The advantage of shooting along the light is that the tone in the picture is soft, which can better convey the color of the scene itself.

However, in some cases, if the foreground part is in the shadow and the background scene is bright, the spatial stereoscopic effect of the scene will change. In addition, it is easy to leave the photographer's own figure in the picture when shooting along the light, especially in low light, which should be avoided.

Shoot the scenery with sidelight.

The light whose direction is about 90 degrees from the camera shooting direction is called sidelight, and the scenery illuminated by sidelight has obvious contrast between light and shade. This kind of light can well show the administrative, three-dimensional and texture of the shooting scene, and the light and shadow structure is clear and strong.

Due to the side light, the backlight surface of the scene will leave a shadow shape, and the length of the shadow and the shadow will form a colorful modeling effect with the scene itself.

Side lighting also has some disadvantages. There is a large light ratio contrast between the light-receiving surface and the non-light-receiving surface of the scene, which often exceeds the tolerance range allowed by the film. If you ignore one thing, the level and texture of the scene will be lost.

Side light is one of the lights often used when shooting scenery. In order to accurately grasp the lighting effect of the scene, the exposure calculation of sidelight shooting is very important. Specifically, the data of point side light and exposure compensation measurement should be considered. The general rule is: when shooting in sidelight, spot metering should be carried out in the highlight part of the scene, and on this basis, half-level exposure should be added.

The light whose irradiation direction is perpendicular to the shooting direction of the camera is called top light. This kind of light usually appears around noon.

The top light actually belongs to the category of side light, but the projection direction of light is from bottom to top, and the upper part of the scene will be brighter and the lower part will leave a thick shadow.

In landscape photography, the top light is a kind of light that is difficult to use. However, nothing is absolute. If you choose the right scenery and use the lighting characteristics of the ceiling lamp, you can also take an ideal photo. Because the top light illuminates the scenery from top to bottom, clouds or natural scenery itself will form thick shadows on the ground, so how to use these shadows has become the key to shooting. The existence of light and darkness on the ground is also the existence of contrast. The contrast effect of light and shade naturally adds a sense of hierarchy to the picture, which is the value of the top light to shoot the scenery.

Shoot the scenery with backlight

The irradiation direction of light is opposite to the shooting direction of the camera, and the light from the back of the subject is called backlight. The edge of the scene is illuminated by the backlight. Because of the small light receiving area, only a clear silhouette light effect is formed, which is an effective means to express the outline shape of the object and distinguish the scene from the scene boundary.

Backlight photography can well express the three-dimensional sense of the scene, and at the same time, it can show a strong air perspective effect, making the picture very tonal and layered. Backlight shooting will cause a large shadow in the foreground, which is an important factor in the darkening effect of the picture, and dark background is an ideal means to deceive others.

Backlight photography is also one of the methods often used in landscape photography. Besides using the light and shadow effect of backlight, sometimes we also use the light source of backlight? When the sun is put into the picture, especially in the morning or evening, the brightness of the light source needs to be considered. The best shooting time is when the sun is not too bright and dazzling, and the color is duck egg yellow. At this time, the photos taken are warm and saturated, and the contrast of the scenery is not strong. If you happen to catch the beautiful rosy clouds on the horizon when shooting the scenery in the backlight, don't miss such a good opportunity. What we want to show is the rosy clouds in the sky, so the area of the sky must occupy the main part of the picture, and other scenery must obey this theme.

The disadvantage of backlight shooting is roughly the same as that of sidelight shooting, that is, the detail level of some scenes in the picture is lost. Put the sun into the picture when shooting against the light, and it will appear if it is not handled properly? Sunspots? , the overall picture effect of the image. Postscript:

In this cooperation with Canon? The power to shoot the world? At the scene of the autumn experience of Canon Digital Camera Chongqing Station, we were fortunate to invite the prestigious Pingjiang teacher to give us a lecture on the application of digital cameras in landscape photography. Mr. Jiang's simple explanation and rich examples have benefited the photographers in Chongqing, and the one-hour lecture has left everyone wanting more. Saihanba? Interpretation of Landscape Photography, published by Mr. Jiang last year, contains hundreds of excellent photographs taken by Mr. Jiang in Saihanba, but it is not only a very classic collection of landscape photographs, but also a very practical teaching material. Many discussions and shooting data in the book have very realistic guiding significance for the majority of photographers.

At the request of photographers, after the activity, Mr. Jiang signed books on the spot, but many friends failed to do so because there were too few books. To this end, we consulted Mr. Jiang and extracted some chapters from the book, which are published here for the benefit of photographers. Due to the rush of time, the pictures were not completely collected from the book, but randomly selected from Mr. Jiang's photographic works.

Photographer Pingjiang: Interpretation of Landscape Photography (3)

Saihanba in Pingjiang

How did the master take pictures of the scenery? With teacher Pingjiang's consent, we selected some chapters from his book Saihanba, which are the true meaning of landscape photography?

Shoot the scenery with scattered light

Light scattering refers to the phenomenon that the light emitted by the light source is blocked and interfered before reaching the ground scenery. In nature, when sunlight meets thick clouds in the atmosphere, it is reflected, refracted and absorbed in the clouds because of the obstruction of cloud materials, and finally the light passing through the clouds becomes scattered light.

Scattered light is closely related to landscape photography. In actual creation, we often meet the day when we can't see the sun, and the light at this time is scattered light. Some people think that it is impossible to send out pictures with strong visual impact under such light conditions. Indeed, under this scattered light, the light perception effect of natural landscape is not very strong, and the visual beauty and color impact of landscape photography are diluted. But it is this kind of scattered light without obvious lighting direction that creates a good atmosphere for us to shoot the scenery with soft and lyrical tones. Because the scattered light is soft, the scene can hardly see the shadow under the scattered light, and the subject is easy to lack subjective feeling, so the photographer's choice of scene modeling is very important. Just as there are powerful marches and soothing serenades in music, scattered light brings us a more peaceful and real nature.

Use area light to shoot scenery.

Area light means that a certain area of the scene is illuminated by light.

This kind of lamp is also called stage lamp, because a spotlight only moves with the protagonist on the stage, so it is named.

This kind of light is often encountered in nature, especially in cloudy weather conditions. Due to the blocking of clouds, the sun can't shine on the earth, but it is in bundles in different regions? Stage lighting? And as the cloud moves, the regional light will move.

The lighting effect in the area before thunderstorm is the best. Generally, before the thunderstorm, the clouds are thick and the wind is strong, and the contrast between light and shade in the area where the sunlight is projected on the ground is large, and the clouds move faster under the action of the wind, which provides us with many opportunities to take photos with the expected effect. But the opportunity has increased, and it has also increased the difficulty of shooting. First, the shooting speed should be fast. When the area light reaches the expected position, press the shutter. This time period can be several seconds; Secondly, it is very important to accurately grasp the exposure data. The range of photometry must be based on the high-light part (the location where the regional light shines), and then compensation should be made according to the actual situation.

In landscape photography, it is an effective method to grasp the moving direction of regional light, predict the light and shade effect of the scene in the picture, and wait for the rabbit.

Shoot the scenery in low light.

Weak light refers to starlight, moonlight and weak sky light at night.

There are various light sources in low light, and the illuminance of light is very small, so the specific contrast of the shot scene will be small, and the color reproduction will be poor, and the level and texture of the scene will be greatly affected by low light. Therefore, in landscape photography, weak light is often overlooked.

Shooting the morning glow early, shooting the sunset glow late and finding a place to rest at noon are the creative rules of most landscape photographers. Following this unwritten rule, photographers work hard from morning till night. Although I have been to many places, apart from regional differences, the single creative means and thinking mode have made the pictures have many similarities. Shooting scenery at night not only prolongs our creative time, but also makes the shape, color and state of natural scenery at night very different from that during the day, which broadens our creative perspective. The scenery shot with weak light as the main light source has a strong sense of mystery, which is very conducive to the expression of artistic conception.

In landscape photography, the difficulty lies in using weak light as the main light source and accurately grasping the exposure time. Inexperienced people often get twice the result with half the effort or even get nothing.

Only by mastering the law of day and night scenery photography can we realize all-weather scenery photography in the true sense.

Four heights of landscape photography art

? If learning landscape photography is compared to high jump, there are at least the following four heights:

The first height: mastery of technology.

The second height: the use of skills.

The third height: the discovery and creation of photographic beauty

The fourth height: the formation of a unique artistic style?

? The four heights of landscape photography are closely related. It can be said that technology is the foundation, skill is the means, and the creation of photographic beauty is the purpose, while the formation of unique style is the symbol of photographer's artistic maturity and the pursuit of higher-level photographic beauty. Without technology, there is no skill. Without technology and skill, there is no photographic creation. Without long-term creative practice, there will be no formation of personal unique style. ?