Colin Prior's Top Tips for better Landscape Photographs...
Colin Prior has been acclaimed as one of the UK's top landscape photographers. Below, Colin shares his top tips for taking great landscape photographs. So get out and about in the great Scottish outdoors this summer and follow Colin's expert advice to capture your own fantastic photos!
Concretions, Laig Bay, Isle of Eigg
1.We live in a world surrounded by infinite visual information and the challenge for photographers is how to decode this information. The key is in recognising that what the eyes sees in reality and what the camera 'sees' in the two-dimensional world of photography is very different.
2.The pursuit of photography needs to be considered as a subtractive process. Unlike painting where we start with a blank canvas and add with photography we start with the world and subtract.
3.Attempting to capture everything in a scene that inspires you, so often fails to communicate the emotion you initially experienced. Try to identify the salient points in a composition that essentially sum up its essence.
4.Connect with the landscape . try to tune into the frequency of the natural world. Absorb whatever you can by simply being there, observe and examine. Look beyond the literal for conceptual images. Think of it as a process of distillation.
Waterfall, Isle of Rum
5.If you're inspired by a particular location, try to tune into what it is about the place that is speaking to you most deeply. It's a bit like trying to get a fix on a frequency . is it colour, light, texture or perhaps it's the contrast or interplay of adjacent colours. Establish what elements are responsible and begin from this point.
6.Less is more . in language, there is little point taking ten words to make a point if you can articulately say the same with four. The same is true of photography. Try to identify the elements that capture the essence of the location and mentally subtract areas of the composition that simply don't add value. Ask yourself repeatedly, is this adding value or would the composition be stronger without its inclusion.
7.Look for images within the landscape. If you're on location and there's no light, there's little point in trying to shoot 'big' pictures. A high-diffused overcast sun is usually perfect for shooting intimate renditions of the natural world . the absence of shadows and the soft luminance is ideal for this type of photography. A tripod will let you use a smaller aperture for a greater depth of field.
8.Don't be frightened to experiment. There are no cost implications in taking extra photographs so it's a good idea, if time permits, to shoot some extra shots at different apertures or shutter speeds to see for instance their effects on moving water.
Wild garlic and bluebells, Loch Hourn
9.Look beyond the literal and try to avoid clichés. The key is to develop your own style and whilst we are all inspired by the work of other photographers, you should strive to create your own unique thumbprint.
Colin Prior with student
10.Study the results of a shoot closely. Identify those images that failed to fulfil your own visualisation and understand why they have not worked. If it's a technical issue, find someone who can explain what you did wrongly, and then when confronted with similar circumstances in the future, you will be less likely to make the same mistakes again.
11.Be realistic . if you set out to take photographs and the weather changes unexpectedly and you're unable to achieve what you set out to, you have three options. Return home, wait it out either in a hotel or tent or change the expectation of a shoot. Clearly, the third option is the most likely to yield a result.
Colin Prior Experiences
Colin Prior is acknowledged as one of the nation's top landscape photographers. For anyone with an interest in the art of photography, what could be better than a week-long trip or weekend trip with Colin to the stunning Highlands and Islands of Scotland? These landscapes provide natural inspiration throughout the course, and Colin's instruction will provide you with skills and memories that will last a lifetime.
www.colinprior.co.uk/experiences
E: info@colinprior.co.uk
T: 01698 844430