I got a lot of good attitude adjustments here. In return, I'll offer up one of my own. Early morning and late in the day provide the best light, but what do you do with the late morning to mid-afternoon hours when the light is harsh, or if the sky is overcast creating flat, gray light? These are the times to switch from grand vistas to small subjects. Think and shoot close-up and even macro. It could also be a good time to seek out textures and abstract patterns either for their own sake or to use later as overlays in post. Mid-day is a good time to be in deep forests. It's easier to manipulate ambient light if you keep your field of view restricted. It's also a good time to try urban locations. Again, just focus on more intimate compositions. I often find urban images lend themselves to black and white images and sometimes the harsh mid-day light can accentuate the urban or industrial subject. So if you snooze your way through the golden hour, look for settings and compositions that will work in stark or overcast lighting and you can still be very productive that day. A quick anecdote. I was shooting in southern coastal Maine one morning. Got some really nice shots in the very early morning hours, just as one would hope for having some golden light to work with. By 8 or 9 AM, the gold was gone and the scenes I had shot earlier just weren't working at all anymore. As I walked along the beach, I noticed that there were some very colorful beach houses and that the strong, bright light was causing them to reflect very nicely in the very slight amount of water that had been left behind when the tide went out. The inconsistency of the water created stripes of reflection and I got many very satisfying abstracts of these reflections. The buildings were not reflecting in the golden hour at all when the sun was lower to the horizon, but in the late morning, they lit up nicely. Golden hour is great, but try to learn to work with the light you have available and find the masterpieces hiding in the bright light.
Thank you for sharing images that don’t work and explaining why they lack punch. That’s how we learn. It gives us a reference from which to improve. Appreciate the time and effort it took to compile this video.
Thank you for confirming I’m not the only one who suffered from gear hoarding syndrome. I bought T7i and sold it in 2 weeks without using almost at all. Bought the latest canon mirrorless and spend 2 months searching for the best lenses. After spending $10K+ I’m still a beginner. When I saw people taking better photos than me on their phones, I realized my mistake. 😞
Yes... My main problem was with the point about equipment. I bough cheap but new, Olympus E510 and after two weeks I was looking for new cameras over and over again. And it really bothers me because instead of learning photography I focused more on the equipment and wasted a lot of time. Fortunatelly I controlled myself and stayed with my Olympus, which started to give results. It's cheap, heavy, quite difficult to control, but I'm getting better every day.
The reason why I can enjoy those is that it is what you first see when coming onto a place you have not visited before. It has surprises everywhere, which allows you to explore the scene, rather than being told you need to see this or that first. Sometimes it us good just to allow the earth to be wide open to all of what is right in front of you. Then explore focal points next. When done go back to the first impression which drew you into the details in the first place. Which brings you full circle back to the voyage of your walk into adventure and passion of visual delight. One soon learns to crop inside the camera first and see what is really there that draws you into the magic.
I started with the D3200. Since I didn't have the money to immediately upgrade I was forced to live with it for about 2 years. It was really much easier to live with than I thought hahaha. The way I avoided falling into your mistake, other than being poor, was that I always asked myself if the camera or my skills was limiting the quality of my images. 99% of the time the answer was my skill. Once that dropped to about 97% I felt compelled to upgrade my camera ;-)
I started with the same camera about 5 years ago but thanks to a nice tax return I bought a Sony A7II. Unfortunately, I had more money than photography skills and looking back I should've kept the Nikon and worked on my skills.
@@strote While I would agree I have to admit that some of the features in my D750 have come very useful. The autofocus system is much better and it's easier to see in the view finder. I have pushed it where I needed weather sealing too so there's that. Finally the high ISO capabilities are well above the D3200 and that is a definite benefit. I do miss the light weight of the simpler models though.
@@StephenHolst Yes, I have no doubt that I would enjoy the added features of a D750 or one of the new mirrorless cameras. I'm just not a gadget geek. I do understand that a camera like a D3200 imposes limitations and there are some shots I just won't be able to get. But this is my first DSLR and I've only been shooting for a couple of years (had the camera longer, but it just sat there). Just like some of the mistakes Mark outlined in the video, I'm still learning what to do and not to do. I'm sure in a few years I'll upgrade and make the leap over a few generations of iterative technology improvements. Right now, my photography would improve most if I got up an hour and a half before sunrise on a regular basis ;-).
I love how as soon as you said "I researched other cameras" and the video zoomed out. I knew right away where you were going with it, lol. Low-key full-frame hint.
Of the 5 mistakes you discussed, the two most impactful to me were shooting at times of best light and trying different camera positions. I am a bird photographer. On a recent trip to Iceland to photograph birds, I tried to photograph the birds at their eye level as much as possible. For shorebirds, that usually means getting in a prone position which is uncomfortable for me. But that produced the best photos of my trip. The interesting landscape in Iceland reawakened my interest in landscape photography, so that led me to start watching some landscape RU-vid videos, including many older ones. This one really hit home. Thank you for producing it.
When u we’re talking about different perspectives I was reminded of a time I spent half an hour squatting in a stream to get the camera at water level😂 couldn’t walk the next day
4 is probably the most important tip here. I started with a Nikon D3400 and shot with it for a few weeks and immediately wished I had at least bought a 5000 series for some additional features like the timelapse ability, etc., but instead of spending more money, I spent the next 2-3 months watching youtube videos on how to get the most of my camera and just went out and shot thousands of shots at local parks and hiking trails with my 18-55 kit. I got a 70-300 AF-P off of KEH.com for like $40 and then spent quite a bit of time shooting that lens before picking up a 35mm prime. I wound up shooting with the D3400 for almost a year as the additional lenses really unlocked a lot of potential even with the entry level DSLR. After I felt like I had really picked it up, that's when I pulled the trigger on the upgrade and instead of going for a 5000 series, I found a lightly used D7100 which I had decided I wanted for the weather sealing and focus motor so I could add a few other lenses to my collection. Best decision I ever made was waiting to upgrade bodies. I've been tempted by the Z6 this year, but I'm going to try to wait until around Christmas time to see if they go on sale. It's so important to stick to a piece of gear and just learn all its ins and outs. Even today when I get a new lens, I probably go out and shoot several hundred photos with it before I even feel like I'm picking up on its nuances.
In my opinion, not all flat photos are bad photos. They are just of a different style. Especially the one that you have shown of the tree actually looked great, it doesn't have depth, but that is the reason why it looks kinda special. :) Both are looking good, you just have to recognize when to use what
As a semi-professional, I thought I would watch it anyway since I might still be making these mistakes. Fortunately, I'm not. But this is everything that I would suggest to a beginner as well. Very well explained.
Excellent, I too shoot golden hour landscape but spend the time in between shooting everything else when given wonderful diffused light from overcast skies and black and white when given wonderfully shadowy vistas from harsh contrasty light. I would add a number 6 to your list, that being overly rigid and restricted. .
Mark I was just scrolling through the RU-vid videos and happened to this particular Landscape video, mistakes to avoid and your suggestions and shooting tips are so basic and logical, it made me really go back and review my photos that I have taken over the years. I can some of the exact same mistakes that you discussed in your video. As a result of the suggestions that you make, mistakes to avoid, I feel that my future photographs will be much better, thanks to you. I also want thank you for saving me some big money, I have a number of great cameras and I am constantly looking to update my gear, instead of really learning the features that I have on my current camera. Your example of the Nikon 3200 to the Sony camera really hit home. I have a number of really good cameras, but haven't properly taken the time as you suggest to get to know better and take advantage of their features and setting. Sounds pretty basic.... Thank you for your clear, easy to follow and very helpful videos.
oh yeah I thought of a mistake I still make. I have been taking the same shots for 40 years just different places. the trees in the same places, the flowers in the same pattern, the lake from the same viewpoint...I think I shoot for myself
Unless you're shooting for a gallery where others primarily enjoy the photos then what you shoot IS from your perspective and what catches your eye at the time. Who cares what others think about what catches your eye at a specific moment in your life. :)
Haha, i can totally relate on the gear part. Bought a 750D in 2016, und was pretty underwhelmed by it's performance. So i started researching and also planning my next purchases, studying blogs etc what new cameras would come out etc... So you get in that endless loop of chasing the unicorn camera... At some point I got so frustrated about my equipment, that i dropped photgraphy for a while. Just recently, feb 2019, i picked it up a again. To be fair, I invested in a couple of new lenses, becasue the kit is really garbage and the main reason why I hated my camera. The images lacked sharpness. The lenses are dirt cheap still, but they are primes from canon and I think the image quality is now excellent and what I expected in the first place. The second thing that helped me though, was that my wife asked me to take portraits of her for her website. I usually only shoot city scapes at night, or things...legos, skulptures, cars whatever. I never did people photography. So, from january to today, I shot about 6000 photos of her - almost going mental because they were really really bad - data wise. The lighting, the noise, the sharpness... etc. Everything sucked. So I did some more research on youtube on how to shoot protrait, and now that I look at the pictures, I can see the learning curve. As you said in the video - I learned about to read the light meter and its different methods, how to counter exposure, iso, aperture changes (I was usually just wildly dialing things and taking sample shots :D ) and also paying attention to composition, angles and lighting. A friend of mine gave me the most valuable tip ever, without him even knowing. Here it is: When shooting indoors, point the speedlight to the ceiling. (Yeah, it's in my speedlites manual as well, if only i read the damn thing fo starters :D) The effect proper lighting has on the image quality is insane, and I always overestimated the power of sensor. I though - well, low light is ok, just leave the shutter open longer. Wich is a false assumption. If the subject isn't properly lit, you can leave the shutter open all day, it will still look bad. So I experimented with permanent lights (borrowed from said friend) and doing flash photography. Man - I love flash. It finally gave my pictures the quality and look, I was always expecting. So long story short - Except for the two new lenses which clock in at 250€ in total, I'm still shooting with my 3 year old gear, that I considered to be just cheap junk. It was my skillset that was garbage. But since I had the task of taking a good portrait, I now had a goal to work towards, and also a lot of pressure to learn - because I'm suposed to take a pretty picture of my wife :D. Eight weeks of experience, saved me from spending thousands of euros on new gear (and getting expensive shitty pictures). I'm so happy now about this camera, that I can hardly put it down. I even got my 13 year old Fuji bridge cam out of the basement - and now that I understand photography better, I'm trying to use this dinosaur 6MP toy to get excellent images. It's kinda fun to see what you can achieve with low-tech gear. (And I know this is ridiculous - because 20 yeaurs ago a 6MP cam that shoots Raw would have been the holy grail) So yeah - spot on. Gear doesn't matter (of course it does, if you need specific tools/features) - it's all about mastering skills and deal with what you have at hand - and guess what - you usually have enough.
OM, photo gear is just a tool like a paintbrush. It's your eyes that "take" a photo. Take command and don't get commanded. Learn from others lessons (and yours also). You can then be a grand master by making right moves. I have been into photography for 55 years and still improving on skills.
Portrait photograhy, something my uncle who is a professional taught me but man it requires some patience. Havent really gotten into it even though i understand it.
The tree shot looks a lot like the Japanese paintings. It would make a great image to hang in an office. The birdhouse is cool because it looks like it’s flying.
Good video and I agree with everything that you have suggested. I recognize those mistakes as I still make them. However, just one warning about travel. Everybody is traveling, especially landscape photographers, it is not uncommon to have hundreds of photographers with tripods out at the "golden hours" jostling for the perfect view. Not a very pleasant situation and can really turn one off on photography. So, now people are going to more out of the way places, e.g.. Patagonia, VietNam, Bhutan, etc. These places are starting to get that same overcrowded field. So, it is important to learn to take interesting photos locally also. Not to discourage folks from traveling but to make expectations real. Those wonderful empty places are often really not so empty.
That’s me right now... I just need to learn my camera Lumix G7 but I keep researching other Canon camera bodies and lenses when I have no idea how to use my Lumix yet! I love 40 minutes away from Yosemite and that’s where I did a small bit of practice last weekend but my composition is all off.
Am I the only one who loves that Moab Photo at 3:50? I mean I get what you mean about the distractions but that's the beauty of nature. I think my idea of photography is capturing nature in it's purest form and that's what you have at 3:50.
maybe the real idea was peace and harmony of hard and cold stones and soft and warm sunlight. The difference between this photo and good photo like between new wikipedia article and an article in "new yorker" magazine. Words can be the same, but ways they are composed...
Just started and my tutors basically told me all of this. Glad to know I’m on the right track! This is really fun. Only problem is that I love gear and also a musician 😩
Thanks Mark, I just had complete shoulder replacement surgery so while sitting around moaning I figured I try to tighten up my landscape photo skills so I stumbled on you. I couldn’t be any more grateful. Your prospectives are spot on. Looking forward to following you on Instagram.
I learn so much more from seeing a photo with errors and identifying the errors and learning how to correct those errors than I ever could hope to learn from seeing flawless photographs.
It's great when you can self critique, like you did. It's makes you a better individual. Personally I think we live in a world where everyone just says the "right" thing. No one wants to offend anyone, which is fine, but it's not real world either. Loved your photo's, especially the photo at the National Park @ around 14mins. Amazing shot. Seriously love it. I've just started photography again, and recently bought myself an XT30. Really looking forward to having some fun with it. Thanks for a great video. Cheers!!!
When it comes to buying equipment, there's one thing I would like to add from my (not only personal) experience (I worked at Nikon as a tech support specialist): People buy the most expensive camera body they can afford and then use it with some basic $200 worth kit lens and no filters and wonder why their photos look like shit. Yes, if you are a photojournalist, a good body is a must and often determines whether you take the photo or not. But that's not the case with landscape photography. When buying a landscape kit, start by choosing a good lens, then buy a set of filters (ND, grad, polariser, etc.), then buy a good tripod and then spend whatever's left from your budget on the body - and I would not be afraid to buy a second-hand body if you cannot afford a new one.
Love the fact that you actually stick to the subject when you go into a new tip. Some people talk way to much around the subject just to fill out time! So i get tired of listening to them... you however did an good job with that, keep it up!
I ironically stumbled upon this video while... *researching a better camera*. I had to laugh when I got to that part of your video. I’ve got a Canon T2i and love it. I’m not sure what started my search for something better, but I had bookmarked your video and glad I did. I’ve already decided I’m perfectly happy with my Canon, it can take better photos than I can. Then tonight when I came back and watched this it made me feel better about that decision. Plus you have a great way of passing your knowledge along. I learned quite a bit from this. Now I’m afraid to go look at my photos that are suddenly going to seem much less interesting :) But the good part is, now I know why. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience. I’ve already subscribed and will be watching many more of your videos, and looking forward to putting your advice, tips and techniques into my photos.
Mark, your approach to helping others learn by starting from your own mistakes makes your content so accessible. So many photographer's videos are presented as the "master" dispensing "wisdom" to ignorant. You are wise, and I am ignorant, but your humility welcomes me into a shared space - I feel like I'm sitting with a good friend. Thanks so much!
I have watched many advice videos and read numerous guides on landscape photography but Mark this is the first one that is assistance at a level that maintains attention for the viewer and makes absolute sense. I was able to relate my experience with yours. I look forward to following you for more of your sensible advice. Thanks for your help.
I really enjoyed your video, I could relate with you about falling in and out of photography. At 66, I have too many interests, which some ways are good. But those people that focus on one subject find more perfection on that one subject I believe. But in another way sometimes different talents bring different ideas and many several interest can come together at the time. There is so much to learn in this life and I believe there will be so much in the next one also. The best to you and your photos !
agree 100% with all comments. Except about gear. That Sony is fantastic, also for dynamic range. Just shoot RAW and you get access to the dynamic range. About the photos: you didn't mention one very common mistake: Most people love shooting with too much wide angle. They get too much on the photo. This relates indirectly to your first point. Good way to learn to focus: take a standard 50 mm prime lens. 50 mm forces you to focus; 50 mm always looks right. 50 mm forces you to zoom with your feet. Meaning you have to search for the best angle and viewpoint for the photo. 50 mm is so light, so you have so little to carry. Prime lenses have little glass, thus little aberrations and other optical weaknesses; thus they are excellent when you shoot directly into the sun; this is what you want to do at sunrise or sunset. 50 mm are really cheap; for the Sony, the 55 mm 1.8 is one of the best lenses on the market (check with DXO-Mark) and you find it easily as second hand.
Something I'd like to add to your list is to not give up on a location or maybe choosing the right time of year to visit that location. You can download apps that will show you where the sun rises and sets and you can go to specific times of the year to see where the sun will be for that time of year. Sometimes winter might be a better time to catch the light to shine in a specific spot than in the summer time. Lighting is everything.
Great video, I lol at the part "Focusing to much on gear" because I am doing the exact same thing now. Thank for pull me out from that part. Just bought my first gear couple months ago.
If you are a beginner, a cheap DSLR is good enough. Rather, invest in a nifty 50 and a good telephoto lens. And unless you're shooting for the biggest of brands which would go up for huge billboards, banners, huge wall art, you don't need a medium or large format. A full frame is good enough for a pro.
Thank you for sharing your experience! My biggest takeaway that I got was the topic of depth (and using shadows/gradients to introduce depth to an otherwise “flat” composition). Also a classy choice to critique your own work to teach others... great video!
On camera meters: unless it's broken, it's never wrong. If the exposure isn't "correct", it's because you don't know how to interpret what it's telling you. Grab your manual and read up on the different metering modes your camera has. Understanding how they work is vital to getting the most out of your body. And on that note, the manual is amazing. Sitting down with that thing is super eye opening.
The point you make about upgrading the gear is sort of the story on my unfulfilled dream of becoming a photographer that takes good shots. I don't dare to tell what I've spent on cameras and lenses of the years compared to the outcome. I just swore to myself to not upgrade anymore until I have made more usage of my existing equipment. I sort of feel ashamed about the whole thing and even started thinking about selling all the stuff and give up. But your video motivated me to give it another try - thank you!
This is the first video in a VERY long time that i have watched from beginning to end. Esp considering that its 20+ minutes. Great personality, great sound levels and visuals - but most importantly, it's packed with information and your own experiences! Bravo to you Mark. Thank you.
RAW is really important when I start to use photoshop! Get really high quality for each photo after doing that. Wish I watched your video at my first day of photography.
Hey. I just wanted to tell you that you directly, because of this video, have helped me become a better photographer. I've always felt that my shots too where "snapshots." Nothing more than that ,and I couldn't figure out why. Bought a better camera and still...then to hear you talk about having a clear subject matter and eyes going all over trying to find something to look at a light went off in my head. When I was out practicing it caused a cascade of understanding about my shots, the camera and the viewer. Give the viewer something to look at. If you do that they'll get what you're trying to tell them anyway. Now I'm all like, "aperture! it's all about aperture! hey everybody it's all about aperture!" anyway, I can't thank you enough for your insight. It's incredibly helpful. -James
Awesome video, you really brought up some great points, especially about overspending on gear, and not utilizing what you own to its fullest before moving on. Thanks for the great video!
A few things that crossed my mind-- To me, the subject is the lighthouse, not the boardwalk, and the river in the eroded valley, not the tree. Just because an object is in the foreground, doesn't necessarily imply that it is the subject. The boardwalk and tree are devices that lead the eye into the scene, towards the subject(s). They act as sign posts or direction indicators. They can become a little cliched if overused, though. Regarding exposure, if you shoot in RAW mode (which you should do most of the time), you can move the histogram to the right so the toe (the bottom right of the histogram) is just touching the bottom right corner of the histogram box. The image will look over exposed, but this isn't a problem, as it can be pulled down in PP. This guarantees adequate shadow detail, because of the way digital sensors record light. If you expose at the meter's suggested reading, there is a very good chance you will lose important shadow detail, and if it isn't recorded, you can't get it back. EJing (equipment junkie) can become very time consuming and expensive. One area where this is rife is in table tennis. Some of these guys just get ridiculous with it, constantly trying out new rubbers and blades, and wasting time and money. They think a new rubber will fix their technical problems, which of course it won't. The equipment manufacturers must love 'em. Just get out there with what you have, and learn. Like your vids and your work. Thanks.
Sometimes, the entire view of a scene *IS* the subject. Not every photo is going to be a master, you've *GOT* to shoot to learn what works and what doesn't work. You make some very good points.
I think the reason why so many people make the mistake of having no clear subject in landscape photography because everyone's so used to portrait photography (mainly through phone snapshots of themselves or the people around them). Through this, they've been conditioned to take photos without thinking about the subject because in portrait photography, the person is always the subject.
Oh my god...you are an honest person that make senses of every single points in a very simple method; direct and evidence - Your cost of time, money and picture quality in the first few years of your career, thanks to your presentation skill and video set up, definitely advance someone like me in a matter of minutes (theoretically and some practically)
Wow man ! thanks for sharing your experience, I did something similar, I started in 2014 with the Nikon D3300, then bought the D7100, used bought until march of 2018.i decided to step up to full-frame. I then sold my D3300 plus a few lenses that I didn't use and bought the D850. I love this camera. so I then decided I needed a backup to my D850. so I sold my D7100, and the rest of my crop sensor lenses and bought the Z7. I am satisfied with these cameras, love the quality of the images. the good part about all of this is that Adorama gave me good prices for my used gear. taking tips from people like your self help me improve my photography. Thanks again for sharing.
I think the spending less on gear should be more focused towards spending on accessories. Simple things like a tripod, lens filters, shutter cable, etc... All fairly cheap on Amazon. It's helping me figure out my niche in landscape photography while using a 'basic' Canon EOS Rebel T6 without busting the budget...so far.
You made some excellent points, very good advice that we all could have used back when we started. You should do a video on post processing. The birdhouse photo could have been cropped to let the sky be the depth, perhaps a little blur on the clouds. Using HDR tricks on the Arches photo that was taken after the sun came up could make it more interesting. We can't always shoot in the morning and evening, especially while traveling. Agree that midday photos are less interesting because you have to get creative and shoot subjects using the shadows from overhead sun. Closer objects, not so much landscape. IMO lens are more important than the bodies. If you are going to spend money focus, pardon the pun, on good sharp glass instead of the latest body. Heading to Grand Canyon and the 5 Utah national parks soon. Photo ops galore. Thanks for sharing.
Loved this. No matter how advanced people become watching videos like this help me to realise what I have forgot! Thanks Mark, appreciate your hard work!
I started on a Kodak Instamatic with flash cubes! I was 11 at the time. Skip 10 years and I got a Praktica B200 slr. Loved Ilford’s black and white film that used monochrome dye instead of sliver. Still have a second hand Bronica somewhere but I’m getting great shots with my iPad, on the odd occasion that I imagine I’m actually a photographer!
I used to be a Sports photographer until my lifelong friend invited me out on a landscape shoot! He has been a great mentor and helped me with all the information I need to make sure I'm doing it right! I won't mention his name but he is a genuine friend 🙏 thank you 👍
Not being obsessed with gear, learning your camera and investing in travel- wow that was a good reminder! Also, for the first couple tips about composition (focal point, having fire/middle/background) I would have loved to see side-by-side images for those like you did later on. I struggle with that and sometimes I know something is off but can’t identify how to adjust. I think seeing someone else walk through the thought process would help.
Definitely one of my favourite channel. Not only about photography but also as a English language lessons :) It's very comfortable to hear good pronunciation from the literate person! Thanks a lot for the great content quality!
Sensible advice. Thanks. I purchased my first Sony A 58 four years ago and I have stayed with it since then. I am not a pro, not even enthusiast.... just a weekend hobbyist. And as you rightly said, instead of acquiring the greatest and the latest, it's better to travel and snap better shots. Thanks.
This video is great. All my shots are hobby work. And this is something I’ve never paid much attention to is a focus point in the landscape. As i look back at all my shots over the years some have them and some don’t. Now i know to remember to be more consistent.
Great advice. I was going to buy the 24mm GM lens but ended up canceling the order. Took that cash and planned a trip to the Grand Canyon, and I'm renting the 24mm GM too for the trip. Win-win.
Greetings from Ireland..! I keep saying, it's people like you that make RU-vid the success it is. Thanks a million for sharing your experiences and knowledge. Tom
The old Kodak Joy of Photography book really helped me with composition. Converting parallel lines is really fun for depth, and also changing viewpoint from traditional standing position.
Easily one of the best videos I've ever watched on things to avoid and things to focus on when attempting to master landscape photography. Having learned all these things the Hard Way over a period of many years I can attest to the veracity and value of every single one of the 6 tips. Wisely Mark avoided trying to prioritize the 6 points covered as each of them is as equal importance just as each of the 6 rungs in a ladder is of equal importance when attempting to climb over a wall. That said one of the biggest and most dangerous traps to avoid is the endless fascination with and purchase of camera gear. As I tell people who come to me for advice any reasonably decent mid range camera these days is easily capable of producing high quality images if...drum roll please...you know what you are doing and take the time to master the camera! Truth be told high end cameras not only will not increase the number of keeper images they may well result in a lower rate. More sophisticated equipment ofttimes requires better technique and a more thorough understanding of the rudiments of good photography. One last thing, Mark is the image on the wall in back of your left shoulder of the Bubbles on Jordan Pond in Acadia National Park? I live there and having spent countless hours photographing that area I am almost 100% sure it is...
I think we both have many similarities. I too bought couple of gears, instead of spending time with gear and how to use it, I searched many gears, bought few extra gears without known their qualities and not know how to use them. Simply they are sleeping in the bag. I agree that Instead of spending money for new gear, we spend time and use it effectively and efficiently. Great video.
I did the same thing about wanting new gear, started with the a6300 and found myself with an a7rii a few months later. can't say I regret it too much but definitely trying to appreciate the gear I have now and not keep looking for better stuff.
Thank you Mark. I still find myself making these common mistakes once and awhile. When I am in a new scenic area and get so excited about the new scenery that I forget the basics. Oh, I still get some good shots, but some I look at and say"What was I thinking?":-) So you have to step aside of the emotions and use your professional eye. And I agree about equipment. When the typical non-photographic person looks at a breath-taking landscape photo; they're not thinking about ISO, exposure, ND filters and all that. They are just thinking ,"Wow! He was in the right place at the right time!" A so-so camera with good editing can give some awesome results. Thank you for all the good points you pointed out. Now I have to subscribe and see what other great info you have shared . Thank you for taking the time.
I used to (and still do) study the photographs of David Muench, who would put objects in the foreground with a wide angle lens, which gives that sense of depth in an image as you comment on at 7:29.
The obvious subject of the first image is the water and how silky it looks. Very peaceful feel. Rock face is the subject of the next image, the sun creating textures and shapes on the big rock face.
I really enjoyed this video. thanks so much for your insight! Especially the part about the gear. Ugh. Lol I'm gonna focus on using and getting to.know my Nikon 5200. I absolutely love landscape photography and these tips are great!
You are so absolutely right about focusing your resources and attention on the settings and the time you devote to photography rather than gear. We find ourselves in a day and age where virtually every camera can make great images; but if all you are doing is test shots of your local neighbourhood, when you could be out there travelling, you are missing out.
You nailed it. Depth comes through your aperture settings; the lower your setting (i.e. f16, f22 etc..) the more depth in your fore and background. Personally I really wish people that want to learn photography would get an SLR or DLR or DSLR, something that you can switch off the "Auto" mode and learn how to focus, set aperture, and shutter speed to get that light meter in the right spot.Even your ISO setting can make a huge difference when shooting bright images (i.e. Snow capped mountains) or capturing a water fall with blurred water or angel hair effect. Mark, Im glad you are one that is learning just how important those things are, but Im especially glad that you "turned off the Auto mode." Happy Shooting.
This was great. Love the very candid nature of this video. I'm just starting out photography, and enjoyed (and will put into practice as best as possible) the things mentioned here. Thanks Mark!
This is the first RU-vid comment that I've ever made but that story about the focus on gear cut right to my core haha. Great video, great explanations, great examples. This video was a breath of fresh air from most other tutorials/tips videos that are either way too dense or spend 80% of the time talking about coffee. Thanks!
I enjoyed this video. I’ve been in & out of photography for more than 50 years! I love to go back to basics just as a reminder/refresher. Gear is just gear. I shoot w a Canon 6D (just recently upgraded from a 5D that died) & good glass that I bought almost 15 years ago. I’m constantly enticed to buy the newer and best. Maybe it’s my age, but I know I just don’t need it! I spend my money on experience. This May I head to Iceland for 2 weeks!
I started off with rooftopping and landscape photography but now I mainly shoot street. Anyways, been thinking of making one of these beginner mistakes kind of videos but with a focus on another aspect of photography
