Personally, I need to work on my composition technique but I would love to get some tricks on scouting. For example, how to find interesting photo locations in a particular area. I’ve used Google Street View so far but there might be other tools and techniques out there…
Presently working on the rule of odds to declutter my photos. I “get on site” as you mention then just basically forget all of your advice in my rush to capture everything in just one frame. I continue to remind myself to get “low” and while shooting the Super Moon just sat right down. Wrong, sat right on top of a red ant mound. Ouch. Just another item to check, just like making sure to put that battery back in after charging: ugh.
What I love about these videos is when I’m watching it I’m thinking “well, that’s obvious” but then I look at the shots I’ve taken in the last week and realise that I didn’t get low enough, I didn’t consider the light enough, I didn’t include a foreground. I’ve been taking pictures for over 50 years but what I need to do is watch your content before I go out. Thanks Mark for yet another excellent video.
an excercise to try: sit in one spot and force yourself to find subjects in that one place. Many times I walk right past interesting shots becasue I do not take time to absorb everything around me when I am focused on getting somewhere else.
I was out in Banff a couple weeks ago and made the trek to Moraine Lake for the sunrise.. so cliché but I wanted to check that shot off my photographic bucket list. The weather was so bad - cold, rainy, no break in the clouds. I was so focused on that one shot in my mind that I stood there for almost two hours waiting. I missed all the other shots that I could have had - the people in the rain, the texture and colour of the water up close, slick rocks + snow, the canoes in the blue overcast light, the lodge, etc. Watching this video "focus on the light" definitely had me thinking about that day and what a difference it would have made to focus on what made the day unique instead of hoping the weather would conform to my expectations. Great video, thanks Mark!
You’re absolutely right. As a painter I can’t agree more. Everyday I see superb photos that bore me to no end because their "composition" consists of centering the subject. While there’s a place for that, to me it renders most photo’s uninteresting.
Love pictures of old and/or abandoned barns (Central and Northern Idaho have many of those) and the light hitting the barn just made it pop off of the image! The focus on light reminds me of the series of haystack paintings by Monet where he was playing with the way light changed the mood of the picture. Your barn shot immediately made me think of those paintings.
Wow! Follow the light is something I had never thought of. I suppose a variable sky (mix of clouds and blue sky) is the perfect condition for applying this technique. Thank you!
I so love your videos, I think mainly because my eye is striving to see what yours do, as far as composition. I like to have at least just little something in the foreground to give perspective. I'm always aware of where the light is coming from as I walk through an area, imagining how the light coming from the morning sun would light up that barn, create shadows to contrast the bright sun warming the side of the barn with the steam rising from the cold wet aged wood. I've subscribed and followed you for the last few years and I feel that your videos are the reason for my creative growth, thank you.
There's not a massive amount I learnt from these videos, as in new techniques and methods. I started using an SLR 35+ years ago. For me the biggest part is being able to spot the composition and recognising what it is that I like. I generally take my photos on hikes, so will only wait a few minutes for light. I miss a lot but might get a good photo (for me), in another location. It is good to see other people's photos and identify why it works, for me to try. Thanks for your videos and sharing some of your great photos.
Allow me to add a 5th point. This is a quote from the great nature shooter, Rod Planck, “technique beats equipment every time!” While everything you mentioned is vital to a great image. You exhibit, careful, well planned use of whatever you are shooting with, all the way back to your Canon gear and through the Fujifilm years and now as a Nikon shooter, you have gotten the most you can out of whatever is bolted to your tripod! Congrats Mark, you’re well on your way!
Another great video Mark. Your short checklist/reminders and examples are spot on and following the KISS principal can be very good advice. Thank you for sharing Mark. Cheers
Hi Mark! I just wanted to take a moment to say a huge thank you for all the incredible content you share on your channel. Your photography tips and tutorials have been an absolute game-changer for me. I've learned so much and applied so many of your techniques to my own work. Your passion and expertise really shine through in every video, and it’s clear how much effort you put into creating such valuable content. Thanks again for all your hard work and for inspiring so many of us to improve our craft. Keep up the amazing work! Best, Besmellah
Mark Denney - on of the finest Photography-RU-vidrs! Concentrate on the most important things within photos, not too many mostly superfluous tips on technology! Go on, dude!
Great video, as always, but can’t….stop….looking….at….the….Game….Boy! I’d be nervous getting my camera that close to the moving water on the tripod. That cliff edge really does make a big difference.
That picture of the mossy huts. 🔥 🔥 🔥 Very nice I want to improve everything. It's a continual process of refining my shooting, composition, cropping, editing, and presenting my art. I want to look at a picture I took today and one I took a year ago and see the improvement. I also want to be able to see my mistakes with my past pictures so I can adjust and adapt.
I studied painting when I was younger, so I have a lot of composition ideas built in. For me, one of the best uses of time when I started photography as a hobby was mastering the technical. Nailing the focus, nailing the exposure, and then looking at color theory and editing. But composition really is the most important thing. One gimmick I remember is to reduce the number of elements in the frame and then do something interesting with them.
Great reminder to get back to the basics. I went out to a lake to frame the Super Moon. I was using both a 70-200 and a 100-500, but recalling your prior videos, I pulled back to get the shelter in the view as well as staying about a foot off the ground for a much more pleasant photo. Thanks for all you bring to photography.
Mark, I agree 100% that what makes us unique and different from other photographer is how we see (compose). Unique way of seeing the same subject and location creates "our look." I tried this on a recent trip to Zion. I have seen tons of images from Zion. So, I did not want to shoot the same angle as everyone else. Oddly enough the unique image I came away with was a low angle shot and I also used the framing technique to come away with something very different. In showing my shots of the day to various people, the most liked image was that shot that I just described.
Enjoyed the video. I'd note that in the comparison between the two Iceland images (one with the cliff edge and one without) that the bigger and more important difference I saw was an opening in the cloud bank with the injection of color. For me that opening and color seemed to me to be the bigger injector of dimensionality. But that's just me and it may not work that way for others.
I don’t do landscapes except maybe when I am travelling . But I really enjoy your videos and how you express things so succinctly in fifteen odd minutes
Love it. You explain what I naturally do. I always go out with the mindset of looking at things differently than other people do from another perspective and angle. I have done it since I started 3 years ago. I guess that's why the salesman at the camera shop was impressed at my images and said. "You took those pictures, excuse me for saying, with that piece of crap" lol. I was trading in my camera and upgrading to a Nikon Z6II at the time. I have been told i have an eye. Actually have 2. 4 with glasses on. 😄 Lightbulb moments = recognition. Great tutorial.
Just a thought on the examples in the ‘creating depth’ segment. The foreground not only creates depth like you said, it also eliminates the illusion that all of the water is pouring out of the bottom of the picture. Kind of like when you don’t get the horizon straight over a lake it looks like the water is going to empty out the side. I would think on the case of a river which is towing out you still need something to slow it down like a rock for it to flow around. The image with the foreground is very nice!
Talking about the cliff and the picture with the little bit included helps to separate the picture from appearing to be a drone shot. While everything has a place for unique perspectives, I do enjoy the boots on the ground shots.
I need to get better at finding good photos when the conditions aren't ideal. If it is 2 in the afternoon and I'm able to spend time with my camera, I should still find good shots. Too often I think "too sunny" or "no clouds", so not worth doing.
More great tips as always, Mark! I have been experimenting a bit with using the Photoshop depth map as a layer mask to create "depth contrast." It can enhance the feeling of depth on top of the effort in the composition.
Absolutely wonderful and very inspiring and informative video.What you said about light is very important,in fact the most important thing.My photography teacher says you shoot light and then let the light fall on a beautiful model or a garbage can.Tons of thanks Mark and may God bless you.
Mark, thank you so much for your videos. Your photos are absolutely stunning and really inspire me. I am still learning so much and now that I have learned my camera and am comfortable in manual mode I can really focus on technique and composition. I really appreciate what you do :) Can you tell me when taking the photos in this video, where exactly do you focus?
I enjoy your videos Mark! I am always trying to improve and your videos have helped improve much of my photography over the last few years, not only with technique but your Lightroom tutorial have transformed my images. Many thanks. I am a "pixel peeper" and get really annoyed to find any softness in my images. I would like to know how you as a pro- photographer cope with this. Is 100% sharpness possible? How do you identify the sharpest lenses? Any tips would be appreciated. Thanks again.
I want to start out by saying I watch your videos often and, even though I've been into photography since there was only film, there's always something new to be learned. Composition is a tricky topic. Friends have suggested to me to show more than my favorites (especially ones I'm not as fond of) because the composition appeals to others. Your "Creating Depth" section is a good example. The first two I disagree because the river (and therefore flow) of the photo is interrupted by the cliff, and I also think the right photo has more detail to maintain the interest (I do agree: too bad the sky wasn't cooperating). The second example I agree, although it's too bad the camera couldn't have been about 15m higher so the depth added to the overall instead of interrupting it. Yes, I commonly wish I had a way to get that extra elevation without the expense of a drone. (My personal pet peeve is humans in a photo when they aren't part of the subject, to me that just transforms it into a vacation photo. I get that adds dimension which is why some photographers include people like that). But those are just my opinions / tastes on composition. I'm sure a lot of people agree with you, and bet there are also some (probably none who view your videos) who are "meh" on them all. As you said, shoot what interests you. Digital allows one to take many shots that appeal to them, changing composition, experimenting with settings. Sure, it means sifting through more photos at home, but some real gems come from that. And some experience - not just how to take better photos, but also just being out there. Cheers!
I often lie down to take photographs, more recently in IR at Calanais in Lewis - it also helped remove people from the view😅. Mind it can get embarrassing when folk ask if you're alright!😊
Question: Thanks Mark. I appreciate you sharing your expertise with us. Quick question about the photo in the Farell Islands with the houses in front and plateau in back. What would a radiant filter to lighten up the houses a little do to the photo? Would it detract from the plateau?
Many years ago in Junior High, I took a photography class. I bought a nice well used Nikon F (about 1970). My pictures were OK. Kid next to me used an ancient Agva that looked like a box. His pictures were better. I learned that equipment was secondary to composition. My composition still needs some help, but it's much better than it was over 50 years ago. You need good equipment, but equipment doesn't make the photograph, the photographer does.
I just got the pro panel + videos using your link in today's email. I used your code and it worked perfectly. I can't wait to use it!!! Do you happen to have any demonstrations?
Hello Mark! Been watching your videos for a long time. Thank you for the knowledge you share with us, it's very very valuable. I have one question.. I live in Estonia and I am trying to do landscape photography. I am actually having a lot of trouble with it, because in Estonia we have a pretty flat landscape: no mountains (even small ones), no ocean (seascapes), no epic views/vistas, waterfalls, etc. that I see in your photos or any other professional photographer's photos.. here in Estonia we have mostly coniferous forests (pines and spruces), fields, swamps (with paths and low pine trees). There are very beautiful sunrises and sunsets, but other than the sky it is very hard to find a composition. What to do in this case and what to photograph? (I really want to do photography).
What has helped my photography the most is learning SEO. The more keywords I have on my website, the more traffic I get. Getting a new camera or lens or gear is always fun, but seeing the traffic on your website increase is way better.
Being technical only applies to the most technically advanced. At our current time, the difference between AI and a human is the emotion. In theory, a perfectly grandiose image can be cropped at perfect compositions. But finding that emotion/vvibe in a photo is the most difficult part. Save people, not money
I think professiinal photographerstake a slew of different compositions of a particular place / scene but only talk about the one(s) in retrospect that best show off their best compositions but make it seem like they only take great compositions. It would be great if professional photographers on RU-vid would show the range of compositions from one place to show their best composition and why. Now granted to some photographers, their "best" is just going to be their opinion of their own photographs, but still, it would be helpful to amateurs and beginners to see.
Mark have an equipment question, I have been reading the comments to you and I am curious to the make and model of the ball head that you are using on your tripod. Thanks.
Curious..did you partly switch to z8 brczisr getting lower is easier to get everything in focus without stacking as meduim format low - you next fo stack ?
Writer friends say that if you want to be a better writer; read more - well, read more from good writers. I suspect looking at the work of good artists (painters and photographers) should fine tune your composition chops.
Hi Mark, please consider to think about idea that actually humans are seeing real world in 2D, not 3D. Look at this this way - we are living in a 3D world, we are walking among 3d objects, we are touching 3d object in our hands (such as coffe cup - for example), but if you really really think how we percieve a world - we see a world as a 2D perspective - yes our brain knows that this is 3d world because we've touched it before , we knows its 3d BUT - imagine if you wake up first time and look around - I want you to think about it very very objectively - you open your eyes and you see world in 2D, yes you know it is not 2D because you have sense of perspective and your previous experiences tought you that behind this desk is a TV and bhind a tv is a wall or a flower , but the image that you see is actually 2D . And if you would wake up for the first time and open your eyes - you woudlnt know if this is 2D or 3D until you actually touched it. Seeing in 3D would've mean that we can actually see what is inside the objects, inside our bodies, we could see inside and outside. Now we see in 2D, although we know it is not 2D but 3D world :)
The Rollei look (shot from the hip)... special love not for no reason. The only problem with shifting away from eye level is that you are still photographing the same subjects. The common perspective is way less of a problem than the common subject... or not seeing new things and stories alltogether (real new perspectives ) ! The real change on perspective would be to become more courageous/ controversial to show unseen things rather than making the same old things look just different or technically perfect. I for one prefer socially relevant images and would prefer a pile of ugly rubbish in a landscape shot much more than the same romanticized burgoise beauty scenery... In fact, at least for me, landscape photos that pretend like everything's fine with nature are really off by now. Toe level or not, we all know that there's a fence or parking or plastic floating along near the untouched (but retouched) beauty. Why not show it...
Look at the left side closely. The gap between the trees and the barn are just slightly different where it couldn’t be a crop & edit. It’s a slightly different angle.
@@davidrachuig3601 look at the left side closely. Look at the very left v-shaped sharp corner of the roof pointing to the left. Look at the trees behind it. And look under the sharp corner of the roof where a bit of the foliage is showing. It's exactly the same because it's the same angle, same image cropped and edited.😂😂😂😂
@@davidrachuig3601 Also inspect the skies. They're the same pixel by pixel, every fancy little cloud is exactly the same. When and where have you ever seen a static sky?😂😂
Thanks for the Fab Four. You often make the point about following the interesting light vs “flat” uninteresting light. I know what you mean by flat light but for the benefit of novice photographers perhaps explain what you mean by “flat” light. ⛰️📸
