How do i take a photo like this?

J

Jamess220191

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James
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Hi guys i was wondering if anyone could tell me what i would need to do to achieve a photo like this using my canon eos 500d and the 18-55mm IS kit lens.

http://www.leefilters.com/images/nd-durdle-door-02.jpg


STAFF EDIT : Hi James, I've broken this to a link because the image isn't yours ;)
 
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Wait for the right light, use a tripod and use a ND filter to get a longish shutter speed to blur the water.
 
Is there any way to do it without a ND filter? Im no so bothered about the water blur just the way it has been exposed with so much detail all around.
 
Stop the lens down. Around f11 is usually an optimum. Focus about a third of the way into frame to maximise depth of field. Use a polariser if you don't have a ND. For me it's the light and the blur on the water that really makes the shot.

Images like this don't just happen unless you are very lucky.
 
This image I believe is from the Lee filters cataloge. as such it will have been taken by a pro landscape photographer with years of experience, a set brief and probably the best quality kit available. As said above, images like this dont just happen, It probably involved a lot of planning and waiting around.

I would guess he used a ND grad in order to get the sky and foregound exposed as they are. To do this without a filter, you'll need to take two exposures and merge them in software. Even then, it still wont guarentee a good shot, as its all about the light in shots like this.
 
Gaz J said:
Stop the lens down. Around f11 is usually an optimum. Focus about a third of the way into frame to maximise depth of field. Use a polariser if you don't have a ND. For me it's the light and the blur on the water that really makes the shot.

Images like this don't just happen unless you are very lucky a damn good photographer who has been willing to put many hours into the study and practice of the art and who knows that luck very, very rarely plays a part in an image of this sort of quality.
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Fixed that for you. No, that's fine.
 
Landscape photography is all about light and controling it the best you can. If you want to take it seriously you really do need to invest in some extra gear like a tripod and some ND grads.
 
Well, not all landscapes are taken in low light. It's perfectly possible to get a good one by hand holding a basic camera. Composition, now. That's pretty important.
 
jon ryan said:
Well, not all landscapes are taken in low light. It's perfectly possible to get a good one by hand holding a basic camera. Composition, now. That's pretty important.
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You can have all the composition you like but if its a boring mid day sky your not going to get the best shot. I said nothing about low light and i would love to see a good photo of a hand held landscape photo not in low light with both the sky and land exposed properly without a ND grad, and all that on a basic camera even better! I will delete my PS and sell my filters.
 
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Thanks for the comments, yeah i have a tripod but i dont have ND grads just a CPL, im going to the carribean in 2 weeks and want some decent landscapes. Most will be taken early morning or near sunset so hopefully the light will be right.
 
Jon

If you have a point to make perhaps you would like to do it without modifying my post, albeit in bold.

Regards
 
rjbell said:
You can have all the composition you like but if its a boring mid day sky your not going to get the best shot. I said nothing about low light and i would love to see a good photo of a hand held landscape photo not in low light with both the sky and land exposed properly without a ND grad, and all that on a basic camera even better! I will delete my PS and sell my filters.
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Canon 400D, no filter. Hand held. 1/100th, f/16. Can't remember what time I took it, but from the shadows it must have close to mid day. Depends on your definition of boring, I suppose, but this was part of Greek Islands travel article that more or less paid for the trip.

80645f95.jpg
 
TCR4x4 said:
This image I believe is from the Lee filters cataloge. as such it will have been taken by a pro landscape photographer with years of experience, a set brief and probably the best quality kit available.
Click to expand...

Indeed, it's in the inspiring professionals book and was taken by Jeremy Walker using a 0.6ND hard grad and 81C warm up filter. No ND filter which I'm surprised about so I guess he was stopped down a bit.

Above all else though, he's nailed the two most important ingredients, composition and light.
 
Gaz J said:
Stop the lens down. Around f11 is usually an optimum. Focus about a third of the way into frame to maximise depth of field. Use a polariser if you don't have a ND. For me it's the light and the blur on the water that really makes the shot.

Images like this don't just happen unless you are very lucky.
Click to expand...

I think that perhaps you may wish to reconsider your intimation that shots of this quality can occur by luck. In my opinion, this is down to excellent technique and luck plays very little if any part in the result.

Gaz J said:
Jon

If you have a point to make perhaps you would like to do it without modifying my post, albeit in bold.

Regards
Click to expand...

Better?
 
Time of the day helps with this shot the sun needs to be setting behind the photographer at this location to light Durdle Door. for the long exposure smooth water you can use welding glass but you need to use pink gel's for a flash between the lens and welding glass to help correct colour cast
 
jon ryan said:
Canon 400D, no filter. Hand held. 1/100th, f/16. Can't remember what time I took it, but from the shadows it must have close to mid day. Depends on your definition of boring, I suppose, but this was part of Greek Islands travel article that more or less paid for the trip.

80645f95.jpg
Click to expand...

It may be good with the limitations of the more boring subject and limited composition (cluttered, wall in the way etc,.) but it is not in the same sort of area as the OPs example and sort of proves the point that it probably can't be done.

It looks like you just weren't that lucky on that occasion ;)
 
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rjbell said:
...i would love to see a good photo of a hand held landscape photo not in low light with both the sky and land exposed properly without a ND grad, and all that on a basic camera even better! I will delete my PS and sell my filters.
Click to expand...

There are thousands of examples out there for you. Just type "landscape photograph" into Google to get you started. ;)
 
jon ryan said:
I think that perhaps you may wish to reconsider your intimation that shots of this quality can occur by luck. In my opinion, this is down to excellent technique and luck plays very little if any part in the result.



Better?
Click to expand...

That's a fair point Jon. But luck does and will play a part in images that are taken in nature for the very simple reason that no one can predict with absolute accuracy what the light and weather will do. I am sure that the photographer in this case may have visited the area several times in the hope that the conditions would come together that would allow him or her to take this image.

I am more than happy to concede that skill and knowledge both of the subject and their equipment and how the various filters and shutter speeds will impact on the final image contribute far more than luck.

Perhaps the best advice to the OP would be to research landscape photography, practise, and perhaps book a place on one of the many landscape courses that are available with some excellent landscape photographers.

Regards
 
Gaz J said:
That's a fair point Jon. But luck does and will play a part in images that are taken in nature for the very simple reason that no one can predict with absolute accuracy what the light and weather will do. I am sure that the photographer in this case may have visited the area several times in the hope that the conditions would come together that would allow him or her to take this image.

I am more than happy to concede that skill and knowledge both of the subject and their equipment and how the various filters and shutter speeds will impact on the final image contribute far more than luck.

Perhaps the best advice to the OP would be to research landscape photography, practise, and perhaps book a place on one of the many landscape courses that are available with some excellent landscape photographers.

Regards
Click to expand...

Sorry if that came over as offensive - it wan't intended to be.

Luck does play a part in photography, but the more you work at it, the 'luckier' you will get. To say you must have filters and a tripod to get a decent landscape, or that you can only take the shot at a certain time of the day, is just plain wrong. Buying extra kit won't make you a better photographer, it will, to paraphrase, simply make you the owner of extra kit. Unless you know how - and when - to use it, it's just ballast.
 
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No offense taken Jon. Your comments are very valid and this forum is in a large part a vehicle for advice and suggestion and guidance. It is up to the individual to absorb the important aspects of that advice and attempt to improve their photography with it.

Regards
 
The image in the OP is a good image but it's not impossible to replicate IF the conditions are right. It has been shot right at the end of the golden hour so you get a real nice golden glow and also the low light means that if shot at 100iso and something like f11 you will get a nice low exposure to blur the water. The photographer has also used a warming filter but that could be done easily in post or by adjusting the cameras white balance. Sky is balanced with a two stop ND grad which is pretty much essential if you want to shoot great landscape work out of camera with no exposure blending. I'm not really sure what you mean by 'detail' but you need to read up on hyperfocal distance focusing so that you can maximise the image sharpness.
 
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