Landscape Project

For this project I decided to photograph both natural landscapes as well as photographing urban environments. Firstly here is one of my final outcomes for this project. I chose this image because it represents a natural environment which is quite interesting. To take this picture I used a slow shutter speed to capture the movement of the water as a blur. This effect resembles mist or smoke, but in a very controlled way. This effect is also successful because it is not possible to see such an effect with the human eye, which makes it a lot more interesting.

However, I am not completely satisfied with this image, as I believe that the waterfall could have been framed better, I also believe that I should have used a slightly smaller aperture to ensure the whole image was in focus.

To edit this image I simply boosted the saturation slightly to bring out the vibrant greens in the image and adjusted the levels slightly to gain a subtle contrast in the rocks surrounding the water. 

This second image is one of a more urban landscape. I took this image from a bridge over a train station, I used a reasonably slow shutter speed to capture the lights, both from the moving train and also the surrounding lights of the station. I chose this image because it is very balanced and almost symmetrical. Furthermore I like the use of negative space at the top of the image, however this space could have been used more imaginatively. I decided to photograph this at night as I believe that it would not have been as successful if taken in the day. Firstly because of the light trails I managed to capture but secondly because of the strong atmosphere which can be achieved by photographing urban landscapes at night. 

To edit this image I simple edited the curves, to bring out the reds and oranges in the image. Finally I would've once again liked to have used a higher aperture to gain a longer depth of field to ensure everything was in focus, however this may just be camera shake as I did not use a tripod, I simply rested by camera on the bridge itself.

Finally I also took this image at night. This image was taken in a park at night, so a cross between a more natural landscape set in an urban environment. I chose this image because of the surreal nature of the image itself. To capture this I used a long shutter speed, this captured the light pollution in the sky, therefore giving the image a strong orange glow, which can not be seen as vividly with the human eye. 

Finally I am not that pleased with the outcome of this image although I believe it could be developed through further shoots.

In evaluation, I believe the ideas I had worked to an extent, but need fine tuning to create a strong positive outcome. I also believe that I needed to spend a lot more time deciding the right settings for my camera and I would like to re shoot this images with a tripod, as none of the above were taken with a tripod which distressed the final quality which I think is important. 

Below are some extra images I took for this landscape project.

"Fresh and Wild" Second Shoot
This is my selection of my best photos from my second shoot, for this shoot I went to the seafront, the lighting was quite good but there was enough cloud cover for me to get away with not using a polarising filter.  Once again I used a wide angle lens to capture the most out the landscape I was using.

This is my first image, I am very happy with this shot, I believe that it is successful due to the intensity of the colours and the dark contrasts. Furthermore I managed to capture the movement of the sea as it exposes the beach underneath, this adds another dimension to the water, which also reflects the dark sky.  This image is also successful because of the concrete arm, this helps keep the image interesting whilst also helping add more perspective to the overall picture. However I believe that this image is a bit too top-heavy, for example there is too much sky in the image which makes it seem unbalanced.

This is my second most successful shot from my second shoot. This shot is a lot more centred and balanced than the first yet lacks in drama compared to the first. However this shot is still successful as the concrete arm in this image leads into the centre of the image which is the where most of the impact will come from, the contrasts in colours, textures and overall perspective.

This is my most successful shot from my second shoot. This image captures the drama of the weather and the sea which creates an intense atmosphere. I am also extremely happy with the contrasts of textures that are captured within this image, for example, the texture of the pebbles, the water and the clouds overhead. I'm also happy with this image because of the different orientation compared to my other two shots. Being landscape it lends itself to the the wide angle lens and makes everything draw towards the centre of the image. Overall, everything combines to create a dramatic and atmospheric image.

I am extremely happy with this shoot, I believe that I have improved what I was unhappy with in the first shoot and used the equipment I have to the best of its ability. I also learnt a lot from these shoots which I can use to create better images in the future.

"Fresh and Wild" First Shoot
This section, is looking at the best prints from my first shoot, which took place up the downs. For this shoot I used a wide-angle lens, this allows the image to contain a wider spectrum of the landscape in one shot than can be seen by the human eye.

Firstly I am quite pleased with the results of this shoot, because of the interesting perspectives of the horizon. Furthermore I am extremely happy with the way I managed to capture the movement of the grass in the wind which draws towards the centre of the image.

This second image is also quite successful, once again the movement of the grass has been captured and adds a softness to the field. I also like this shot because of the element of the tree to the left, which adds another dimension to the image. This is also achieved through the way that the camera is positioned in portrait which accentuates perspective of the field and the sky.

This is my final image from the first shoot, this image is also quite successful, due to the strong lines that run through the field. These lines break up the otherwise simple landscape. 

Overall these images are successful to an extent. However, I would like to improve these images by using a more interesting focal point and using the landscape as a back drop. In a similar vein I would like to photograph the landscape from different angles and levels. Furthermore I would also like to use a polarizing filter to ensure the sky is not over exposed and loose its depth.