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How to shoot perfect landscapes

How to shoot High Dynamic Range

Find a steady surface

Although it’s normally good practise regardless of the subject to use a tripod or monopod, HDR needs reliable base to shoot from. A flat surface can be used, but it may be more tricky to level the camera off. Lock the tripod into position once the framing is completed.   

Switch on bracketing

Find the bracketing feature on the camera and turn it on. Normally the icon is of three frames with different levels of shading. The more difference between light and dark areas in the image, the more exposure steps you’ll need, which will range from 1 to 3.

Edit in Photoshop

After taking the images you’ll need to combine them in an image editing program. Photoshop, for example, has a HDR merge feature within the Automation menu. It’s best to use this rather than trying to match the images by eye, as the software will produce a closer match. 

Tips from the pro’s

Photographer Scott Mawson shares his top tips with us

Knowing a local area and planning ahead can work to your benefit. For this shot to come about, I had to watch the local tide tables and was looking for a higher tide happening around dusk.  Too low of a tide would have had nothing but a rocky path to the island, too high of a tide would have submerged all of the rocks, and a shot earlier in the day would have had a bleached out sky and not allowed for a longer shutter speed.

Being prepared with your gear in the car will let you take advantage of unexpected photo opportunities.  We were camping and fishing in the area and a quick scramble down from the road with a tripod and a polarizer on the lens was all it took to grab this shot.

Use your feet to compose the shot. I have heard this a few times but it really does hold true.  It is easier to plunk the tripod down all too quickly but walking around and checking the scene out before taking the shot will usually mean a better picture for me. For this shot, the tripod and my feet were in the creek.

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