INDISPENSABLE

20PHOTO

IAN PLANTTIPS

20 Indispensable Photo Tips

by Ian Plant

Copyright 2014

All rights reserved. This book, and all of the photographs and written text contained therein, are the intellec-

tual property of the author and are protected by U.S. and international copyright laws. No part of this book

may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the prior written permission of the author.

Author: Ian Plant

Publisher: Dreamscapes

Editor: Chris Flack

reamscaped sian plant photography

My mission is to educate, inspire, and entertain others in the art of photography. So I make my books prac-

tical, informative, fun to read, and pack them with plenty of delicious eye candy.

This eBook introduces you to many important concepts in photography. The ideas in this eBook are cov-

ered in greater depth on my blog and in other books and video tutorials for sale on my website; to delve

deeper into how to improve your photography, visit the blog or my online store.

Enjoy the bookyou'll be taking better photos in no time!

Ian Plant

Forty photos. Twenty tips. Simple as that.

World-renowned professional landscape, wildlife, and travel photographer and

writer Ian Plant is a frequent contributor and blogger for Outdoor Photographer

Magazine, a Contributing Editor to Popular Photography Magazine, and a monthly

columnist for Landscape Photography Magazine. Ians work also appears in many

other books, calendars, ad campaigns, and magazines available worldwide. Visit his

website for plenty of gorgeous images, and daily inspiration and education in the

art of photography from top pros in the business.

Website Workshops eStore Blog

We all love beautiful sunrises and sunsets, so it

almost goes without saying that you should take

photos at these timesbut Ill go ahead and say it

anyway. When the skies light up with color, you

should be taking photos! Sunsets and sunrises are

usually most intense when partly to mostly cloudy

skies prevail; as long as there is a large enough

gap on the horizon where the sun is going up or

down, youre likely to get colorful light striking

the clouds, as is the case with the image to the left.

Los CuernosTorres del Paine National Park, Chile.

Canon 5DII, 45mm, polarizer filter, 2-stop graduated

neutral density filter, ISO 200, f/11, 0.4 seconds.

Quick Tip: A two- or three-stop graduated neutral

density filter can come in handy when shooting

sunrise or sunset, helping to balance bright skies

with relatively dark foregrounds.

1shoot stunning light

Sunrise and sunset light can create stunning color, contrast, and shadowsso get

up early and stay out late. Sleep is overrated! Cerro Gran GendarmeLos Glaciares

National Park, Argentina. Canon 5DII, 82mm, ISO 100, f/16, 1/125 second.

2I was getting nasty lens flare from the setting sun just outside the image frame. My

solution? Use the flare creatively. Selecting a small aperture, I created a radiating burst

of light framing the lone tree in the meadow. Whenever a technical or artistic problem

arises, find a way to turn it to your advantage. Light is LifeMt. Rainier National

Park, USA. Canon 5DII, 37mm, ISO 100, f/16, 0.4 seconds.

turn obstacles into opportunities

I couldnt get a clear view of this heron through the

trees, so I decided to use the screen of leaves cre-

atively. A wide-open aperture ensured the leaves

were rendered as out-of-focus colorful blurs. Color

SplashChincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, USA.

Canon 5DII, 500mm, ISO 200, f/4, 1/800 second.

It is important to wait for the moment

when your subject does something

interesting; stretching its head, yawn-

ing, bitingor as is the case with this

sea turtle, surfacing for air. Becoming

a master of the moment will greatly

improve your photos. Ideally, the

moment will tell a story about your

subject. It may take some waiting, but

when the right moment comes, youll

be glad you were patient. Snorkel-

ingGladden Spit and Silk Cayes

Marine Reserve, Belize. Canon Powershot

S100 with Fisheye Fix Underwater

Housing and Fix UWL-28 Fisheye Wet

Mount Conversion Lens, ISO 200, f/4,

1/320 second.

3wait for the decisive moment

The decisive moment occurred

when this mother cape fur seal

turned to bark at her pup. Moth-

erly LoveCape Cross Seal Reserve,

Namibia. Canon 5DIII, 500mm, ISO

800, f/8, 1/640 second.

Nothing demands our attention more than leading

elements. Leading lines in particular can be very

powerful, but leading elements can include other

shapes, or even a progression of objects from fore-

ground to background. Leading elements encour-

age the viewer to travel deep into the composition,

creating a high level of visual engagement. For the

image to the right, I used a strong leading

lineformed by the reflection of the sky in the

water within a flooded slot canyonto direct the

viewers eye from foreground to background.

Into the West AwayGlen Canyon National

Recreation Area, USA. Canon 5DIII, 14mm, ISO 100,

f/11, 2.5 seconds.

4 lead the eye

Quick Tip: Lines provide an obvious visual cue

pointing to what is important in an image. If you

use a leading line, make sure it points somewhere

interesting. If it points, for example, outside of the

image frame, then youre not going to excite view-

ers, but rather confuse them.

Here, I selected a camera position which created a

progression of elements from near to far, helping

to draw the viewers eye into the image frame.

RemnantsJkulsrln, Iceland. Canon 5DIII,

16mm, polarizer filter, 1-stop graduated neutral den-

sity filter, ISO 200, f/11, 1 second.

Although humans perceive the passage of time, help you capture a new perspective on reality,

cameras can record time in ways our eyes can- and show the world in an unexpected way.

not. Moving elements gradually lose distinct- MoonscapeAdirondack State Park, USA.

ness and form, becoming abstract and artistic Canon 1DsII, 12mm, ISO 100, f/11, 17 minutes.

blurs and brush strokes. Long exposures can

5go with the flow with long exposures

For this image of Angel Falls, I used a 10-stop neutral density filter to lengthen

my exposure during sunset. Kerepakupai VenCanaima National Park, Vene-

zuela. Canon 5DIII, 16mm, 10-stop neutral density filter, polarizer filter, 2-stop gradu-

ated neutral density filter, ISO 100, f/8, 141 seconds.

Nature has an infinite variety of cool and interesting

shapesuse them to your advantage! Look for swirls, cir-

cles, triangles, curves, and other simple, powerful shapes to

create boldly graphic and visually engaging imagessuch

as this curve created by the interaction of shadow and light.

Shadows and SandDeath Valley National Park, USA. Canon

5DII, 50mm, ISO 50, f/11, 1/15 second.

6focus on shapes

I was attracted to the striking

shapes of these dead trees

buried in the desert. Dance of

the DeadNamib-Naukluft

National Park, Namibia. Canon

5DIII, 134mm, ISO 100, f/18,

0.5 seconds.

Reflections are a great way to add some extra style

to your nature images. Still water often works best,

although rippled or moving water can create

abstract reflections. Reflection images often work

well with a 50/50 split between the subject and its

reflection; sometimes, however, other variations

make more sense. Consider photographing only

the reflection itself and add a hint of mystery. For

the image to the left, my position was such that the

reflection (at first glance, at least) doesnt quite

seem to match the birds above, adding an eerie

quality to this photograph. The GatheringDing

Darling National Wildlife Refuge, USA. Canon 5DIII,

500mm, ISO 800, f/9, 1/500 second.

7make a statement with reflections

P. S. A polarizer filter is your secret weapon

when photographing reflections. Although full

polarization will remove reflections, little or no

polarization can actually enhance reflections. I

used a polarizer filter to bring out the colors in

this image, which is dominated by several differ-

ent kinds of reflections. KaleidoscopeZion

National Park, USA. Canon 5DII, 14mm, polarizer

filter, ISO 200, f/16, 8 seconds.

8Radiating diagonal lines leading from the image corners to the center can be very

effective at grabbing the viewers attention and holding interest over time. The key to

success is to also have areas of off-center interest, creating a visual tug-of-war between

the center and other parts of the composition. The Devils EyeApostle Islands

National Lakeshore, USA. Canon 5DII, 14mm, polarizer filter, ISO 400, f/11, 0.5 seconds.

draw attention to the center

Although some compositions can be

made to work best centered, off-

center placement can also be very

dynamic. Here, the jackals off-center

placement, coupled with its upward

diagonal stare, help create consider-

able compositional energy. Eyes on

the PrizeCentral Kalahari Game

Reserve, Botswana. Canon 70D, 560mm,

ISO 250, f/6.3, 1/400 second.

The best photographs tell a story

about their subjectsuch as a well-

earned nap after a hard day of

monkey business. The Politics of

DistractionTambopata National

Reserve, Peru. Canon 5DIII, 700mm,

ISO 800, f/5.6, 1/200 second.

9 tell a story

P. S. Wildlife images arent the only ones which can tell a

story. Use weather events to tell a story with your landscape

photos as well, such as a lost world briefly emerging from

the clouds. The Lost WorldCanaima National Park,

Venezuela. Canon 70D, 35mm, ISO 100, f/10, 1/100 second.

10use visual anchors

Visual anchors are bold, eye-catching elements

which help simplify an otherwise busy composi-

tion by attracting the viewers attention. The

visual anchor provides an obvious reference

point, and a place for the viewer to start their

visual journey. Other elements of the scene may

attract the eye, but the visual anchor will always

command attention. The best visual anchors lead

the eye deeper into the scene, and then attract

the eye back to the anchor, staring the process

over (and hopefully over) againthe boulder in

the foreground of the image to the right is a

good example. The effect is a composition which

captivates the viewer, making it hard to tear

their eyes away. Virgin WatersChugach State

Park, USA. Canon 5DII, 21mm, polarizer filter, ISO

100, f/11, 0.8 seconds.

Theres a lot going on in this photo! The visual anchorthe motionless old woman in the

lower left with the colorful, eye-catching robehelps keep things grounded. Dreaming of

MarrakechMarrakech, Morocco. Canon 70D, 16mm, ISO 800, f/6.3, 1/6 second.

Flash is a vital, although often ignored,

nature photography accessory. Flash has

multiple uses: it can be used at low power to

add an attractive catch light to a wildlife

subjects eyes, it can provide fill light for a

subject in shadow, or it can be used at night

and during twilight to create surreal images

(such as the one to the right). Start experi-

menting with flash, and look for interesting

ways to incorporate flash into your work

flowit can open up many bold creative

opportunities. Night HeronBlackwater

National Wildlife Refuge, USA. Canon 20D,

500mm, flash, ISO 400, f/5.6, 1/4 second.

11 light up the world with flash

Quick Tip: A flash extenderbasically, a

lightweight, portable device which focuses

and concentrates the output of your flash

through a magnifying filtercan help you

illuminate distant subjects.

I used flash to create some fill-light for this backlit

image, and to add catch lights to the cheetahs eyes.

Morning HuntNxai Pan National Park, Botswana.

Canon 70D, 513mm, ISO 400, f/5.6, 1/200 second.

Dont just zoom in tightconsider taking a wider

view to provide context and show your subjects

interacting with their environment. For this

image, I didnt just want a picture of elephants;

rather, I wanted a picture that said Africa. So I

zoomed out to show the surrounding landscape,

including the characteristic tree on the left. The

result doesnt just merely record a momentit

tells a story as well. The Spirit of AfricaEtosha

National Park, Namibia. Canon 5DIII, 70mm, ISO

6400, f/2.8, 1/60 second.

12provide context

By taking a broader view, I was able to show the fox in the

context of its wintry environment, telling more of a story

about its life. IceboundYellowstone National Park, USA.

Canon 1DIII, 500mm, ISO 400, f/8, 1/250 second.

Exclude extraneous elements that confuse your composition. Boil each subject down to its

essence. If something doesnt add to an image, exclude it.

Anything more, and the impact of the moment would have been lost.

This scene is stripped to its barest

elements: just a hint of light, a man walking past, and then inky darkness all around. I

choose to let the alley fall in deep shadow so that it didnt compete with the most important

parts of the scene.

Morning CommuteFes, Morocco. Canon 70D, 16mm, ISO 400, f/8, 1/13 second.

13keep it simple

For this image, I zoomed in on the

most important elementsthe

caimans eye and its reflection.

Eye to EyeOsa Peninsula, Costa

Rica. Canon 5DIII, 560mm, ISO

1600, f/5.6, 1/200 second.

The eyes are the window to the soulthis popu-

lar expression applies with double force to wildlife

photography. For many images, an animals eyes

are the most important part of the picturethe

eyes tell the story. By making the eyes the focus of

your imagesand I mean this both literally and

figurativelyyou can greatly improve your wild-

life photographs. Above all, make sure that the

eyes are in focus. Beyond that, pay close attention

to what the eyes are doing and the direction they

are pointing. For the image to the right, eye con-

tact gives the viewer a sense of being there right in

front of the bear. One cant but help feel like

theyre being stalked with such hungry eyes upon

them. StandoffLake Clark National Park, USA.

Canon 5DII, 400mm, ISO 1600, f/5.6, 1/400 second.

14 focus on the eyes

Quick Tip: Sometimes autofocus will try to lock

on to your subjects ear, head, or nose instead of

the eyes. If you are having this problem, try using

a smaller aperture (such as f/8) to give you enough

extra depth-of-field to ensure the eyes are in focus.

P.S. Eye contact isnt necessary to make compelling

images. Here, the upward glance of the white-

headed capuchin monkey creates more mystery

than if the monkey had been looking at the camera.

Higher ApsirationsOsa Peninsula, Costa Rica.

Canon 5DIII, 600mm, ISO 1600, f/6.3, 1/1000 second.

15frame for emphasis

Framing is an effective tool for creating depth in a photograph,

simplifying a composition, and focusing attention on important

elements of the scene. Examples of commonly used frames include

trees, natural arches, and old barn windows. Frames can also be

abstract, formed (for example) by areas of deep shadow or a con-

trasting color. Desert WindowArches National Park, USA. Canon

5DII, 17mm, 10-stop neutral density filter, ISO 200, f/18, 30 seconds.

Multiple frames emerge from shooting with a view of several roomsone inside

the next, like Russian nesting dolls. The Blue RoomKolmanskop, Namibia. Canon

5DIII, 24mm, ISO 400, f/14, double exposure blend of 2 seconds and 8 seconds.

If you really want to wow viewers, get low and

close to interesting foreground elements with a

wide-angle lens. An in-your-face perspective

can really give viewers a sense of being there in

the scene. Also, the juxtaposition of nearby fore-

ground elements and more distant background

elements creates an illusion of perspective and

scale, which helps encourage the eye to wander

through the image. For the shot to the right, I got

very close to the foreground rocks with a wide

angle lens. I wanted to exaggerate their relative

size and importance; by making the cobbles more

prominent, they are able to visually compete with

the colorful sunrise and other elements in the

background. EventideAcadia National Park,

USA. Canon 5DIII, 17mm, 2-stop graduated neutral

density filter, polarizer filter, ISO 400, f/11, 5 seconds.

get low . . . get close . . .

get in your face!

16

P.S. Low and close isnt just for wide-angle land-

scape images. For this portrait of an African wild

dog, I used a ground-level camera position and a

long lens for a bold perspective. On AlertNxai

Pan National Park, Botswana. Canon 70D, 506mm, ISO

400, f/6.3, 1/1000 second.

17shoot twilightThe colors of twilight can be otherworldly. Moving elements (such as clouds and water)

blur during long exposures and a colorful, soft light bathes the landscape. Twilight

photography means shooting on the edge of light, requiring long exposures. Adjust

your ISO to lengthen or shorten exposure times if necessary. Ancient PortalIsle of

Lewis, Scotland. Canon 5DIII, 17mm, polarizer filter, ISO 100, f/11, 30 seconds.

Shot two hours after sunset in the long-lasting twilight of an Iceland summer, this

image has an ethereal quality and unearthly mood. Time Stands StillJkulsrln,

Iceland. Canon 5DIII, 16mm, polarizer filter, 1-stop graduated neutral density filter, ISO

400, f/8, 82 seconds.

18 shoot backlightAlthough some photographers live by the

maxim shoot with the sun at your back, Im

always on the lookout for opportunities to do

the exact opposite. Backlighting presents some

unique technical challenges, but the results are

well worth the effort. Backlighting can often be

dramatic, creating striking and graphic images

which attract attention from viewers. The

impact of backlighting can be especially power-

ful when the subject is in the light and the back-

ground is in shadow. Here, I photographed this

bison rolling around in backlit dust at sun-

setwith a very evocative (some might say

demonic) result. The BeastYellowstone

National Park, USA. Canon 5DII, 500mm lens, ISO

400, f/5.6, 1/1250 second.

Quick Tip: Flare is a significant challenge when

working with backlit subjects. To prevent flare,

shade your lens with a lens hood or your hand.

This stops stray light from striking the glass.

When shooting backlit subjects, I often like to include the light

source (in this case, the sun). Here, the sun creates an eye-

catching point of interest. Sand StarGreat Sand Dunes

National Park, USA. Canon 5DII, 24mm, ISO 50, f/16, 1/30 second.

19It is often (but not always) a good idea to fill the

frame with visual elements. I dont mean that

you should try to stuff everything including the

kitchen sink into your composition, but you

should include a sufficient number of visual

elements to nicely fill the frame. For example,

for the image to the right, there is an even distri-

bution of visual elements progressing from

bottom to topno area of the image is left

blank or empty. Multiple visual elements help

encourage the viewer to wander through the

composition, and to study multiple areas of

interest. Of course, many compositions work

with few elements and plenty of empty

spacebut that is a lesson for another day! The

Snake RiverGrand Teton National Park, USA.

Canon 5DIII, 61mm, 2-stop graduated neutral den-

sity filter, ISO 100, f/11, 1/30 second.

fill the frame

Here, I zoomed in tight to fill the frame with zebra, creating a

dynamic composition with depth and energy. Lost in the

HerdEtosha National Park, Namibia. Canon 5DIII, 700mm, ISO

400, f/5.6, 1/1250 second.

20You dont need to trek deep into the wild to make

great images (although there is certainly nothing

wrong with doing so)you just need the courage

to try something different. Dont merely follow in

the tripod holes of the photographers who have

come before you. Strive to develop a style which

is your very own, and never be afraid to try new

places and subjects. Dare to dream big, and big

things will come to you. Dawn GreetingLos

Glaciares National Park, Argentina. Canon 5DIII,

24mm, ISO 400, f/6.3, 1/640 second.

get off the beaten path

Eternal MirrorTorres del Paine National Park, Chile. Canon 5DIII,

24mm, polarizer filter, 3-stop neutral density filter, ISO 100, f/11, 30 seconds.

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