Comments on: 5 things every landscape photographer should carry at all times

By: Ed Cooley

Ed Cooley — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 17:47:54 +0000

Another item you should consider is a GPS locator beacon like http://findmespot.com

Mine saved my life when a bluff I was standing on collapsed dropping me 25′.

http://www.traviswilliams.net/eds-story-on-4029/

By: Silkyfish

Silkyfish — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 09:58:10 +0000

The best tip I’ve ever been given for any outdoor photography – grab one of those free shower caps next time you’re in a hotel. Brilliant for throwing over the camera if you are hit by a sudden downpour! It takes almost no space in your pocket but will stop your camera getting wet while you fumble about in the rucksack for a full waterproof (or bin liners and duct tape!)

By: Charlie

Charlie — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 21:05:10 +0000

Linear polarizers were used before autofocus cameras and are still used on medium and large format cameras as they have no autofocus, with a few exceptions for medium format. Circular polarizers must be used with autofocus cameras because a linear polarizer would interfere with both autofocus and manual focus, metering, and white balance. Remember that light is a wave emitted in all directions. Linear polarizers only let the horizontal or vertical component of light enter the camera. Circular polarizers let in both the horizontal and vertical components of light.

Don’t restrict yourself to using a polarizer only on sunny days or before the sun goes down. For example, consider shooting a fall foliage scene in the Smoky Mountains with a stream and bolders in very low light. Even though the sun can’t be seen, there are image-killing reflections coming from the sky, especially on overcast days.

If you rotate the polarizer with no change, take it off as every filter, no matter how expensive, is going to rob some sharpness from the image.

Be sure to use a very thin polarizer with wide angle lenses and consider using a “warming polarizer” on overcast days. Even though digital can be post-processed and it is generally required, make the best image possible when you shoot. Don’t sound like the person who just fell of the turnip truck (I live in the South) by saying something stupid like “the image is just a building block and I will fix it in Photoshop.” If you don’t have the necessary understanding of exposure, composition, “seeing,” etc. you will just have a piece of crap “building block” that will probably look even worse after hours of Photoshop work. Shoot smart and process little.

Good shooting.
Charlie

By: Edie Howe

Edie Howe — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 03:50:57 +0000

my 1.8 stop graduated neutral density filter is indispensable here in Yosemite; light tends to bounce off these granite walls, making it difficult to maintain details in shadowed areas–if you’re metering for the bright area above it!

Here’s a little trick I’ve learned from my best friend: If you’re shooting at a slightly slower shutter speed, carefully jiggle the gnd up and down for a much smoother transition between the dark and light sections.

By: Debbie Freeman

Debbie Freeman — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 19:15:07 +0000

I have been buying from B&H for years too. They are great. I have been buying the B&W filters for several years also. I just bought my first neutral density filters a few months ago and have not been out to test them yet. I am a Canon owner also, 50D with dreams of getting a full sensor camera some day. I do like the 1.6 factor though, I have learned to work around it pretty well. I do mostly telephoto shooting, even short distance as in the 17-55 EFS, just got that one last week, before that I used my 17-85 and 28-135.

By: Steve Berardi

Steve Berardi — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 02:15:47 +0000

@Joe – I’m not sure about the real difference between the linear and circular polarizer, but I use the circular ones. Here’s a few pages I just found with a lot of info:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070804201124AALFWWq
http://www.mat.uc.pt/~rps/photos/filters_uv_pol/#polq2

I’m gonna do some more research on this though, and hopefully write an article about my findings

@Rana – Is that for protection from the rain I’m guessing? Good addition!

@Sean – Good idea about the grid lines on live preview. I wish my XTi had that.. I’m tired of slightly tilted landscape photos! I’d like to avoid getting the bubble level, if possible.

By: Sean Phillips

Sean Phillips — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 23:37:07 +0000

Great list. I don’t bother with a cable release as I prefer to use the self timer with live view. Live view also allows me to use the grid lines to straighten the horizon, so I don’t use a bubble level either. I totally agree with everything else on your list, and I might have added a set of Graduated ND Filters as well.

By: Rana

Rana — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 23:31:03 +0000

Plastic bags and duct tape!

By: Joe Williams

Joe Williams — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 18:56:06 +0000

Thanks for the tips, Steve. I’m getting a tripod soon. Looks like my next purchase will be a polarizing filter, then a neutral density filter. By the way, the manual with my Nikon D60 says the D60 cannot be used with a linear polarizing filter, and to use a circular polarizing filter instead. Can you share some insights on this?

By: Greg Russell

Greg Russell — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 18:21:51 +0000

I would second the vote for a cable release. Also, a shoe-mount bubble level. Nothing is more annoying to me than a tilted image. I use mine on almost every shot.