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Landscape Photography

The Importance of Symmetry

October 26, 2020 by Mary Buck

Symmetry, balance, and equilibrium are all things we humans generally strive for and appreciate in many different areas of life. Achieving symmetry in photography is no different, photographs with balance are visually appealing and striking because of their symmetry. In this article, I’ll outline the ways and benefits of incorporating symmetry and balance in your photos.


We tend to think of photographs as objective items that record a snapshot of reality and as a result, assign them more truth than perhaps they deserve as even the very composition of a photograph can influence our feelings toward it. This is hugely important when considering how to frame a shot for instance a symmetrical image is appealing whereas a photograph with imbalance can cause unease in certain cases. It’s more normal for symmetrical photos to be appealing and this is what we’ll be looking at in the following points. 

1 – Precision

For symmetry to be achieved correctly it does need to be accurate and precise. It’s unavoidably in symmetry’s nature that the resulting shots need to be exact for the effect to work and it’s very easy for us to perceive just the slightest misalignment so in order to avoid this, prepare the shot meticulously. Ensure the position of your camera is in the right spot to achieve harmony in the frame. Thankfully a lot of tinkering can be done in post-production these days but careful setup beforehand reduces the time spent on editing.

Photo by Longreach

Highlighting balance in architecture or man-made structures is a great place to find and emphasize the symmetry that already exists. The above image shows this perfectly as the lines made by the bridge intersect the frame with mathematical precision. This photo is a great example of both vertical and horizontal symmetry. It works on both axes thanks to the water which reflects the bridge beautifully. This also separates the two shades of light, right and left which adds a pleasing contrast to the overall image.  

2 – Pattern

Creating symmetry in photography is basically like creating a pattern in many ways; patterns repeat themselves over and over thereby creating symmetry along the way. When framing your shot, think about the possible patterns that you’re making and if they create harmony. Finding patterns in nature is another aspect to consider in achieving symmetry; objects such as snowflakes reveal perfect symmetry when viewed through a microscope. Each flake is a unique symmetrical pattern that is pleasing to see no doubt but patterns can appear in many more areas of nature. 

Plants are great examples of patterns in nature and we can see their symmetry very clearly in many structures. Certain flowers such as the one below exhibit repeating petal patterns and so create amazing symmetry throughout. The photographer has highlighted the flower by centering it perfectly in the middle of the frame. 

Photo by Kristi Decourcy

Patterns can also be found in many man-made objects, especially within contemporary architecture which in many cases mimics the patterns found in nature! So there’s also potential for experimenting and discovery when it comes to photographing symmetry.

3 – Reflection

Achieving horizontal symmetry is also possible when using reflections and in particular, off of water surfaces. This method of photography can recreate balance and harmony in a creative and often stunning way. Of course, social media sites are inundated with rain puddle reflections of cities and similar scenes which is certainly pleasant for a time but by now is quite overdone. Below I’ve selected a fantastic example of why symmetry in reflection is so appealing. This image offers a lovely reflection of the bird flying low over the water, giving us a great example of horizontal symmetry. Again the framing is so important to get the bird exactly in the middle of the horizontal axis to give such a pleasing example of symmetry. 

Of course, just by looking at the photo, it’s clear that it’s not such precise symmetry as the first two examples I gave which were more ‘pure’ symmetry along all axes as well as their creation of patterns. However, the below image is a great image that highlights were ‘soft’ symmetry can be used to emphasize and highlight the subject of the shot, in this case, a low-flying bird contrasted wonderfully against its background. 

Photo by Stanley Zimny

4 – Repetition

Much like creating patterns and reflections, constructing repetition in the image is another means of symmetry. As we’ve seen with all of the above examples, symmetry features repetition heavily and by incorporating it in creative ways, we can achieve visually harmonious photography. The image below is a great example of this.

Photo by Doug Racine

The photographer has caught a serendipitous moment of two birds in sync with one another. This creates the illusion of the bird being repeated, perhaps artificially, in post-production whereas actually it’s just a carefully composed and timed snapshot of two separate birds. This also draws a direct comparison with the bird and its reflection in the water; two great examples of symmetry being achieved in different ways. 

Capturing symmetry by repetition is quite tricky and at times down to pure good luck but, as evinced, can create wonderfully pleasing images. It’s good practice to try and train your photographer’s eye to notice patterns and repetition in order to create symmetry and balance. 

As always, practice makes perfect so if you’ve learned anything from these tips, try and incorporate them into your next shoot! Good luck and have fun.

Author Bio: Rob Holder is the Director of Fable Studios, a video production agency in Bristol, UK

Filed Under: Blog posts, Creative Photography Techniques, Landscape Photography, Photography Tips

Gimme Some Bokeh

October 14, 2020 by Mary Buck

bo·keh

/bōˈkā/

noun

Photography

noun: bokeh

  1. the visual quality of the out-of-focus areas of a photographic image, mostly as rendered by a particular lens.
  2. “a quick, visual survey of the foreground and background bokeh of a variety of lenses.”

Creating a bokeh in a photographic image is a technique that can have a positive impact on an image.

Bokeh is also known as a shallow depth of field, selective focus, or a blurring background. This process helps define the subject, and the remainder of the image becomes a negative space.

What are the three methods of creating a bokeh?

First, the most commonly used method is choosing a wide aperture: the wider the aperture (2.8 is wider than 5.6), the greater the blur. If you are interested in achieving a creamy background, choose a lens and aperture to give you the best results. Below are examples of images that illustrate the effect.

Notice the amount of blur and f/2.8 and lack of it starting at f/8

The second method for creating a bokeh is choosing a long focal length lens. The focal length is defined in millimeters, and The longer the focal length, the narrower the angle of view, and the higher the magnification. The shorter the focal length, the wider the angle of view, and the lower the magnification. For example, if you have a 70-300mm lens, the longer focal length of 300mm will provide a more noticeable bokeh than a focal length of 70mm. Below are examples of a 200mm focal length, a 400mm focal length, and a 600mm focal length.

200mm lens f/4
400mm lens f/5.6
600mm at f/4

The third method is the proximity to the subject. The closer the camera is to the subject, the blurrier the background will be. This procedure can present a focus issue, so make sure you use your single AF points.

Not sure what AF Points are? Check out my online courses and private lessons.

Filed Under: Blog posts, Landscape Photography, Learn DSLR Photography, Photography Tips

Tips to Capture Fall Colors with a Digital SLR Camera

November 9, 2015 by Mary Buck

In most of the country, fall is over, except in the South where the fall colors are still vibrant. I plan on shooting through the end of the November fall scenes in Georgia. Nothing to me is more beautiful than fall scenery; sometimes just a shot of leaves can create a pleasing fall palette of tones. Here are some tips to capture fall colors with a digital SLR Camera:

  1. Set your picture style to landscape. The default setting is typically standard. The landscape setting with rendered blue to a vivid and deep color, green to vivid and bright color. This style also uses a stronger sharp setting to bring out details in mountains, trees, and anything else in the distance. This is a simple setting to change and can be found in your camera’s manual
  2. Underexpose slightly. I find that when I underexpose a scene by as little as 1/3 stop, the tones are deeper and richer. This is true for reds and other jewel tones. To underexpose, you will need to shoot in manual mode and set your shutter speed to a faster speed to slightly underexpose.
  3. Finally, shoot in RAW.  When you shoot in RAW you record all of the data from the sensor. This gives the highest quality files.  JPEG records 256 levels of brightness, and RAW records between 4,096 to 16,384 levels! This is described with the term “bit”. JPEG captures in 8bit, and RAW is either 12bit or 14bit.  When you shoot RAW, you’re able to do that processing yourself like adjusting the white balance, contrast, sharpness, and vibrance. All of those factors will result in an awesome image produced the way you want it to look.

And that’s it. I hope you enjoyed today’s blog. If you would like to subscribe to my weekly blog, please fill out the form on the right. Comments are always welcome.

For more information on How to Shoot in Manual Mode and How to Process Raw Images check out my online course:  How to Shoot in Manual Mode.

Filed Under: Landscape Photography

Georgia Landscape Photography

May 4, 2015 by Mary Buck

Adventures in Georgia Landscape Photography

I went on a field trip yesterday with five other photographers to Providence Canyon in Lumpkin Georgia.  I couldn’t wait to blog about it.  According to Wikipedia:

Providence Canyon State Park is a 1,003 acres (4.06 km2; 1.57 sq mi) state park located in Stewart County in southwest Georgia.[1] The park contains Providence Canyon, which is sometimes called Georgia’s “Little Grand Canyon”. It is considered to be one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Georgia. Providence Canyon actually is not a purely natural feature — the massive gullies (the deepest being 150 feet) were caused by erosion due to poor farming practices in the 19th century. It is also home to the very rare plumleaf azalea.

The park lies on marine sediments—usually loamy or clayey, with small areas of sand. Loamy sand topsoils overlie subsoils of sandy clay loam, sandy clay, or clay in most of the uneroded section. Nankin, Cowarts, Mobila, and Orangeburg are the most prominent soil series. The canyons have much exposure of clay, over which water often seeps. Water is mobile in this well drained area.

The park is located about 2 1/2 hours southwest of Atlanta. We arrived there mid-morning on a picture-perfect Spring morning. We first hiked about 1/4 mile to the bottom of the canyon and found the canyon floor to be wet and sandy. We followed the signs to Canyons 4 and 5 and immediately were in awe of the enormity of the stone walls (actually made with sand), the colors, the tones, and the unusual shapes. We spread out and spent about a couple of hours shooting in all directions.  From there we could have gone on another hike, but it was marked “advanced hikers only” so we decided to hike back up to the visitor’s center, have lunch and photograph the canyon from above.

I have wanted to go to Providence Canyon since I moved to Georgia 25 years ago and am so glad I finally made it. I highly recommend it as a great way to spend a day in Georgia.

On the way back, we talked about how lucky we are to live in Georgia. Georgia has so much to offer with mountains, lakes, the ocean, waterfalls, canyons, and a swamp. I shared the ride with another photographer and we plan on visiting other “wonders of Georgia” in the next year. Stay tuned and hope you can join us for the next adventure in Georgia Landscape Photography.

IMG_0084

For more information on DSLR photography check out the online course.

To view my portrait photography site visit Lightscapes Portrait Studio.

To view my fine art photography site visit Mary Buck Photography.

Filed Under: Blog posts, Landscape Photography

Landscape Photography Tips

November 4, 2014 by Mary Buck

Tips for a Successful Landscape Photography Outing

Generally, you want to pack light when you are photographing landscapes but there are some accessories that I couldn’t live without.  One is a tripod. This will help you compose the landscapes with a straight horizon.  More importantly, it is necessary when using a slow shutter speed.  A show shutter speed will show motion and is critical when photographing waterfalls. Next is a polarizing filter. This filter will reduce reflections and increase saturation in the landscape image. Another filter that I use is a neutral density filter. This filter blocks light from falling on the sensor and is needed when photographing outdoors on a bright day. Even at ISO 100 it would be difficult to shoot at a shutter speed of 15-20 seconds without it. I stack the polarizing filter and the neutral density filter which blocks even more light. Lastly, I have really gotten to like my tripod bracket. My camera is much more steady when I switch to a vertical shot.

Camera settings for landscape photography are usually: ISO 100, f/16 or smaller, and the slowest shutter speed possible. I set my picture style to landscape which increases the saturation of the blues and greens and renders a sharper image. I always shoot in raw so I can tweak the white balance settings and use the adjustment brush to paint highlights back into the shadows. Using some or all of the landscape photography tips that I provided will greatly improve your landscape photography images.

The photos below were taken at Amicalola Falls in North Georgia.

landscapes photography landscape waterfall photography landscape photography

For more information on DSLR photography check out the online course.

To view my portrait photography site visit Lightscapes Portrait Studio.

To view my fine art photography site visit Mary Buck Photography.

Filed Under: Blog posts, Landscape Photography

Photographing Landscapes

October 29, 2014 by Mary Buck

Photographing Landscapes on a Country Road in Georgia

landscapes photograph of an old buildingPhotographing landscapes is one of my favorite genres of photography. Last Sunday I spent a gorgeous fall afternoon in the North Georgia Mountains. My first stop was Gibbs Gardens in Ballground, GA.  Because it was such a nice day, the gardens were packed with people.  I spent as long as I could there and decided to take another way home. About 6 miles from the Gardens, I saw the building on the left.  I gazed at it, hoping I wouldn’t go off the road. I found a safe place to turn around so I parked my car on the side of the road. There was just something about this building I had to photograph. Maybe it was just curious about what it once was.  It looked like it might have been a barn or some type of outbuilding. I was intrigued by the ivy growing on it and the texture of the exterior.  The boarded-up windows also struck me a mystique as to why two of the windows were not boarded up. Could someone have broken in?  I only spent about ten minutes there and realized I better not keep my car on the edge of a two-lane highway, so I quickly took some shots. This image I like the best with the fence as the foreground.

I am glad I chose an alternate route home, otherwise, I may have never discovered this jewel on a country road in Georgia.

For more information on DSLR photography check out the online course.

To view my portrait photography site visit Lightscapes Portrait Studio.

To view my fine are photography site visit Mary Buck Photography.

Filed Under: Blog posts, Landscape Photography Tagged With: landscape photography, photographing landscapes

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