For this part of the unit, I have decided to do a location shoot in the Lake District. I will be visiting the Lakes around the middle of April so will be using this opportunity to do my shoot. For the shoot I will be using my Canon 500D with a Sigma 10-20mm wide angle lens which I will borrow from college. The wide angle lens is great for landscape photography so will be ideal for my shoot. Some of the other equipment I will be using includes a tripod, remote shutter release, Graduated grey filter and ND filters.
There are many advantages and disadvantages of using film and digital cameras. However, there are key differences which can influence one's decision on whether to use film or digital. One of the main factors to consider is image quality - as I'm going to be doing landscape I would like to have the highest quality image possible, and there are a number of factors that can determine this. One of them is the pixel count on a digital camera, in a film camera this is dependent on the area of film used to record the image. The higher the pixel count the better the image quality, the larger area to capture more information. Some of the medium format cameras have resolutions of up to 50 mega pixels, whereas large formats can go up to 800 mega pixels. For my landscape shoot it would have been good to use a full frame or medium format camera as they have a large sensor size to capture a lot of detail and for producing high quality images. Film cameras can also be quicker to operate as the image doesn't have to be compressed or saved to a memory card. This isn't something I would have to worry about too much as I can take as long as I need when doing my landscape images.
Colour reproduction (gamut) is something else to consider when deciding on film or digital. When using film, the colour reproduction is entirely dependent on light conditions and the quality of film used, although film does have the capacity to produce a broader range of colours, unlike digital, which poorly produces stronger shades of colours such as red. However, when working with digital it is easier to work in RAW format which allows you to choose the colour space at the post processing stage. I will be shooting my images in RAW to allow me the flexibility to adjust the colour space in Photoshop. This will be particularly helpful if the weather turns out to be dull and grey during the day of my planned shoot.
Other factors which affect image quality is the ISO or film speed (sensitivity to light) as well as the developing, processing and printing methods you choose to use. The higher the ISO/speed the more chances of getting images with noise/grain. This is sometimes desirable in film photography to create atmospheric images. Noise can be removed from digital images in PS but it can definitely effect image quality. It can also be added to give an artistic feel although it doesn't quite look the same as it does in film. Noise can be a problem when working in lowlight as the sensitivity needs to be higher, so in theory it could affect my shoot as I'm planning to shoot late afternoon/early evening. The reason for this is so I can try out my ND filters. I will do my best not to go over ISO 200 and using a tripod with remote shutter release will enable me to use a slow shutter speed to expose for longer without suffering from any camera shake or blurring.
Dynamic range is another important factor affecting image quality. This refers to the difference between the darkest and lightest parts on an image. If an image exceeds the dynamic range then it could look too dark or completely washed out. The key is to control the lighting and to try and underexpose and correct the tones in PS. For my shoot I will be using my graduated grey filter to control any highlights and overexposure. I can also adjust the exposure compensation in camera to make sure the highlights don't burn out. Exposure bracketing and HDR are other ways of ensuring even exposure when shooting in difficult lighting conditions.
The other problem you could encounter with digital is the 'moire pattern' this occurs when one pattern is overlaid with another. This usually occurs with patterns on buildings and metal structures and can be avoided by adjusting aperture, camera angle as well as shooting in RAW. Fortunately I feel I won't experience such issues as I'm shooting landscape and the textures are completely different.
There are many advantages and disadvantages of using film and digital cameras. However, there are key differences which can influence one's decision on whether to use film or digital. One of the main factors to consider is image quality - as I'm going to be doing landscape I would like to have the highest quality image possible, and there are a number of factors that can determine this. One of them is the pixel count on a digital camera, in a film camera this is dependent on the area of film used to record the image. The higher the pixel count the better the image quality, the larger area to capture more information. Some of the medium format cameras have resolutions of up to 50 mega pixels, whereas large formats can go up to 800 mega pixels. For my landscape shoot it would have been good to use a full frame or medium format camera as they have a large sensor size to capture a lot of detail and for producing high quality images. Film cameras can also be quicker to operate as the image doesn't have to be compressed or saved to a memory card. This isn't something I would have to worry about too much as I can take as long as I need when doing my landscape images.
Colour reproduction (gamut) is something else to consider when deciding on film or digital. When using film, the colour reproduction is entirely dependent on light conditions and the quality of film used, although film does have the capacity to produce a broader range of colours, unlike digital, which poorly produces stronger shades of colours such as red. However, when working with digital it is easier to work in RAW format which allows you to choose the colour space at the post processing stage. I will be shooting my images in RAW to allow me the flexibility to adjust the colour space in Photoshop. This will be particularly helpful if the weather turns out to be dull and grey during the day of my planned shoot.
Other factors which affect image quality is the ISO or film speed (sensitivity to light) as well as the developing, processing and printing methods you choose to use. The higher the ISO/speed the more chances of getting images with noise/grain. This is sometimes desirable in film photography to create atmospheric images. Noise can be removed from digital images in PS but it can definitely effect image quality. It can also be added to give an artistic feel although it doesn't quite look the same as it does in film. Noise can be a problem when working in lowlight as the sensitivity needs to be higher, so in theory it could affect my shoot as I'm planning to shoot late afternoon/early evening. The reason for this is so I can try out my ND filters. I will do my best not to go over ISO 200 and using a tripod with remote shutter release will enable me to use a slow shutter speed to expose for longer without suffering from any camera shake or blurring.
Dynamic range is another important factor affecting image quality. This refers to the difference between the darkest and lightest parts on an image. If an image exceeds the dynamic range then it could look too dark or completely washed out. The key is to control the lighting and to try and underexpose and correct the tones in PS. For my shoot I will be using my graduated grey filter to control any highlights and overexposure. I can also adjust the exposure compensation in camera to make sure the highlights don't burn out. Exposure bracketing and HDR are other ways of ensuring even exposure when shooting in difficult lighting conditions.
The other problem you could encounter with digital is the 'moire pattern' this occurs when one pattern is overlaid with another. This usually occurs with patterns on buildings and metal structures and can be avoided by adjusting aperture, camera angle as well as shooting in RAW. Fortunately I feel I won't experience such issues as I'm shooting landscape and the textures are completely different.
Some of the disadvantages of film is that the image quality may degrade over time, whereas a digital photo can be stored on line and then backed up to prevent losses. there's a lot of cost involved in processing film and even then the result is completely dependent on the developer unless you have a dark room at home, where you can control quality and develop the images to your requirements.
I will be using my digital camera for convenience and ease of use and also because I'm a lot more familiar with digital than film. I can instantly view results and make any necessary adjustments to the white balance, composition, shutter speed and aperture to get the best result. I also don't have access to a medium or large format camera so couldn't use one even if I wanted to. The good thing about using digital camera is I don't have to spend money on developing images I'm not happy with. I can select the best images and print as necessary.
My reasons for wanting to shoot landscape is because it's one area of photography I thoroughly enjoy doing and get a lot of pleasure from. I am also heavily influenced by landscape photographers such as Ansel Adams and Edward Weston who are known for their iconic landscape images. Alongside Chris Friel, I also like the work of Charlie Waite, a well established British landscape photographer, known for using a painterly approach with his images. I very much admire their work and hope to produce work inspired by these masters of photography.
A very well travelled man, Charlie Waite has produced some lovely images which have a calming effect and have a picture postcard look to them. They are great for promoting the beautiful scenic British landscape. They are very colourful and working on film using a Hasselblad, his images are very vibrant and have a great colour rendition. http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk/how-to/icons-of-photography/535934/charlie-waite-s-landscape-images-iconic-photographer
http://www.charliewaite.com/gallery
The type of images I'm hoping to produce could be used to market and promote the Lake District and particularly Bowness, which is where I'm hoping to take my photographs. The Lake District is a popular holiday destination for most people and it's visited by people all around the country. My images will have a slightly different look and feel to them as I'll be using my ND filters. The filters are great for controlling light but also for giving images a very soft and smooth feel when used with a long shutter speed.
I could market the images to the Cumbria Tourism board or the many hotels/B&B's and restaurants that rely on the trade from the holiday makers. As I would be providing digital images, the costing wouldn't be as high as printed images. There are many ways to sell images on line and due to the supply being higher than demand, I would imagine the prices would have to be relatively low in order to compete with other photographers. However, when images are re-used by different sites then that would generate a steady income perhaps on a regular basis.
As mentioned earlier I will be using a wide angle lens to get as much as possible in the frame. My focal points are going to the be jetty's and the boats on the lakes. As I will be shooting in fairly low light I will be using shutter speeds around 1/8th and 1/10th of second. The aperture will be around f/8 to f/10 - this will allow me to capture greater levels of detail in the image. As I will be using a tripod I can get away with using a longer shutter speed without affecting image quality. The aim of the images would be to show the unique beauty of the lakes.
Ok - one criticism, one of your images is protected so it is only showing the source. Try replacing it wit a screen shot, which is fine seeing as you acknowledge the author in your notes. Apart from that - I really enjoyed reading this, you have covered just about ever aspect of camera choice, well done, one of the best postings I have read for some time.
ReplyDeleteWow!! thanks for your comment, John. Appreciate it very much. I'll try replacing the image or link.
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