Adjust your framing to account for the direction and intensity of light at different times of the day
Landscape composition is about more than simply choosing a spot from which to shoot a scene. The glory of landscape as a genre of photography is that, as the light changes throughout the day and across the four seasons of the year, the terrain alters in appearance. The direction, intensity and brightness of light impact how texture, shape and colour look in an image and, as such, we must adjust our camera techniques to match.
Contrast is, by definition, the difference in luminance or colour of one object or area of a photo from another. Absolute black and absolute white might represent the greatest contrast of exposure, but these are rarely seen together in the same frame. Similarly, colours on opposite sides of the colour wheel provide the greatest colour contrast but, in a natural environment, these opposing colour values are rarely observed in abundance.
Beyond the difference in characteristics between one zone and another, it’s important to remember the distinction between global and local contrast. A bright area might be visible in the same frame as a dark spot, but if they’re located far apart, such as on opposite sides of the composition, the viewer might not perceive the image as high-contrast. Place these two areas beside one another, however, and the image seems far punchier.
Learn how to recognise where best in the frame to place your light sources and the shadows they cast in the landscape. You can then create more intelligently structured shots that tap into the viewer’s expectations and elicit the greatest emotional response.
