Using light to draw the viewers attention

[nickhanson]

A lot can be said for using right correctly in all genres of photography and here is one example for landscapes.

Looking at the first image below it's a nice scene, well composed and exposed, however there's one major thing wrong with it - the light. What I mean is that almost the whole composition is bathed in light, so the viewers eyes have no real place to settle, even though I'm using the river to draw them to the mountain of Marco at the back of the frame. Your eyes will be drawn to the brightest part of the scene, so with this shot it will continually go round and round and probably not settle anywhere.

Now if you look at the second image below which was captured around 30 minutes later, around half of the foreground is in shadow, so your eye naturally goes to the back of the frame to the mountain.

Patience is key in photography and is something I certainly do have when it comes to my landscape and wildlife photography. This day I must have stood in place for at least 1.5 hours waiting for the right break in the cloud to direct the light where I wanted it.

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[bozaman]

beautiful examples, nick. well done and thank you for sharing the background.

i find this fascinating. lately i have found myself spending time reading and watching others share their expertise on landscape photography and how to extract the best impact with light, tone, composition, balance, etc. and the lesson of patience has been a common theme in every example - including yours. as a result, i have been studying landscape photos much more deeply and i am highly impressed with the skills it takes to patiently wait for the moment when all of the factors come together to create a brief moment of art that is captured in an instant.

well done, good sir.

 

[Kathryn Milner]

Wow, that is remarkable. What a difference. Thanks for your post.

 

[nickhanson]

beautiful examples, nick. well done and thank you for sharing the background.

i find this fascinating. lately i have found myself spending time reading and watching others share their expertise on landscape photography and how to extract the best impact with light, tone, composition, balance, etc. and the lesson of patience has been a common theme in every example - including yours. as a result, i have been studying landscape photos much more deeply and i am highly impressed with the skills it takes to patiently wait for the moment when all of the factors come together to create a brief moment of art that is captured in an instant.

well done, good sir.

Thanks very much Joseph, due to the nature of the weather on the Isle of Skye, I quite often find myself waiting 1-2 hours for the light to either appear or hit the landscape in the way I want. Both patiences and perseverance are key in landscape photography (and other genres such as wildlife) and if I don't get the light and/or conditions I am looking for on one particular visit to a location, if I can I will return another day.

I appreciate RF Shooters will get more wildlife photographs than any of the other genres, however I will do my best to show more examples such as this.

 

[nickhanson]

Wow, that is remarkable. What a difference. Thanks for your post.

Thanks very much Kathryn.

 

[Michał Dudulewicz]

Great info! Thanks! That's why I never take my wife when I shoot landscape I don't mind waiting, she does hahah

 

[nickhanson]

Great info! Thanks! That's why I never take my wife when I shoot landscape I don't mind waiting, she does hahah

Thanks very much Michał