how do you give the impression of height in landscape photography when at for instance the top of a peak/edge of a cliff etc?. I have found it really hard. any tips much appreciated.
I've generally found to include something in the foreground that the eye can "scale" - eg a fence, wall, gate, person, trig point, building, sheep, cow etc etc. Another way is to include the ground although, depending on the scene, that can sometimes be vertigo inducing
Hi Stewart,
http://johnmactavish.photium.com/imgs/gallery/1071_46330558344704aa88266e.jpg and http://johnmactavish.photium.com/imgs/gallery/1071_10076702714470488b3b99e.jpg
These are two images I shot from height, the castle one from about 1500 feet and the tree one from about 500 feet. With both I was trying to use the distant water to give the impression of height, and used a medium telephoto to to compress the scene slightly on the castle shot. With the tree shot I wanted to show the water to give the impression of height but because I wasn't on a very high vantage point I used a 24mm lens to broaded the perspective slightly and give an impression of a little more height.
Don't know if that helps you any.
One thing to be aware of all the time is "what is it about the scene that makes you want to shoot it?" Sometimes you can climb up a hill and see a wonderful view but on closer inspection there's really no photograph to be had from it. Same rules of composition apply whether you're on Everest or standing on a molehill.
Discussion
2 repliesThanks Stewart.....
http://johnmactavish.photium.com/imgs/gallery/1071_46330558344704aa88266e.jpg and http://johnmactavish.photium.com/imgs/gallery/1071_10076702714470488b3b99e.jpg
These are two images I shot from height, the castle one from about 1500 feet and the tree one from about 500 feet. With both I was trying to use the distant water to give the impression of height, and used a medium telephoto to to compress the scene slightly on the castle shot. With the tree shot I wanted to show the water to give the impression of height but because I wasn't on a very high vantage point I used a 24mm lens to broaded the perspective slightly and give an impression of a little more height.
Don't know if that helps you any.
One thing to be aware of all the time is "what is it about the scene that makes you want to shoot it?" Sometimes you can climb up a hill and see a wonderful view but on closer inspection there's really no photograph to be had from it. Same rules of composition apply whether you're on Everest or standing on a molehill.
John