Essential Equipment for Landscape Photography
Some Short Notes on Camera Bags and What to Put in Them
Jan 22, 2009
The magazines carry numerous ads for an almost endless list of photographic equipment and accessories, often at wide ranges of prices. Which of them is really necessary for those starting in landscape photography, and how much is it worth paying for them?
A Checklist of Essential Photo Equipment
- Lenses: the quality of the picture will depend as much on the lens as on the camera. Cheaper lenses tend to distort the outer edges of pictures, and may cause vignetting or darkening of the corners. Wide angle lenses are the most commonly used for landscapes, but zooming helps with composition and it is often useful to be able to get tighter shots of more distant scenes. Some good quality lenses are available that zoom from focal lengths of about 24 to 70 or 100mm, which should be fine for most situations.
- A camera bag: it is worth getting a good one. It should be big enough to allow easy access to the full range of gear during the shoot, as well extra clothing and snacks. And it should be comfortable enough to carry for what might be long hikes to reach the best sites. A backpack style is best for climbing into tricky positions with both hands free.
- A tripod: aside from the camera and lenses, this will be the most important and probably one of the costliest pieces of kit, and once again it is worth getting a good one. It should be steady even in strong winds. It should be manufactured well enough to maintain its strength over a reasonable number of years. Its legs should be fully adjustable, unencumbered by cross pieces. And the all-important head should allow a smooth movement of the camera when shots are composed.
- Filters: while Photoshop and other software can mimic the effects of many traditional photographic filters, some must be in place on the camera when photos are taken. A circular polarizer can help produce more vibrant colours, bring better definition to clouds and reduce reflections on water and foliage. A set of graduated neutral density filters will help balance extremes of brightness, usually between the sky and foreground. And a simple UV filter provides basic physical protection to what will probably be an expensive item.
- A cable release: some of the best landscape shots are taken in relatively low light and require long exposures. A cable release reduces the risk of nudging the camera while pressing the camera’s built-in shutter button. The camera’s self-timer is another approach, but it makes it difficult to time shots in relation to gusts of wind or the movement of water that might be important parts of the picture.
- A spirit level: getting the horizon straight is not as simple as it might seem. Some tripods have built-in spirit levels, or inexpensive ones will fit into the camera’s “hot shoe.” As an alternative, a horizontal and vertical grid on the camera’s focusing screen, either built into the camera or as a replacement part, can help in lining up shots
More Gear for the Camera Bag
A compass can be useful during preliminary trips to plan sunset and sunrise shots. The best light does not last long, so it is important to know beforehand where to set up the tripod.
Local tables showing the times and direction of sunrise and sunset, and, for coastal shots, the tide times, are essential items for planning morning and evening shoots.
Constructing and carrying a hyperfocal distance and depth of field table can be instructive as well as handy, showing the near and far focus points for each focal distance and aperture. A pad and pencil for notes on filters and techniques will help in the learning process.
Some will consider a light meter to be a basic piece of equipment. It can help in measuring differences of brightness within the scene, in order to choose the right degree of graduated filter. But good light meters are relatively costly and in practice it is probably not essential for a beginner.
Beyond these items, and the right camera, it is worth remembering that many a fine shot has been lost because of dead batteries or full memory cards, or because the all-too-human photographer is too wet or cold to wait for the best of the light. Plan accordingly.
 |
