Photographic Education

Learn the Fundamentals of Photographt

THE BEAUTY OF LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY

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Class by: Jeff Allen & Tamron - Blog post by: Jan Flanigan

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May 7, 2024

Horn Photo tries to bring you informative content that will be interesting and help you become a better and more versatile photographer. This video covers a lot of material in a way that doesn’t overwhelm you with too much detail.

This video is perfect for anyone wanting to understand the basics of photography. Have you missed our Camera Essentials Class taught by Horn Photo’s Aaron Rogers? Even if you’ve attended the class at Horn, this video will help you remember the things that were presented in the class.

Watch Jeff's Video

Jeff Allen has been a professional photographer for “forever and a day”. His decades of experience including shooting landscapes, night photography, wildlife and more. His pictures speak for themselves.

He conducts regular classes and workshops that cost a lot of $$$. This particular webinar was presented by Tamron and hosted by Action Camera of Roseville and Reno. It was conducted live, then recorded so we could all watch it at our leisure. Tamron and Action Camera were kind enough to make this recording of his video webinar on The Beauty of Landscape Photography available to our customers for free.

Jeff’s video covers much more than landscape photography. The images he shows in the video are all landscapes, but the information he provides holds true for all kinds of photography.

If you would like to understand the fundamentals of photography, and want to take better pictures, then watch this video. If you already understand the basics of photography, but aren’t quite at the level of Ansel Adams, then scrub through the first half, and watch the second half of this video. Jeff covers much more than just the basics starting at about the 41:00 mark.

Here’s what you can expect from this video. It is one hour and 25 minutes long, but WAIT! You don’t have to watch the whole thing if you don’t want to. There’s really about one hour of instruction. The first five minutes consist of introductions, some chitchat between the Tamron rep, the Action Camera guy and Jeff. It includes a bunch of compliments, and thank yous, plus information about Tamron lens rebates. The last 20 minutes is taken up by questions and answers pertaining to lenses.

Starting at minute 6:00, the chitchat ends and Jeff talks about the importance of making prints of your images. We love that part!!! Here’s why: We also think it’s important for you to make prints. Please watch that part, believe in it, spread the word to all your friends and enemies, then order a slew of prints from Horn Photo. We make the best prints in the history of all print making. It’s our bread and butter. And we want your money.

Order prints here: https://hornphoto.com/prints

Okay. Back to the video. At 7:30 minutes into the video, the meat is served. Jeff starts his presentation. He goes through a ton of great information.

Here are some of the topics that Jeff covers in The Beauty of Landscape Photography, with timelines included for your convenience:

1. Controlling your camera settings

Jeff doesn’t judge you for using the auto mode on your camera. He says that sometimes it’s your best friend. However, if you’re reading this, that means you want more control of your photographs. The way to get more control is to decide what settings to use for the situation you are in. Then you can get the effect you want. Jeff presents all of this in a way that will stick in your brain without going into overload.

At the 7:30 mark,Jeff goes in to ample detail about all three basic fundamentals of photography. Let’s start with Shutter speed: Jeff has excellent examples and charts of what type of motion, or lack of motion, you will capture at the different shutter speeds. If you haven’t quite understood what shutter speed you should use in particular situations, you will after you see his charts.

Aperture: Jeff’s explanation and examples of how the different f-stops change the depth of field, leave little room for questioning. He covers the topic in a way that makes you understand when and why you should use different apertures.

ISO: His is the best and simplest explanation of how and why ISO matters. Jeff makes it easy to visualize what you may get when using a very high ISO, without getting so technical that you lose interest.

2. Composition

At 26:00 minute mark into the video, Jeff discusses how good composition can make your photo more interesting.

He covers the basics, such as rule of thirds, leading lines, power quadrants, and more.

Jeff shows you helpful tips in addition to the basic rules of composition. His photos demonstrate the tips and show the effects.

If you’ve ever checked out information or videos about composition…. just relax. He does not get into the some of the composition “rules” that take a mathematician to calculate. Jeff makes it simple and easy to understand and remember.

3. What lenses to use

Jeff goes into which lenses to use at the 31:00 minute mark in the video. Don’t worry, this is not a Tamron commercial. Not in the least. He does use Tamron, and he works for Tamron. Plus Tamron sponsored the video. So, he does describe their line of lenses, and explains the nomenclature that identifies the type of camera it works on. Who knows? Maybe there’s a lens with your name on it.

What can we say? They’re damn fine lenses. Come into Horn and we’ll give you a Tamron lens! All you have to do in order to leave the store with your new lens, is give us money.

Check out Tamron’s lenses here: https://hornphoto.com/shop/brands/tamron/categories/lenses-slr-and-compact-system/1c2d2aa8-6eda-4c6e-9b23-a49316b6450e?sorting=price:asc

Jeff talks about the differences between wide angle and zoom lenses. He explains when it’s best to use wide angle,and when it’s best to use telephoto or zoom. Jeff shows you images he took with various lenses while standing in the same spot, each image giving you an entirely different feeling.

4. Point of view

If you’re an experienced photographer and understand everything there is to know about shutter speed, aperture, ISO, composition and lenses, then zip over to the 41:00 minute mark. That’s where the discussion becomes more intermediate, however, but not complicated, by any means.

Jeff talks about changing your perspective with your point of view. He covers how that can be done by moving a few steps to the left or right, or changing your focal length can make for an entirely different image. Jeff shows some stunning examples of cherry blossoms taken with different lenses. All beautiful, but all uniquely distinct.

He also shows examples of wide angle shots of the Washington Monument along Capitol Mall that have completely different looks just because he moved from one spot to another, and changed his point of view.

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5. Constructing elements within an image

Sounds involved,but don’t fret. 50:00 minutes into the video, here’s where Jeff puts everything together. Even though his titles on this section sound lofty and only meant for the scholarly, this part of the video is easy to understand because of his photo examples and his explanations. Don’t miss this section. It covers aperture, shutter speed, lens length, composition, and more.

6. Looking for and understanding light

At the 55:00minute mark, Jeff talks about understanding and looking for light. He shows spectacular photos that he’s taken in different kinds of light that illustrate what to look for. Jeff includes a bit about polarizing filters and neutral density filters.

7. Capturing movement

When you reach the end of the webinar at 1:03:30, Jeff shows some amazing images that capture motion. One example he shows is a shot he took of lightning. He has others as well. He explains the stories behind the shots, and how they were taken. In one shot of a Colorado mountain creek, there’s an orange cast to the sky in the background. It was due to forest fires in the area. He discusses his use of neutral density filters in this image to give the water a surreal look.

8. Questions and answers

There’s about 10minutes of questions and answers at the end of the video. These are mainly questions about specific lenses that are offered by Tamron.