Take the time to get creative
Spring is the season of bright colour, but why limit yourself to a literal interpretation of what’s in front you? Try a few creative techniques for a different take on familiar subject
TRY INFRARED 17
Infrared landscapes have an otherworldly quality, with black-and-white shots, in particular, being especially haunting. Foliage turns a ghostly white and blue skies are rendered almost pure black. With so much pure green in the landscape, this time of year is the ideal time to give it a go, and subjects such as woodland, ruined buildings and churchyards make ideal studies.
Real IR enthusiasts have cameras especially converted to block out visible light and only record infrared, but this isn’t strictly necessary; you can use infrared filters such as the Hoya R72. Not all cameras work well with these filters, but Nikons do. Just be aware that with most of the visible light not reaching the sensor, exposure times will be extremely long – comparable to using a 10-stop ND filter – so you’ll need to use a tripod, or shoot at extremely high ISO if you plan on hand-holding your Nikon.
THE ORTON EFFECT 18
The Orton Effect is a technique developed in the 1980s by the photographer Michael Orton. He would sandwich together two (or even more) overexposed transparencies – one out of focus and the other in focus. The result was a soft, dreamy image not unlike a watercolour painting. Shooting digitally, the same effect can be created by using your Nikon’s multiple exposure function, which is found in the Photo Shooting Menu. Alternatively, you can apply the effect by combining layers in post-processing. This is a great way to add a touch of romance to shots of bluebell woods, especially if they are backlit, as you create a lovely diffused glow around the highlights.
LESS IS MORE 19
It can be tempting to fill the frame with spring flowers or swathes or colour, and this usually gives great results, but sometimes a minimalist approach can be more eye-catching. Minimalism is not just about leaving the frame as empty as possible, but about finding the right balance between subject and negative space. Look for lone trees in fields or on hilltops, a single farm building in a field, an isolated pier on the coast, or even just the interplay of light and shade on a distant hill. Look beyond the obvious – a single cloud above bare ground can make a compelling composition.
Experiment with where you place the subject; with a single subject, you can be bold and place it in the centre, or even a corner. Think about how you might crop the image; the standard 3:2 ratio of Nikon cameras doesn’t always suit minimalism. Squarer ratios often work well and many Nikons offer the ability to change the aspect ratio when shooting, usually found in the Photo Shooting Menu under ‘Image Area’. But you must remember that if you change the aspect ratio on a Nikon Z-series camera, the Raw file will be irreversibly cropped (unlike older models, where the full frame of a Raw file is still available and can be recovered when processing).
20 Impressionist landscapes
You can give an impressionist look to your landscapes by using Intentional Camera Movement, where the camera is panned during an exposure of around 1/2 to 1 sec, slightly blurring the subject. This works especially well in woodland, where the trunks of trees contrast with their fresh, green leaves. Pan the camera down during the exposure for the best effect and experiment with different panning speeds. You’ll get more control if you use a tripod with a three-way head, but you can do this handheld. Woodland is a low-light environment, but on bright days, you may need to add a two or three-stop ND filter to get a slow enough shutter speed.
The Orton Effect is a great way to add a touch of romance to bluebell woods, as you create a lovely diffused glow around the highlights