Pierre Steenberg

Using light to invite

April 01, 2018 • Leave a Comment

In landscape photography we always want to invite the viewer to come into our images. That is why I write so much about creating depth. We want the viewer to want to step into the scene. We want the viewer to wish he or she was there to see it, to experience it. So we are always looking for ways in which the image can beckon the viewer to come insi...

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The early bird catches the worm

March 25, 2018 • Leave a Comment

If it is true that the early bird catches the worm it is often also true that the early photographer catches the shot. Many photographers think that the first rays of the sun act as a whistle that signals the start of the shooting game. Wrong! Pro photographers are out there long before the rise of the sun. Before sunrise is when clouds light up (i...

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Balance, lines and depth

March 18, 2018 • Leave a Comment

Landscape photography often requires balance. Different colors have different weights. Darks are heavier than lights. Objects have weight. If all the weight is on one side of the image the photograph may not look balanced. Balanced images are often more pleasing than unbalanced images unless the imbalance is there on purpose to create tention or dr...

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A few minutes can make a big difference

March 11, 2018 • Leave a Comment

A few minutes can make a big difference. When shooting wildlife a few minutes make the difference between seeing the leopard or not. Things come and go. Animals and birds move around. In landscape photography the mountains, trees and rocks typically do not run away; they still tend to be in the same place tomorrow. However, clouds do move and they...

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Windows and frames

March 04, 2018 • Leave a Comment

Well I am not talking about man-made windows and frames today. Our interest today is on using nature to frame a scene in the distance or nature providing a window to look through. Sometimes these frames or windows can be tree branches and leaves or arches in rocks. The best time to use them is when the sky is boring. Quite often object you are phot...

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The Orton effect

February 25, 2018 • Leave a Comment

The Orton effect is where in post processing you make the light look more soft, dreamy and glowing (just a bit). This can really help to give your images a nice moody feel. Like most post processing tricks one has to be careful not to overdo it or the image will look fake. Many photographers just love this effect. Personally I am not a big fan of i...

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Minimalistic Images

February 18, 2018 • Leave a Comment

Less is sometimes more. Minimalistic images can be impactful. They are typically calming image; images that evoke thought or emotion or both. Minimalistic images are often difficult to get because they don't tend to jump out at us when we are on location. We make the mistake of thinking that there is nothing there. We walk right past them without p...

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Shooting for advertising

February 11, 2018 • Leave a Comment

There is a slight difference between fine art photography and advertising photography. I take images for both purposes. When advertisers buy your work they do so because they want to use text with your image. There has to be space in the image to write about whatever they are advertising. Your composition needs to be a bit looser; you have to inclu...

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Sun stars

February 04, 2018 • Leave a Comment

Sun stars appear when the sun is just exposed behind a hard edge and you use a small f stop. Sun stars are strong compositionally because they are bright, colorful and interesting. Here is an image from Namibia: This kind of image gives you a few moments to get it right. You can move your position up or down (depending on which way the sun is goin...

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Nasty conditions may present opportunities

January 28, 2018 • Leave a Comment

For the last two weeks' blogs we are visiting Deadvlei in Namibia. The wind started blowing harder and harder. When you are in a desert with sand as far as the eye can see strong winds are not your friend. You get sand blasted. Your eyes get sand it. Your gear gets sand in. It is not a pleasant experience. Then again, I was not there for a pleasant...

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