Pierre Steenberg

Harsh(ish) Light - Soft Light

March 15, 2015 • Leave a Comment

We cannot overemphasize the difference light makes to photography. Photographers have to learn to read light and know what kind of light is best for which kind of photography. Then we shoot the right topic in the right light for that topic to create the image we want. Have a look at the next image: The light is already turning warmer (red and ye...

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Slot Canyons

February 22, 2015 • Leave a Comment

I wish I can be left alone in the Slot Canyons (Page, Arizona) for a day of two. These canyons are made for photographers; they are so photogenic. That is also the problem... hundreds of people in confined spaces do not lend itself to great photography (assuming you are not making images of people). Shots of these canyons (upper and lower) are famo...

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Shooting Panoramic Images

February 15, 2015 • Leave a Comment

We have all seen the wiiiiiiiiide images or the taaaaaaaall ones. They can be striking images. How are they made? Did the photographer just crop it that way? If you cropped images to get the panoramic look you have thrown away a lot of resolution in the process. This means that you cannot print that image large. Let's start with an example: Pano...

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Canon 50 MP Monster ...

February 08, 2015 • Leave a Comment

Some time ago I spoke about gear (which I don't often do) and more specifically about mirrorless offerings. Thursday night or Friday, depending on where you live on earth, Canon announced their 5Ds and 5DsR models. I have been anticipating new releases very eagerly as I am personally in the market for a new camera. As a landscape photographer (prim...

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Fog ...

February 01, 2015 • Leave a Comment

There has been many shots that I wanted to shoot but could not because the background was just terrible. In many situations you cannot exclude the background. When such backgrounds are crummy, pray for fog. Fog acts like a giant blanket that neatly folds over that terrible background and covers it up. Fog separates your subject from the background...

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Keep it simple ...

January 25, 2015 • Leave a Comment

Less is more. I was a judge in a photographic club competition. One shot had great light but it was just too busy (too much stuff in the frame), so that shot lost the prize. As stated before, artists start with a blank canvas and add what they want into their scene by painting it in. Photography works the opposite way, we start with too much and ha...

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Vintage Images ...

January 18, 2015 • Leave a Comment

There is a lot of old farm implements and old cars strewn around. Many historical parks would love for you to visit. These old, rusted, and broken items present a shooting opportunity. They make for some interesting viewing. Sometimes they can be part of a landscape or wider view. Other times the surroundings do not lend themselves to wider scenes.

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Black and White with Color

January 11, 2015 • Leave a Comment

Do you like this shot? Today I am going to teach you how to mix black and white with color (only in some parts). This type of shot works well when you want the viewer's attention going to a specific spot. The human eye will always go to the color part of the image. To get this kind of photograph plan your shot and composition so that you place t...

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Shooting Flowers

January 04, 2015 • Leave a Comment

It cannot be stressed enough that photography is all about the light. I have also written about choosing the right kind of light for the right topic. Photographers almost never have to say that the light is too bad to shoot in, although we probably dislike harsh, mid-day light the most. Yes, the light can be terrible, but it is usually only terribl...

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Alpen Glow

December 28, 2014 • Leave a Comment

There is a short time, usually at high elevation, just before sunrise when the sun's light bends over the earth's curvature to hit mountains. This glow is much softer than direct sunlight. Be sure to be ready and shooting when you see this glow. To the eye it looks very subtle but it really glows in your images. What is really nice about this glow...

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