goldengod

I made a lot of mistakes on my recent trip to Saskatchewan and I missed some quality landscape photos. But I still came home with a stack of keepers and some lessons learned in the process. Here’s a quick rundown of what my first stab at landscapes has taught me:

Don’t Forget Your Tripod

Yeah, I know, I’m braindead. Thankfully I didn’t forget it in Vancouver, but I did forget it at my Aunt’s farm on my second day in Saskatchewan. That completely killed plans to get up early the next morning with my dad.

We planned to go out to a nearby hill for sunrise shots. The trip wasn’t a total loss, but I was pretty mad at myself for making such a stupid mistake and costing myself photo opportunities.

Bracket Like It’s Going Out Style

You’re dealing with a really wide tonal range and we all know how reliable in-camera metering systems can be. I recommend that you bracket all your shots. I had good luck going with + or -2/3 of a stop, but it’s best to experiment and find out where you’re most comfortable.

Bring Double the Memory You Think You Need

This is important; you don’t want to have to be sitting there in the field trying to decide which photos to delete to make room for more. You’re going to need a lot of storage, partially because you’ll be bracketing and partially because you’re just going to be overwhelmed with the number of subjects out there.

Dedicate Your Trip to Landscape Photography

Other than eating and sleeping, everything else is just going to get in your way. I didn’t have much of a choice, since the real reason for the trip was my cousin’s wedding. I did notice that it was often hard to find time for photos and get all the shots I want because I had other obligations. Ideally, you should plan for a trip with no distractions.

Set Aside a Week for Processing When You Return

I failed to do this one as well. I’ve been back for two weeks and I still haven’t begun processing images from the trip. It doesn’t have to be a week off work, but budget spare time throughout the week after your return. It’ll make a big difference in how many people see your images, because most people will be checking for them on your site in that first week.

For those who are curious about the images, I do apologize but I am getting to them. It’s just been hectic since I returned to the West Coast. I will keep you posted!

Related Articles:

• Saskatchewan Landscape Photography Update
• Preparing for Saskatchewan: My First Attempt at Landscape Photography