Mark Denney You don’t need to use a tripod for that. Breaking away from tripods helped a lot. It doesn’t mean you ignore them but it frees you up to try angles you probably wouldn’t consider before.
I agree with a ton of what you said here Mark, great video. I will play devil's advocate on two points though. The first being the tripod. For me, alot of times the MAIN benefit of shooting on a tripod is the slow, thoughtful consideration of the composition. When we shoo handheld we often overlook distracting elements in the frame. but when your on a tripod, you can slow down and really inspect a shot for those little tweaks it can benefit from. 2. shooting to the right. I feel it still has its place, depending on the scene. If your shooting in a flat scene that is going to need immense amounts of contrast added to it.. say a vista where your shooting through lots of atmosphere. A shot that is exposed to the right will often hold up much better when you start stretching out that histogram with a bunch of contrast... more so than a shot that was exposed to the left. Great video man
Nick Page Thank ya buddy & I hope your recovering nicely from your dental procedure! Great points on both fronts! I’ll be honest I haven’t quite thought about ETTR in the scenario you outlined below, but that makes total sense. Appreciate the comment man👍
@@MarkDenneyPhoto Besides the point that Nick made, you should also think about ETTR in the scenario of a Canon shooter (they are still around *cough*). ETTR gives just superior quality on these Cameras. Sony and Nikon Users are a bit spoiled here ;-)
@@mibreit-photo I agree, the dynamic range of the the newer sensors in Nikon and Sony cameras has spoiled us. Having said that, i catch myself getting lazy with my exposures. I tend to underexpose far more than I should/need to. And as a result I end getting more noise than if I would practice what I preach, and properly expose a bit more to the right (without blowing highlights)
Provided I shot at the base ISO and used a decent quality lens my 16mp M43 camera holds up incredibly well to cropping. I've zoomed in a bunch and converted from a landscape to portrait composition so many times and still come away with a usable image. It's noticably degraded if you zoom in further and I wouldn't print them but still looks great on my phone/PC screen when viewing the whole image. It's definitely bad advice for beginners not to crop, I would have waaaay less images I'm happy with by now without any cropping.
When Mark said to crop all I could think about was Jared Polin going on during his critiques "why have you cropped". I agree with Mark though, I crop all the time if it it means the resolution dropping a bit for a better feeling image then its a no brainer.
Back in the days of film, one used actually scissors to crop on paper copies going a size or two up from what one had in mind to keep and a special tape or the black ends of developed film and an X-acto knife to crop framed slides, by making a mask. :-)
I agree with it all. I always take advice with a grain of salt. Listen but do your research. I was told to go from my crop sensor to a full framed which I did because the camera I had was crap but it helped me learn a lot of what I was trying to do and I still have some great photos. The main reason I was told to go to full frame was because of astrophotography (which you mentioned). I have the D850 and LOVE it. I have two lenses and a third on it's way. Why? well one for landscape, one for wildlife that can also be used for landscape and the third will be a macro lens because I don't just do landscape. I might get a 4th but if I do it's way down the line for taking astrophotography easier but it's not necessary.
It is my considered opinion that your very natural, easy going, gentle way should come as no surprise to anyone. (I spotted him on the shelf just over your right shoulder.) I enjoy every moment of your videos - and - I pretty much agree with your conclusions about the bad advice topics right down the line. When I finally realized (for myself) that it's not really about the gear - it's about understanding the Light and mastering how you use your gear to capture that light - knowing the capabilities AND the limitations of that gear. And, perhaps, most import of all (again, especially for me) - soak up the beauty that surrounds us and have fun. Cheers.
I love your #2 anti-advice. I've always deliberately left cropping wiggle room in my shots because I frequently need to make shots on the run, and I might not have a perfectly flat horizon, or I might discover later that I've lined up slightly off-center on what I want to compose. With the massive pixel numbers of current sensors, leaving 5-10% edge space just makes sense since editing software makes it so easy to adjust any on-site imperfections. This goes double if i'm trying to catch a particular transient condition in a landscape (moving clouds, angle of sun, etc). If it's there, I take the shot, and don't worry if I have perfect alignment. Note that I rarely have a tripod available, sometimes all I have is a smartphone.
i would recommend the 24-105 as a starter lens, gives you a good wide and a good tele that way you get a good idea of what you might need if the 24-105 range is not enough
The best advice I ever received is, "If you like your photos It doesn't matter what other people think of your photos as long as your technique is correct." At the time I didn't know what he meant by "Technique" and was too intimidated to enquire. What I eventually learned is that he was referring to the "Rules of Composition". Such as the Rule of Thirds or the Rule of Three and others. When I eventually learned these Rules of Composition or "Techniques" my photography improved immensely and I was able to like and enjoy my work more and ignore other peoples subjective opinions.
Spot on regarding L brackets. Greatest thing ever. It's not just switching from horizontal to vertical, but they are far more stable. Don't crop is bad advice. Composition by cropping isn't a great idea either though. Do it if you need to, but get it right in the field if you can.
Yavor Kapitanov In all the areas of my pursuits where “deliberate practice” is the way the advice I have found helpful was advice on how better to engage in deliberate practice. Actually the comment pay no attention to advice was tongue in cheek humor. But seriously advice that is imposed-“ this is what I do so you should do it too” hasn’t even better terribly helpful to me. And as a teacher, therapist and guide I have always tried to focus on how the person could develop themselves rather than how they could do more of what I do. And since what I did has always evolved what I would offer on day I wouldn’t at another time. Love your videos Mark and hope our paths cross agaIn.
I will supplement your advice about getting an L-bracket. I got one early on and absolutely love it. One thing I will say is that I got a knock-off (Sunwayfoto) instead of the RRS for about 1/2 the price. An L-bracket is a simple piece of hardware and needn't cost into 3 figures. The knock-off I got works perfectly!
I agree with the apsc comments. I compensate for the lesser dynamic range of a full frame camera by bracketing my apsc camera and most post processing can easily address the higher color and shadow noise of apsc sensors.
I agree with all your points except 3. This is coming from 3 years of not using a l-bracket to now using it. I like it, but it is just a luxury. It would be on of the first thing I would leave at home to lighten my bag for a big trek.
I have been watching TH-cam videos on photography for many years and I have found that Your advice has been absolutely the very best out there. Everyone in our photography club readily agrees. Keep up the good, excellent, work Mark.
Hi Mark, I fully agree with most of your points. But concerning the one and only lens I can say from my years of experience that a beginner (who does maybe not even know in what focal ranges he likes to shoot) would definitely have better results when choosing a more universal 24-105mm (fullframe equivalent) focal range as your proposed lens is very wide and does not allow any tele shots at all (and maybe that would be the focal range that someone finally prefers). I own lenses from 15mm up to 400mm but quite honestly most of my great shots were done in the 24-105mm range.
Really bad piece of advice I received: "A good tripod costs $1000 and below $300 there is not even a point buying anything." This really stopped me from buying any tripod at all since I could not afford a "good" one. Later I decided to ignore this advice and get one at the $100 price point. I have been using it for two years now and been in six countries with it. It is still working fine.
Yeah buddy, my 70 dollar tripod from target has served me well for 2 years now, light enough to carry comfortably and has a hook to weigh it down if I need to. Photography is a spending sport where everyone is competing to see who has wasted the most money lol
I have one for 20 Bucks and it is working now for nearly a year without a problem. It is enough for me, since I just rarely use a tripod. Happy I instead got another cheap lens than a 70€ tripod or something like this
Albert Einstein i just was on a fototravel and i had a tripod for like 20 bucks guess who was the one who used his the most just because mine was really light and i didnt care for it so i put it everywhere
Totally agree. I started with the cheapest one at the camera shop. I think it was $60. Lasted me 5 years and worked great, sure it was lacking a couple features, but it worked. Then I dropped it off a roof and it broke. But I honestly only upgraded to a $100 one that had those missing features I wanted
Mark, Great not to tips. You touched on L-brackets. I have a Canon 80D and it has a flip screen. If I shoot up high or down low I can't flip the screen to see the image because of the L-bracket is in the way. So if anyone has a flip screen, like the 80D, you can only use it flat to the back of the camera. So, I bought something I can't use to my advantage.
max million Much appreciated Max - thank you! I think it also depends on the camera as well. I have a Fuji XT-3 which has a multi directional flip out screen that I’m still able to use with my L bracket.
I shoot with an A7II and have noticed I often underexpose slightly as well, for the exact reason you stated. I find it's easier to correct highlights than shadows in post. That being said I wouldn't consider myself an expert by any measure, so take my two cents with a grain of salt. I've also grown to love deeply overcast days when shooting in the forest... Especially if there's a bit of rain. The soft overcast light with some moisture on bark, leaves, dirt, etc. brings out such rich colors and textures. I'm not sure why anyone would tell someone to not get an L bracket... I'm glad I listened to advice on getting one when I picked up my first good tripod. Couldn't imagine going without one now.
Hi Mark, I appreciate this thoughtful offering. Thanks. I relate to much of what you said, and agree with you. Especially the L bracket... One of the best pieces of equipment I've purchased (and I didn't skimp, I bought a good one and worth every penny for multiple reasons!) However, when it comes to your #1, my experience is slightly different. I have always loved photography and have spent my life as an enthusiast. When I got serious (about 7 years ago, and most intensely, 2 years ago) I began purchasing quality glass. My problem in committing to moving deeper into photography has been that I don't know what "type" of photographer I am. I wince when someone asks me "what do you shoot?" Because, I shoot whatever I find interesting. I'm not specializing or limiting myself. I'm experimenting and have found passion in landscape, street, macro, abstract, architecture and even portraiture. So, for me, investing in the "holy trinity" has been helpful in allowing me opportunity to experiment and hone my craft. I appreciate your advice for most. I agree, not everyone "needs" that setup to be a photographer, but to be able to experiment with different glass has helped me learn where my true passion is in photography. Just my thoughts. Again, thanks for the informative and interesting perspective for beginners. Valuable!
Really good to hear the full frame debate around astrophotography. There's definitely tons of info out there about that debate, but not many people will say something specific about the benefits for astro. I'm still definitely a beginner and I haven't gotten to that point where I'm going to upgrade if I haven't had a real attempt with the camera I have. But the idea of astrophotography was what got me into photography as a hobby, so it's good to hear that so I can plan it out eventually. Thanks Mark!
As to tripods, they are primarily used to manage slow shutter speeds, however I use a tripod to ease the slower pace of landscape photography. It allows me to set up my first contemplated composition and then adjust details like level, alternative composition framing, and adjust focus to optimize depth of field. These kinds of adjustments, including trial and error options, are difficult to do handheld with any organized approach.
I'm still a beginner and still fell into most of these. However, I'm glad I figured out which youtubers to watch and not the majority having you buy "the must haves" or telling you all the "do nots".
I really enjoy you can keep a convo without cutting....so many youtubers you can see them editing between sentences to cut out bad parts and put their sentences together. Great job! :)
Great video Mark. It all makes perfect sense (apart from your clock still showing 7:50!!). The best good advice I have seen is "to always take photos for yourself". Even if such a thing existed, the best photo in the world would still have critics, which proves that you will never please everyone.
Great advice! My last twelve years of enthusiastic photographing of landscapes starting with a 6MP point and shoot Kodak moving up through 12 and 20MP point and shoots to a Canon bridge camera then a Nikon 5300 dx and through a Canon 6D II and Sony A7 III and on to Nikon D850 and Nikon Z7 coincides almost completely with the adivce provided in this video. After watching this video a few hours ago, I went out in my scenic neighborhood in Hillsboro, Oregon to retake some shots of some of my favorite scenes. I tried taking these shots at different focal lengths and a few different f stops, ISOS and distances. Most of my shots were on automatic. I found that monkeying with manual settings resulted in the worst shots. After reviewing some of my nicest looking photos over the last twelve years taken with different cameras and reflecting on the countless recommendations of everyone from Tony Northrup to Jared Polin and other experts plus my own experience, I have reached the following conclustion. IF YOU LIKE TAKING PICTURES, DON'T LISTEN TO ANYBODY. JUST GO OUT AND TAKE PICTURES OF BEAUTIFUL THINGS AND HAVE FUN WITH YOUR CAMERA. LOOK THROUGH YOUR VIEWFINDER AND IF YOU LIKE WHAT YOU SEE, SHOOT. THAT'S YOUR COMPOSITION. DON'T GET CONNED INTO MORTGAGING YOUR HOUSE TO BUY A HASSELBLAD. REMEMBER THE WALLS OF YOUR ROOM OR HOME CAN ONLY ACCOMMODATE A FEW LARGE PRINTS. YOUR PHOTOS WILL LOOK GREAT ON AN HD OR UHD TV SCREEN. This doesn't mean that you can't learn things that you will find of personal value to your photography from other people. It does mean that you need to take a lot of the advice with a grain of salt.
Exposing to the right works better now than ever because of how good camera sensors are getting. Light is light, and more is always better than less. It might seem like ettr isn't doing anything when you make the mistake of just dragging the exposure slider back to the left, but instead play with the shadows and highlight sliders first, and you'll retain do much more color and detail in the image. Having sensors with higher dynamic range just make doing this even better since you can push it even further than before
Mark great video as always. I think it is useful to stop down in order to capture a RAW and also a JPG file that fulfills the artistic intent of the frame, but, I always capture an additional frame that is exposed as far to the right as possible in order to have as much information as possible. Half the information is contained in the last stop of light gathered by the sensor. You can always reduce the exposure in post without penalty but not the other way around. This method preserves the intent and provides the maximum possibility for future image processing in the future.
I had the first year experience that you mention but somehow resisted most of the advice. What i did discover quickly was the "golden hour" imperative. What I found was I was getting keepers in almost all conditions. In particular a thick forested area gives constantly changing light even at high noon. It is a challenge as the spotlight on wildflowers, tree mushrooms, or a strange shaped tree can be fleeting. This not only presents composition problems but demands a beginner learn the variables within the exposure triangle.
Some of the most valuable pieces of advice I've heard ever from a photographer on TH-cam. You are one of the few TH-camrs that I don't miss on TH-cam. Thanks, Mark. Much appreciated...!!!
First video I've watched of you and I enjoyed it. I stopped watching gear videos unless I want to purchase a piece of gear and need a review. The best advice I will always give to anyone is to first learn photography, second discover what type of photography you like, third get the right tools to create your art.
For landscape photography, I would say a 24-105 f4 is the best thing for you to start with. Then perhaps get a 16-35 f4 if you find that you desire a wider angle and are shooting things where you cannot back up, or a 100-300 if you find that you need more zoom beyond the 105.
Hi Mark, I am so happy I found your channel. Been binge watching your videos for hours now. You explain things so well without any Peter McKinnon wannabee flaws. Thank you
Great video Mark. It's easy to get hung up on these maxims, some of which are out-dated, and many which evolved when we were shooting film. You make an interesting point that some of the problems these rules were meant to avoid are much less of a problem as our technology advances. Cameras and editing programs are so much better than they were 10 years ago. For example, I can shoot off a burst of hand-held shots with a m.four-thirds camerea in a dark cathedral, blend them later in post, and end up with an image as clean as a full-frame exposure done on a tripod (some of the time anyway). Without good image stabilization and powerful editing tools, that would be impossible. I don't think I could have done this 10 years ago.
Hi Mark, I am also learning landscape photography and I really like learning from you by watching your videos. Thanks for sharing your experience. Just wanted to check with you someone I get confused from your suggestion between two videos. For example I have watched one video in which you have suggested it's important to pick right time of day to get good photographs which is morning/evening including some time before sunrise and after sunset. But in this video you are suggesting that's bad advice and we can go at any time. Which I do agree because situation during the day could be difference. But the conflicting suggestion between videos could cause a bit of confusion, specifically beginner's like me :)
The usefulness of EttR is very dependent upon gear. I think for most full frame cameras it is no longer necessary because of the superior low-light performance and dynamic range. On my Pentax K-70 the effect is hit and miss, sometimes it destroys more colour information (because everything is compressed at the top end) than it saves me in the shadows. On my Em1-mark 1 however, it's definitely advisable, there is a clear improvement in quality if you EttR and then pull back the exposure to actual levels, than if you just expose naturally for the scene.
An L bracket saved my camera once - photographing lightning in a storm, a big gust blew my tripod right over and the camera landed smack onto the concrete (fortunately on the bracket side). Camera showed an error, and the strap eye was bent proper from the L bracket somewhat crushing it, but after reinserting the battery, it was completely fine! The L-bracket has a slight bend to it but it survived!
Some awesome advice Mark. Lens wise for me is 17-40L 24-105 Sigma (general purpose) 70-200L, I do have a 150-600 purely for wildlife, but it's taken me time to accrue this collection as you said work out what you need. As for the L bracket, every camera should have one installed on the body at the time of manufacture LOL!!
Similar to you, I only either shoot wide or long.. and I find myself most commonly shooting long. Pair that with the crop rule and you can completely skip the mid focal lengths (35-70) just by cropping. If you really must, just get the fantastic plastic 50mm 1.8 or something. Super light and fills that gap well enough.
Interesting how many of these struck home to me. I also picked up an L-Bracket in the last few years and it’s been a game changer. Same with the lens selection. I am also on primary on 15-30 and 150-450 with a 50 and macro 100 prime to fill the middle. I use the 50 a lot but not the 100. The crop advice is news to me. Although I will say I crop more aggressively now due to having more MP and shooting a lot of panos. If I have the time I still always shoot on tripods you enable pano and stacking (hdr, focus) to capture more data regardless of shutter speed. Nice video. Will be looking into more of your content.
I didn't buy the holy trinity but i cover all the range with entry or middle tag lenses. And i upgrade the lense i used the most for an high quality Lense. Thanks for Micro4/3, i can work everyday with my 7lenses and it's not really heavier, and i often use 3 or for Lenses. I feel like i buy too much stuff but i use it, sometime.
Some of my (rambling) thoughts... #8 - I never understood the love for ND grads. Not even when I was just starting out. #4 - When I decided I wanted to get more serious about photography, I graduated from an old Nikon bridge camera straight to full-frame. I was given the original a7 as a gift, and the difference blew my brains out. But that was going from a tiny little 1/3.2" sensor. Since then I've also shot APS-C when I bought an a5000 to mess around with, and you're right I noticed very little difference. #3 - I've been sitting on the fence on getting an L-bracket for a while, but honestly your video convinced me and I'm going to pick one up after I post this comment. #2 - I worried about cropping when I started out, and then I came to the realization that it's pointless to worry about it. As long as the final image looks good it's gravy. #1 - I worried about the holy trinity for a long time. Then I got the lenses I wanted instead. Now I have what I call my makeshift trinity of the 24GM, Tamron 28-75 and the 100-400GM (or occasionally the 70-300G to save weight) with a few vintage primes sprinkled in there if I want to use them, and I'm good. I've never owned a 16-35, 24-70 or a 70-200. Heck, I can't think of one time where I was shooting with the 24GM and felt it wasn't wide enough, honestly. All that said, the Sigma 14-24 looks fun :) Finally, awesome to see someone still using an RII. I still use it and have no plans to upgrade until it stops working.
Re Lenses: If you only do landscape, you can do well with those 2 you mentioned. If you do a bit of architecture and need something for street scenes, something in between like 24-70 or 28 - 75 or 24 -105 is nice to have. If you need something for portraits or objects (like statues, memorials, gravestones, etc.) and need some separation from the background the 50 1.8 is quite afforable and does the job well enough. 2.8 isn't quite doing the trick unless you go past 80mm and usually more expensive in that range.
Thank you for this advice, and I found myself agreeing 100% with all points.... except having lenses of the full range of focal lengths. Here so many photographers urge people NOT to have this, as if it a better discipline to restrict oneself, and is if having the full range is a kind of laziness. But I simply love having the freedom to choose what photo to take from the point of view of actual composition and "compression". I did break the bank and don't regret this one bit. Of course, you're right that this is not necessary when starting out, and different photographers may have different priorities. And finally, when going on a long hike you do have to choose which lenses to take (considering weight), although it is hard to anticipate when you might want to use a particular lens, sonetimes, when unexpected opportunities arise! Thanks for the great and well-thought out video, Mark. Philip
Excellent video, I was skeptical but did a great job. I do mostly landscape and 10 year going through all your changes; and it convinced me. I do shoot manual as it is easier, I have APS-C Sony A6500, which helps for the lenses and weight, I use ND to stop action with waterfalls and similar. The rest is absolutely right, well done Mark.
My pet peeve is: "Get it right in camera and you won't have to edit it." This always comes from people who weren't there when I was shooting and can never quite tell me what I should have done to "get it right in camera." Great video--thanks for the reassurance!
So, I came up in the time of film and shot 4x5, Medium format and then 35mm. I have been a commercial photographer for years and I think that is where your disconnect happened with the Trinity. I do still carry everything from 14 up to 300 but I also was trained commercially. I imagine what I want then adjust the lens to achieve it. Prime shooters don't necessarily shoot that way and as you said, all of the intermediate focal lengths are not used by you. I will be the first to admit that I also don't use the 24-70 very much but it still stays in the bag out of habit. I also want to agree with you on the full frame VS. crop sensor statement. I have shot full frame digital for the last 12 years and that was purely because that is what I was used to. In fact, I still shoot my full frame Nikons for all of my purely commercial work. My nature photography work and my travel work all gets shot for the last few months on a pair of Fujis. They print at 16x20 without issue and the image quality is fantastic. I carry 2 bodies and 4 lenses and a drone and the camera cube weighs in at 10 pounds. My Nikons with 3 lenses and no drone tip the scales at 19 pounds. I am shooting mirrorless nikons by the way. I got rid of the D850s as quickly as I could once the Z cameras appeared. So, all of this said, what you are saying about bad advice is so true. Its' all over the place and it drives me nuts the things some people advise. Thanks again for a great video and keep up the good work!
One bit of advice. Don't depend on an on phone at app for a remote shutter. I had never had a problem until yesterday when the app wouldn't connect to the camera. I had thrown a plug in remote in the bag at the last minute, and I am glad that I did. I know I could have used the camera's built in timer, but it was easier, for me, to just plug the shutter release in.
The BEST advice I ever got (I've got lots of good advice) was...1) to learn everything about my camera, i.e., what it can do and what it can't do and don't pay attention to what it can't do, rather, master ALL that it can do ... 2) pick up the camera and shoot at least 1 image a day, NO MATTER WHAT (no excuses)... 3) Take your time and think about exactly what you are doing...
A tripod is a must as you get older. It helps nail down the composition and facilitates times of a few seconds or more, which I use. It also prevents 'spray and shoot' and steadies the camera. L brackets are a luxury. I'd need two different ones for my D7200 which I've a 10-20 lens and my D800 24-120 lens. I don't change lenses. I've had the former for years and the latter recently. I'm not going to purchases an expensive Full Frame wide angle at the moment and I'd have to change my ball head to arcoSwiss or whatever. I'm also not a pro. Yes I've abandoned graduated filters a long time ago for polariser and NDs. Finally I bracket and use the best shot in my opinion to edit. The dr in Nikon crops and fullframe is fantastic and I presume in the other brands as well. This Vlog has given food for thought 👍
Great video as always Mark, and some valid points too! Things like the tripod; I go bush from time to time for a few days, sometimes longer. If I took the time to setup and use the tripod for every photo, I'd never get to the next hut! Usually, if I really need to stabilise, I can find a tree, or rock to lean against, or press the camera up to, to steady it (I use the tripod from time to time but usually it stays attached to my back-pack). Waiting for those low angle early morning or evening shots; I'd never leave the hut if I did that; a lot of my shooting when I'm in the bush is done at all sorts of hours. Good thoughts on the GND filters too; I've got a set but hardly ever use them, unlike the PL filter. I do use a UV filter but more to protect the end of the lens than anything. As to the lenses: I've got a reasonable selection, but the majority of my work (I shoot Canon gear) is the EF 24-105 F4 L. Strange as it seems, I've never heard of an L-bracket. Might have to investigate that! Best advise? Get out there and play with your camera; try different settings, auto, manual, in between. You might surprise yourself!
Thank you so much for helping the ones just starting this path (me included!). I always liked photography, but I just started now because my uncle left me his Canon 5D mark ii. And lots of people, when I tell them the camera I have, tell me "Oh, you should upgrade to the mark iv!". Yes, and I would really like it, but I think that, if I'm starting, why do I need that BIG camera? And seeing your video now, helped a lot to not just follow "blindly" what more experienced photographers tell me. Even about the lenses, I have my wonderful EF 24-70 f2.8 for all purposes and I bought the 70-300mm because I like wildlife photography. For now, I think I am quite good! Thank you again for softening the path with (always) good advice! I am a fan!
There's actually a good argument that aps-c Crop sensor is better for landscape than full frame because you effective "gain" and f-stop in depth of field. You can shoot at f8 or f11 rather than f16 which are typically sharper f stops.
Great collection. Not sure if I'm out of the beginners phase after a few years of non professional but enthusiastic photography. But the worst advice I ever got, kind of aligns with you number 1. It was: Don't use zoom lenses. Specifically for landscape people told me that zoom lenses are bad. Agree with the rest, got a couple of burned out shoots, so tend to underexpose slightly with my Nikons.
Great video Mark! However, I do have another take on the Soft Graduated Neutral Density (GND) filter. I don't agree that using a soft GND is as destructive as folks make it out to be. If you find that your soft GND has made the image too dark you can use a graduated filter in Lightroom to lighten up the sky. Living in Washington State with our constant overcast and harsh skies in winter I find the soft GND extremely useful. Using the soft GND when in the very dark forest with harsh white/gray overcast skies allows me to crank up the exposure compensation which makes the foreground/forest much brighter which is how my eyes actually see the scene. I do agree if that I simply put a soft GND on my camera without cranking up the exposure compensation it would lead to a very dark exposure. For folks in such conditions being able to knock down the overcast skies and bring up the shadow detail in the forest makes a world of difference. Said another way when your back home after a 5-mile hike in the wet forest/mountain and you are at your computer you can't fix the noise and loss of detail in the shadow areas because you didn't use a soft GND. Also, it gets old taking multiple exposures and doing exposure blending.
I brought an L bracket and a few extra universal/arca swiss style quick release plates just last week. I use two tripods, one for photography and static cinematography and another very heavy, stable fluid head video tripod, usually with either a jib or a slider mounted on it. I just want to be able to move my cameras between my different setups easily. depending on what I'm doing. The L bracket is because I have a ball head on my lighter tripod. Brought a longer QR base plate to get the nodal point over the tripod's pivot point without packing an extra bit of kit.
Good stuff, many thanks! I would add just two things: 1. yes a tripod is not required all the time but if you're getting a tripod, get a good one right from the start - a good tripod can make a big difference to your image quality 2. IMHO, ETTR is a really valuable technique - you might not "need" it (or need it all the time) but even with high dynamic range cameras we all have, it does make a noticeable difference.
Much appreciated Tony! Agreed - a good tripod is worth it's weight in gold. ETTR is for sure something everyone should understand and it certainly has it's place - I just don't think its necessary on every single scene.
The advantage of shooting from a tripod is (apart when you need to because of too slow a shutter speed): (1) You have time to analyze your image for those pesky distraction magnets you're bound to miss via viewfinder but which jump at you at home, (2) Bracket shooting and mixing highlight/shadow zones is a lot easier as the images are properly aligned (except for clouds/water). But when in an inconvenient location (like a slope) shooting without a tripod is of course the way to go if you can ensure a blur-free image. Especially Full-Frame cameras have a huge workable ISO range to make use of to get the shutter speed needed. And there is always the weight to consider, of course. A lightweight tripod is attractive to carry but when it's a tad windy, you're actually better off without it. :)
Mark, you nailed it! You have validated several things that my wife and I do that we felt guilty before, such as always using a tripod or not having ND filters. As usual you are right on!
Great advice on the bad advice! Especially #1 is something I've been worried about because I wasn't sure if I had the equipment I needed to shoot what I want. Thanks!
So important tips hardest to come by and all these advice I'd embrace to my memory while I shoot any photograph and I already prefer some some of those like the knowledge of the equipment I own presently and one or two lenses from a little wide angle zoom (16/18mm) to short tele (55/80mm) and a longer range tele photo (55/250 - 300mm) on apsc format sensor and obviously my phone cam are the enough to shoot almost all type of conditions except some extreme conditions! The idea of owning an L-bracket with the tripod is invaluable which I couldn't have if you didn't have the experience of not owning one with a tripod! The use of tripod is also a secondary preference to conditions where you can shoot handheld using enough higher shutter speed for having a pronounced camera shake and when you have a camera body with inbuilt IBIS on! But not all the cameras being robust in features don't come with inbuilt IBIS and to own faster lenses you know involves a lot of consideration prompting to buy a tripod is a better alternative to check some money and getting away with not to go go for a lens which you don't have! Thank you lots for such invaluable advice!
Keep on shooting is the best advice :D, the ETTR thing is one of the advantage of a full frame camera after the resolution(for cropping) and low light, it has better dynamic range than small sensor. I use olympus and we usually tweak our histogram to have an indicator that we are still in the range of camera's dynamic range, a guidelines when to under or over expose :D. Regarding the tripod I'm coming from mostly handheld and I think as what other said it can slows you down but can aid on better composition. Nice video sir.
Everyone likes to explain what you have to do or purchase to be a good phototgrapher. But Nobody takes the time to look back if this was really helpful for himself. I appreciate your effort to share your experience with bad advices.
The RRS L-bracket has saved my A7RIII when it hit the ground several times over the last several years. Makes the camera easier to hold. Also so convenient for switching between landscape and portrait. Never take it off the camera. I've made the same mistake buying lenses. I of course like having them -- you know, to look at them... but in truth I use only a few now.
You'd be surprised at how good crop sensors are these days for astro photography after all its the lenses you use and the techniques you use both out in the field and in post that makes all the difference. In fact sometimes you can't even tell if its full frame or crop. BTW I use the Nikon D7500 for astro with fantastic results. Great video thanks for sharing.
Great advice Mark! I totally agree, especially the expose to the right. I do the same as you and often under expose just a bit to make sure I can recover detail in the sky.
Mark, sure enjoy these video's. I'm just getting back into the hobby so pretty new to all the gear that's available now. You really help with the learning curve! Thanks
You’ve got some great advice here. My son is interested in photography and is looking to a complete upgrade. I’m going to have him watch this and start a discussion. Some of this I’ve already pointed out, but coming from a different trusted source is always good and you added some things I didn’t think about.
god I wish I watched this 9 months ago.. I went balls deep, bought the best of the best lenses, from canon 16-35L, 25-70, 70-200 and 100-400. This is the best advice!!! literally all I use is the 16-35 for landscape and the 70-200 for photographing my kids, and longer reach landscapes.. Oh and yes L BRACKET IS A MUST!!!! bought mine not long after I discovered your channel lol
For the #1 point, I think this depends. Generally when we think of "holy trinity" we think fast glass. But for example, you could get a holy trinity of slower glass (the trinity is just a wide zoom, standard zoom and a telephoto zoom). Now perhaps depending on the stye, the last one may not be needed, but I think most landscape photographers would opt for the first two (wide angle and a standard zoom or standard set of prime lenses). As for the full frame, I would say that landscape is one genre (of a few) where you DON'T need a FF camera and that the output is not going to be noticeable since most people would shoot on a tripod most of the time, and thus be at a lower ISO. For one, modern APSC cameras have gotten quite good and rival FF cameras from every 5 years ago in terms of IQ and abilities (even higher ISOs). So the advice about going to FF and fast lenses (or the holy trinity in terms of fast lenses) is something people can ignore. I'm gong to guess that most people will be shooting at smaller apertures anyway doing landscape photography (so f/8 to f/16 probably) and if you don't need the shallow DOF you can really save some big bucks by buying the slower lenses (example: Nikon's 70-200 2.8's are around $2000-$2800, but their slower f/4 version for the F-mount DSLR is around $1000) and probably just about as sharp (just 1-stop slower). Now if you do want the shallower DOF, then you may have to invest in some faster lenses like 2.8's but it's not a requirement to do landscape photography (but it all comes down to taste). But this is one of the reasons that I'm sticking with a 14-30 f/4 lens and not bothering with the more expensive Z 14-24 2.8. I likely won't ever shoot landscape at 2.8 and I don't really shoot astro so I don't need the extra stop or want to spend the extra $1200.
Great Video Mark. I do however disagree with getting an L-Bracket as a must especially for someone like myself who must have a battery grip attached to my DSLR. In some ways I do see the benefit of using an L-Bracket to quickly orient your camera from Landscape to Vertical. Yes it allows you to work much quicker especially after you've successfully managed to get your tripod level however for someone like myself who uses a three-way tripod head and not a ball-head I have no problems switching from Landscape to Vertical. Yes it may take a bit of fine tuning to get my composition spot on but it's not impossible nor takes me much time. Second, the notion that makes shooting a panorama easier is somewhat subjective given the way Photoshop can effectively stitch panoramas these days. Other than that you're other tips are spot on, truly informative and definitely worthy of the highest recognition. Kudos to you man and happy shooting.
What you say about the holy trinity is true if you only shoot landscapes but I find it necessary to have the complete set (including zooms and primes). In fact, I have two completely different sets of gear for Landscapes and everything else. My landscape camera is a D810 with a Tamron 15-30 2.8 Zoom. I have primes for this rig but don’t use them for Landscape. For just about everything else I use Fuji XT3 and XT20 with 18-55 and 50-140 2.8.
Great video Mark! And spot on, completely agree, especially on the cropping. Yes, you want to get as close to the subject as possible, but many times, especially in a waterfall shot, that isn't possible. Keep up good work!
Mark, I couldn't agree more. On everything, really. I am glad I did not fall for all the bad advice listed on your video, but I certainly did for some. And yes, bad... The only thing I am not still sure is the tripod thing. The tripod I think it really depends on what you are looking for. For example, if I am chasing a composition, I just leave the tripod behind. But, if I already have a good idea of what my composition is, but still not sure if light conditions and other details are ok, then I like to have the tripod set. Even if it is just to have the camera ready. I am not sure if that makes sense to you...
Great video, Mark! Probably one of the nicest pieces of advice I ever received is something small. An encouragement to look much more into telephoto landscape photography like you are doing with the 100-400. There’s a lot of advice out there that pushes people primarily to the wide angle world, although it seems that has changed quite a bit. Some really bad advice I took to heart early on are some lazy composition oversimplification/“rules” like the “rule of thirds.” I doubt learning that “rule” helps much of anybody. As for your great tips, I’d take your challenge/great point on full frame sensors being “needed” or highly describable for landscape photography a step beyond what you’ve done here. It is true that full frame is superior for astrophotography when you are working with a single exposure. But, diving just a little bit more into astrophotography you are taking multiple exposures. It can be multiple shots of the shy for averaging (e.g. manually in Photoshop or with a program like Starry Landscape Stacker) for finer detail and noise control. A separate exposure or exposures for the foreground. Just a small amount of effort here allows a crop sensor to surpass what you get from a full frame sensor in a single exposure, and it is just a handful of additional exposures on the tripod and in the composition that has already been set up (and the same is typically done on full frame cameras as well). Getting a little bit more involved, considering the world of astrotrackers and deep sky photography, and you start to rub into many solutions where the pornographer deliberately chooses to use a crop sensor camera. Anyway, the push for full frame cameras in general landscape photography does not make much sense to me. Usually there’s less conversation, as well, on the merits of using more portable but still extremely high quality gear.
"I have spoken!"- Mark Denney Lol, awesome stuff sir and do agree with you in all you said. L bracket most of all. I never knew about them until I started watching a few youtubers that use them. I bought one and man does it help so much.
Perfect timing looking to buy a bracket for a newish camera. It's a must for landscape work same as a battery grip is for shooting wildlife or sports with long glass.
Some good advice Mark. You're the second pro to recommend not getting the graduated ND filters, but instead getting a round one ND filter for such things as waterfalls, etc.
Funny you mention the L bracket. I just got one this week. I shoot a lot of astro stuff, and man do I like it WAY better than using the slot on the ball head. It just seems way more stable. Not to mention composure...... Great video as always.
Many thanks Jan! Definitely so - I'm usually on a tripod unless something is unfolding quickly, but using one most certainly slows down the process in a highly beneficial way!
Me too. It's one of the best lessons I've learned about photography. It turns a mere activity into a form of zen practice. The downside of using a tripos and "slowing" the process: it also drives my family members UP THE WALL!
Mark, your videos are so grounded and I love watching each one of them. This one was absolutely brilliant as the advice you gave is priceless. Thank you Mark !
Another super Vlog and very sound advice. I have 5 lenses but as I am disabled with walking problems and a back problem I cant always get out and I have a macro so I can take close up shots in the garden as sometimes this is as far as I can go. But on good days I do like to go out into woods and listen to the wildlife around me and I can use the camera for anything I can see which catches my eye. But I do like getting out into the fresh air when I can. Good luck and stay safe in this epidemic world that has been put on us.
Mark, I just love your videos and the way you deliver great advice without all of the unnecessary bravado that so many other photographers who have TH-cam channels suffer from.
I shoot mostly landscapes and mainly use 15-35 and the 70-200 do have the 24-70 but that's mostly for events, polarizer a must, do use the 10stop nd, but u can do the same in camera, I say use full frame is almost a most since most crop sensors don't have the DR for sunrise and sunsets (there might be exceptions don't know), tripod a must if u using a 10stop LOL
I would even argue that a circular polarizer is a "nice to have" filter. I used to have one for landscape photography and eventually stopped using it altogether because I just wasn't thrilled with the results. Granted, this could be due to not great technique and improvement in my personal skills the last few years, but I never miss having one when I'm shooting. I would suggest a neutral density filter though.
Great, great video Mark. With reference to resolution, sensor size and prints, Ben Willmore has a great lesson on his Masters Academy on demystifying all the false data on that subject. Highly recommended.
I appreciate your thoughts on lenses. I have always felt lens-envy because I only own 3 and they don't cover the full range. But eventually I just learned to be happy with the few lenses I have, and decided to get good at shooting with them instead.
Mark, I just started watching and tip #9 is so true and you have put the point across very well, yes we should all know how to shoot in manual, but as you said there is nothing wrong with aperture or shutter priority.
i only keep a 10 stop nd filter for waterfalls and water in general, plus a polarizer. as for tripod i agree too, i shoot handheld especially when i need to get low. i live in the pacific northwest, and during the winter almost anytime of day unless the skies are clear. i shoot with a fujifilm x-t3, and with there lens tree it's just a phenominal camera, crop sensor and all, lol.
Best advice was to know your camera inside and out so you can shoot without even having to look for buttons or settings, you can do it without even thinking about it followed by practice, practice, practice! Worst piece of advice...you have to get it right in camera because editing is cheating! Another fun video Mark....unfortunately I've been there, done that on almost every bad piece of advice you mentioned!
"Trinity" and L-braket MIT - those are the WORS! - I just have a 8 lenses set (which off I haven't use few of them more then 3 times) for my old A77, and now shitch to A7rIII with 2 lenses.
Thank you for this! I just debated on getting a CPL filter over an ND after researching for weeks which is more important for my landscape shots. This video Definitely rethink the way i take pictures.
What’s the BEST photography advice you ever received??
Mark Denney You don’t need to use a tripod for that.
Breaking away from tripods helped a lot. It doesn’t mean you ignore them but it frees you up to try angles you probably wouldn’t consider before.
Aaand I’ve just reached that part of the video 😂
@@SteveMellorPhotography Hahah! I agree though - it cam be quite liberating!
Shoot landscapes in portrait more often, great advise and really gave me some of my better images
Just go shoot. Stop waiting on perfect conditions, just go shoot
I agree with a ton of what you said here Mark, great video. I will play devil's advocate on two points though. The first being the tripod. For me, alot of times the MAIN benefit of shooting on a tripod is the slow, thoughtful consideration of the composition. When we shoo handheld we often overlook distracting elements in the frame. but when your on a tripod, you can slow down and really inspect a shot for those little tweaks it can benefit from. 2. shooting to the right. I feel it still has its place, depending on the scene. If your shooting in a flat scene that is going to need immense amounts of contrast added to it.. say a vista where your shooting through lots of atmosphere. A shot that is exposed to the right will often hold up much better when you start stretching out that histogram with a bunch of contrast... more so than a shot that was exposed to the left. Great video man
Nick Page Thank ya buddy & I hope your recovering nicely from your dental procedure! Great points on both fronts! I’ll be honest I haven’t quite thought about ETTR in the scenario you outlined below, but that makes total sense. Appreciate the comment man👍
@@MarkDenneyPhoto Besides the point that Nick made, you should also think about ETTR in the scenario of a Canon shooter (they are still around *cough*). ETTR gives just superior quality on these Cameras. Sony and Nikon Users are a bit spoiled here ;-)
Michael Breitung Absolutely! Definitely depends on the camera you’re using.
@@mibreit-photo I agree, the dynamic range of the the newer sensors in Nikon and Sony cameras has spoiled us. Having said that, i catch myself getting lazy with my exposures. I tend to underexpose far more than I should/need to. And as a result I end getting more noise than if I would practice what I preach, and properly expose a bit more to the right (without blowing highlights)
I agree with ETTR, not all cameras have THAT much dynamic range.
"Don't crop?" Man, I crop on an 18 megapixel APS-C camera so much, that would send Jared Polin to a hospital
Hahahah!
Provided I shot at the base ISO and used a decent quality lens my 16mp M43 camera holds up incredibly well to cropping. I've zoomed in a bunch and converted from a landscape to portrait composition so many times and still come away with a usable image. It's noticably degraded if you zoom in further and I wouldn't print them but still looks great on my phone/PC screen when viewing the whole image. It's definitely bad advice for beginners not to crop, I would have waaaay less images I'm happy with by now without any cropping.
@@EliteKnowledgeClan Good / clever editing saves the day. I also put my photos through Neat Image Pro.
When Mark said to crop all I could think about was Jared Polin going on during his critiques "why have you cropped". I agree with Mark though, I crop all the time if it it means the resolution dropping a bit for a better feeling image then its a no brainer.
Back in the days of film, one used actually scissors to crop on paper copies going a size or two up from what one had in mind to keep and a special tape or the black ends of developed film and an X-acto knife to crop framed slides, by making a mask. :-)
I agree with it all. I always take advice with a grain of salt. Listen but do your research. I was told to go from my crop sensor to a full framed which I did because the camera I had was crap but it helped me learn a lot of what I was trying to do and I still have some great photos. The main reason I was told to go to full frame was because of astrophotography (which you mentioned). I have the D850 and LOVE it. I have two lenses and a third on it's way. Why? well one for landscape, one for wildlife that can also be used for landscape and the third will be a macro lens because I don't just do landscape. I might get a 4th but if I do it's way down the line for taking astrophotography easier but it's not necessary.
It is my considered opinion that your very natural, easy going, gentle way should come as no surprise to anyone. (I spotted him on the shelf just over your right shoulder.)
I enjoy every moment of your videos - and - I pretty much agree with your conclusions about the bad advice topics right down the line. When I finally realized (for myself) that it's not really about the gear - it's about understanding the Light and mastering how you use your gear to capture that light - knowing the capabilities AND the limitations of that gear. And, perhaps, most import of all (again, especially for me) - soak up the beauty that surrounds us and have fun. Cheers.
Don Hendricks Thanks so much for this Don! Very much appreciate it👍
I love your #2 anti-advice. I've always deliberately left cropping wiggle room in my shots because I frequently need to make shots on the run, and I might not have a perfectly flat horizon, or I might discover later that I've lined up slightly off-center on what I want to compose. With the massive pixel numbers of current sensors, leaving 5-10% edge space just makes sense since editing software makes it so easy to adjust any on-site imperfections.
This goes double if i'm trying to catch a particular transient condition in a landscape (moving clouds, angle of sun, etc). If it's there, I take the shot, and don't worry if I have perfect alignment. Note that I rarely have a tripod available, sometimes all I have is a smartphone.
Well done. Some I'd encountered before, but I'd felt guilty about not using a tripod much, and not shooting in manual mode. Now I feel less guilty
Ray Schoch Thanks Ray!
i would recommend the 24-105 as a starter lens, gives you a good wide and a good tele that way you get a good idea of what you might need if the 24-105 range is not enough
The best advice I ever received is, "If you like your photos It doesn't matter what other people think of your photos as long as your technique is correct." At the time I didn't know what he meant by "Technique" and was too intimidated to enquire. What I eventually learned is that he was referring to the "Rules of Composition". Such as the Rule of Thirds or the Rule of Three and others. When I eventually learned these Rules of Composition or "Techniques" my photography improved immensely and I was able to like and enjoy my work more and ignore other peoples subjective opinions.
Spot on regarding L brackets. Greatest thing ever. It's not just switching from horizontal to vertical, but they are far more stable.
Don't crop is bad advice. Composition by cropping isn't a great idea either though. Do it if you need to, but get it right in the field if you can.
The two best pieces of advice I have ever received are these: 1. Keep shooting. 2 Pay no attention to advice.
Hahaha! Love it Phillip!
Yavor Kapitanov In all the areas of my pursuits where “deliberate practice” is the way the advice I have found helpful was advice on how better to engage in deliberate practice. Actually the comment pay no attention to advice was tongue in cheek humor. But seriously advice that is imposed-“ this is what I do so you should do it too” hasn’t even better terribly helpful to me. And as a teacher, therapist and guide I have always tried to focus on how the person could develop themselves rather than how they could do more of what I do. And since what I did has always evolved what I would offer on day I wouldn’t at another time. Love your videos Mark and hope our paths cross agaIn.
Phillip Ziegler rules have always been meant to be broken, otherwise we’d have cops out of work and donut shops closing down 😜
Hugh Wolfe Loved your comment.
I will supplement your advice about getting an L-bracket. I got one early on and absolutely love it. One thing I will say is that I got a knock-off (Sunwayfoto) instead of the RRS for about 1/2 the price. An L-bracket is a simple piece of hardware and needn't cost into 3 figures. The knock-off I got works perfectly!
I agree with the apsc comments. I compensate for the lesser dynamic range of a full frame camera by bracketing my apsc camera and most post processing can easily address the higher color and shadow noise of apsc sensors.
I agree with all your points except 3. This is coming from 3 years of not using a l-bracket to now using it. I like it, but it is just a luxury. It would be on of the first thing I would leave at home to lighten my bag for a big trek.
I have been watching TH-cam videos on photography for many years and I have found that Your advice has been absolutely the very best out there. Everyone in our photography club readily agrees. Keep up the good, excellent, work Mark.
Mike Foster That means a lot Mike! Thanks for taking the time to let me know.
Hi Mark, I fully agree with most of your points. But concerning the one and only lens I can say from my years of experience that a beginner (who does maybe not even know in what focal ranges he likes to shoot) would definitely have better results when choosing a more universal 24-105mm (fullframe equivalent) focal range as your proposed lens is very wide and does not allow any tele shots at all (and maybe that would be the focal range that someone finally prefers). I own lenses from 15mm up to 400mm but quite honestly most of my great shots were done in the 24-105mm range.
The three signs of bad advice on any art form, “always, never, and have to.” If you hear any of these, proceed with caution.
Allen Bradford 100% agree Allen!!
Always try to have some sort of intelligent comment, like yours! :D
Never leave your VR turned on when doing 20 seconds on a tripod, lol
Except when it is in the sentence "Always make sure not to forget your memory cards!"
Don't ask me how I know 🙈
Really bad piece of advice I received: "A good tripod costs $1000 and below $300 there is not even a point buying anything." This really stopped me from buying any tripod at all since I could not afford a "good" one. Later I decided to ignore this advice and get one at the $100 price point. I have been using it for two years now and been in six countries with it. It is still working fine.
Yeah buddy, my 70 dollar tripod from target has served me well for 2 years now, light enough to carry comfortably and has a hook to weigh it down if I need to. Photography is a spending sport where everyone is competing to see who has wasted the most money lol
I have one for 20 Bucks and it is working now for nearly a year without a problem. It is enough for me, since I just rarely use a tripod. Happy I instead got another cheap lens than a 70€ tripod or something like this
Albert Einstein i just was on a fototravel and i had a tripod for like 20 bucks guess who was the one who used his the most just because mine was really light and i didnt care for it so i put it everywhere
Some of the best tripods I've used are older than me, built like tanks, and are sometimes available at thrift stores for pocket money.
Totally agree. I started with the cheapest one at the camera shop. I think it was $60. Lasted me 5 years and worked great, sure it was lacking a couple features, but it worked. Then I dropped it off a roof and it broke. But I honestly only upgraded to a $100 one that had those missing features I wanted
Mark, Great not to tips. You touched on L-brackets. I have a Canon 80D and it has a flip screen. If I shoot up high or down low I can't flip the screen to see the image because of the L-bracket is in the way. So if anyone has a flip screen, like the 80D, you can only use it flat to the back of the camera. So, I bought something I can't use to my advantage.
max million Much appreciated Max - thank you! I think it also depends on the camera as well. I have a Fuji XT-3 which has a multi directional flip out screen that I’m still able to use with my L bracket.
I shoot with an A7II and have noticed I often underexpose slightly as well, for the exact reason you stated. I find it's easier to correct highlights than shadows in post. That being said I wouldn't consider myself an expert by any measure, so take my two cents with a grain of salt. I've also grown to love deeply overcast days when shooting in the forest... Especially if there's a bit of rain. The soft overcast light with some moisture on bark, leaves, dirt, etc. brings out such rich colors and textures. I'm not sure why anyone would tell someone to not get an L bracket... I'm glad I listened to advice on getting one when I picked up my first good tripod. Couldn't imagine going without one now.
Hi Mark,
I appreciate this thoughtful offering. Thanks. I relate to much of what you said, and agree with you. Especially the L bracket... One of the best pieces of equipment I've purchased (and I didn't skimp, I bought a good one and worth every penny for multiple reasons!)
However, when it comes to your #1, my experience is slightly different. I have always loved photography and have spent my life as an enthusiast. When I got serious (about 7 years ago, and most intensely, 2 years ago) I began purchasing quality glass. My problem in committing to moving deeper into photography has been that I don't know what "type" of photographer I am. I wince when someone asks me "what do you shoot?" Because, I shoot whatever I find interesting. I'm not specializing or limiting myself. I'm experimenting and have found passion in landscape, street, macro, abstract, architecture and even portraiture. So, for me, investing in the "holy trinity" has been helpful in allowing me opportunity to experiment and hone my craft. I appreciate your advice for most. I agree, not everyone "needs" that setup to be a photographer, but to be able to experiment with different glass has helped me learn where my true passion is in photography.
Just my thoughts. Again, thanks for the informative and interesting perspective for beginners. Valuable!
Really good to hear the full frame debate around astrophotography. There's definitely tons of info out there about that debate, but not many people will say something specific about the benefits for astro. I'm still definitely a beginner and I haven't gotten to that point where I'm going to upgrade if I haven't had a real attempt with the camera I have. But the idea of astrophotography was what got me into photography as a hobby, so it's good to hear that so I can plan it out eventually. Thanks Mark!
Much appreciated Michael - thank you!
As to tripods, they are primarily used to manage slow shutter speeds, however I use a tripod to ease the slower pace of landscape photography. It allows me to set up my first contemplated composition and then adjust details like level, alternative composition framing, and adjust focus to optimize depth of field. These kinds of adjustments, including trial and error options, are difficult to do handheld with any organized approach.
Couldn't agree with you more! I'm almost always on a tripod but when things are happening quickly I have no problem jumping to handheld:)
I'm still a beginner and still fell into most of these. However, I'm glad I figured out which youtubers to watch and not the majority having you buy "the must haves" or telling you all the "do nots".
Many thanks for watching Leonard!
I really enjoy you can keep a convo without cutting....so many youtubers you can see them editing between sentences to cut out bad parts and put their sentences together. Great job! :)
Great video Mark. It all makes perfect sense (apart from your clock still showing 7:50!!). The best good advice I have seen is "to always take photos for yourself". Even if such a thing existed, the best photo in the world would still have critics, which proves that you will never please everyone.
Many thanks Roger! I totally agree!
Great advice! My last twelve years of enthusiastic photographing of landscapes starting with a 6MP point and shoot Kodak moving up through 12 and 20MP point and shoots to a Canon bridge camera then a Nikon 5300 dx and through a Canon 6D II and Sony A7 III and on to Nikon D850 and Nikon Z7 coincides almost completely with the adivce provided in this video. After watching this video a few hours ago, I went out in my scenic neighborhood in Hillsboro, Oregon to retake some shots of some of my favorite scenes. I tried taking these shots at different focal lengths and a few different f stops, ISOS and distances. Most of my shots were on automatic. I found that monkeying with manual settings resulted in the worst shots. After reviewing some of my nicest looking photos over the last twelve years taken with different cameras and reflecting on the countless recommendations of everyone from Tony Northrup to Jared Polin and other experts plus my own experience, I have reached the following conclustion.
IF YOU LIKE TAKING PICTURES, DON'T LISTEN TO ANYBODY. JUST GO OUT AND TAKE PICTURES OF BEAUTIFUL THINGS AND HAVE FUN WITH YOUR CAMERA. LOOK THROUGH YOUR VIEWFINDER AND IF YOU LIKE WHAT YOU SEE, SHOOT. THAT'S YOUR COMPOSITION. DON'T GET CONNED INTO MORTGAGING YOUR HOUSE TO BUY A HASSELBLAD. REMEMBER THE WALLS OF YOUR ROOM OR HOME CAN ONLY ACCOMMODATE A FEW LARGE PRINTS. YOUR PHOTOS WILL LOOK GREAT ON AN HD OR UHD TV SCREEN.
This doesn't mean that you can't learn things that you will find of personal value to your photography from other people. It does mean that you need to take a lot of the advice with a grain of salt.
Exposing to the right works better now than ever because of how good camera sensors are getting. Light is light, and more is always better than less.
It might seem like ettr isn't doing anything when you make the mistake of just dragging the exposure slider back to the left, but instead play with the shadows and highlight sliders first, and you'll retain do much more color and detail in the image.
Having sensors with higher dynamic range just make doing this even better since you can push it even further than before
Mark great video as always. I think it is useful to stop down in order to capture a RAW and also a JPG file that fulfills the artistic intent of the frame, but, I always capture an additional frame that is exposed as far to the right as possible in order to have as much information as possible. Half the information is contained in the last stop of light gathered by the sensor. You can always reduce the exposure in post without penalty but not the other way around. This method preserves the intent and provides the maximum possibility for future image processing in the future.
I had the first year experience that you mention but somehow resisted most of the advice. What i did discover quickly was the "golden hour" imperative. What I found was I was getting keepers in almost all conditions. In particular a thick forested area gives constantly changing light even at high noon. It is a challenge as the spotlight on wildflowers, tree mushrooms, or a strange shaped tree can be fleeting. This not only presents composition problems but demands a beginner learn the variables within the exposure triangle.
Some of the most valuable pieces of advice I've heard ever from a photographer on TH-cam. You are one of the few TH-camrs that I don't miss on TH-cam. Thanks, Mark. Much appreciated...!!!
Thanks a million for this comment - means a great deal!
Best advice I ever received is not to focus on the gear. Just get out there in the field.
Yep, that's solid advice!
First video I've watched of you and I enjoyed it. I stopped watching gear videos unless I want to purchase a piece of gear and need a review. The best advice I will always give to anyone is to first learn photography, second discover what type of photography you like, third get the right tools to create your art.
Paulo Pereira Thanks for watching and commenting Paulo!
For landscape photography, I would say a 24-105 f4 is the best thing for you to start with. Then perhaps get a 16-35 f4 if you find that you desire a wider angle and are shooting things where you cannot back up, or a 100-300 if you find that you need more zoom beyond the 105.
Hi Mark, I am so happy I found your channel. Been binge watching your videos for hours now. You explain things so well without any Peter McKinnon wannabee flaws. Thank you
OAP travel diary Thanks so much - super glad to hear you’re enjoying the channel👍
Great video Mark. It's easy to get hung up on these maxims, some of which are out-dated, and many which evolved when we were shooting film. You make an interesting point that some of the problems these rules were meant to avoid are much less of a problem as our technology advances. Cameras and editing programs are so much better than they were 10 years ago. For example, I can shoot off a burst of hand-held shots with a m.four-thirds camerea in a dark cathedral, blend them later in post, and end up with an image as clean as a full-frame exposure done on a tripod (some of the time anyway). Without good image stabilization and powerful editing tools, that would be impossible. I don't think I could have done this 10 years ago.
Jon Barnard Thanks so much Jon! Great to hear you enjoyed it. Appreciate you taking the time to watch and comment on it👍
Hi Mark, I am also learning landscape photography and I really like learning from you by watching your videos. Thanks for sharing your experience. Just wanted to check with you someone I get confused from your suggestion between two videos. For example I have watched one video in which you have suggested it's important to pick right time of day to get good photographs which is morning/evening including some time before sunrise and after sunset. But in this video you are suggesting that's bad advice and we can go at any time. Which I do agree because situation during the day could be difference. But the conflicting suggestion between videos could cause a bit of confusion, specifically beginner's like me :)
The usefulness of EttR is very dependent upon gear. I think for most full frame cameras it is no longer necessary because of the superior low-light performance and dynamic range. On my Pentax K-70 the effect is hit and miss, sometimes it destroys more colour information (because everything is compressed at the top end) than it saves me in the shadows. On my Em1-mark 1 however, it's definitely advisable, there is a clear improvement in quality if you EttR and then pull back the exposure to actual levels, than if you just expose naturally for the scene.
An L bracket saved my camera once - photographing lightning in a storm, a big gust blew my tripod right over and the camera landed smack onto the concrete (fortunately on the bracket side). Camera showed an error, and the strap eye was bent proper from the L bracket somewhat crushing it, but after reinserting the battery, it was completely fine! The L-bracket has a slight bend to it but it survived!
Some awesome advice Mark. Lens wise for me is 17-40L 24-105 Sigma (general purpose) 70-200L, I do have a 150-600 purely for wildlife, but it's taken me time to accrue this collection as you said work out what you need. As for the L bracket, every camera should have one installed on the body at the time of manufacture LOL!!
Tim Blake Hahah - that’s true Tim!
I agree with each point on your list. Sage advise of what not to do. I've found that is the most impactful way to learn for a lot of people.
Eric Heath Thanks Eric! I find that I learn the best that way as well.
Similar to you, I only either shoot wide or long.. and I find myself most commonly shooting long. Pair that with the crop rule and you can completely skip the mid focal lengths (35-70) just by cropping. If you really must, just get the fantastic plastic 50mm 1.8 or something. Super light and fills that gap well enough.
Interesting how many of these struck home to me. I also picked up an L-Bracket in the last few years and it’s been a game changer. Same with the lens selection. I am also on primary on 15-30 and 150-450 with a 50 and macro 100 prime to fill the middle. I use the 50 a lot but not the 100.
The crop advice is news to me. Although I will say I crop more aggressively now due to having more MP and shooting a lot of panos.
If I have the time I still always shoot on tripods you enable pano and stacking (hdr, focus) to capture more data regardless of shutter speed.
Nice video. Will be looking into more of your content.
Many thanks - glad you enjoyed it!
I didn't buy the holy trinity but i cover all the range with entry or middle tag lenses. And i upgrade the lense i used the most for an high quality Lense. Thanks for Micro4/3, i can work everyday with my 7lenses and it's not really heavier, and i often use 3 or for Lenses. I feel like i buy too much stuff but i use it, sometime.
Some of my (rambling) thoughts...
#8 - I never understood the love for ND grads. Not even when I was just starting out.
#4 - When I decided I wanted to get more serious about photography, I graduated from an old Nikon bridge camera straight to full-frame. I was given the original a7 as a gift, and the difference blew my brains out. But that was going from a tiny little 1/3.2" sensor. Since then I've also shot APS-C when I bought an a5000 to mess around with, and you're right I noticed very little difference.
#3 - I've been sitting on the fence on getting an L-bracket for a while, but honestly your video convinced me and I'm going to pick one up after I post this comment.
#2 - I worried about cropping when I started out, and then I came to the realization that it's pointless to worry about it. As long as the final image looks good it's gravy.
#1 - I worried about the holy trinity for a long time. Then I got the lenses I wanted instead. Now I have what I call my makeshift trinity of the 24GM, Tamron 28-75 and the 100-400GM (or occasionally the 70-300G to save weight) with a few vintage primes sprinkled in there if I want to use them, and I'm good. I've never owned a 16-35, 24-70 or a 70-200. Heck, I can't think of one time where I was shooting with the 24GM and felt it wasn't wide enough, honestly. All that said, the Sigma 14-24 looks fun :)
Finally, awesome to see someone still using an RII. I still use it and have no plans to upgrade until it stops working.
L bracket is one of my favorite gear accessory
Sunny Hwang Mine too😀
Generic ones are crazy cheap on ebay compared to brand name ones that are specifically made for your camera body.
Just bought an L bracket because I was SO frustrated in attempting to get a good portrait image using my ballhead.
Re Lenses: If you only do landscape, you can do well with those 2 you mentioned. If you do a bit of architecture and need something for street scenes, something in between like 24-70 or 28 - 75 or 24 -105 is nice to have. If you need something for portraits or objects (like statues, memorials, gravestones, etc.) and need some separation from the background the 50 1.8 is quite afforable and does the job well enough. 2.8 isn't quite doing the trick unless you go past 80mm and usually more expensive in that range.
I started with the D3200 and moved up to a D750 for landscape photography too!! Also for the same reasons...
Lesson learned.
Thank you for this advice, and I found myself agreeing 100% with all points.... except having lenses of the full range of focal lengths. Here so many photographers urge people NOT to have this, as if it a better discipline to restrict oneself, and is if having the full range is a kind of laziness. But I simply love having the freedom to choose what photo to take from the point of view of actual composition and "compression". I did break the bank and don't regret this one bit. Of course, you're right that this is not necessary when starting out, and different photographers may have different priorities. And finally, when going on a long hike you do have to choose which lenses to take (considering weight), although it is hard to anticipate when you might want to use a particular lens, sonetimes, when unexpected opportunities arise!
Thanks for the great and well-thought out video, Mark.
Philip
Excellent video, I was skeptical but did a great job. I do mostly landscape and 10 year going through all your changes; and it convinced me. I do shoot manual as it is easier, I have APS-C Sony A6500, which helps for the lenses and weight, I use ND to stop action with waterfalls and similar. The rest is absolutely right, well done Mark.
Much appreciated - thank you!
My pet peeve is: "Get it right in camera and you won't have to edit it." This always comes from people who weren't there when I was shooting and can never quite tell me what I should have done to "get it right in camera."
Great video--thanks for the reassurance!
Mario Dennis Glad you enjoyed it Mario
So, I came up in the time of film and shot 4x5, Medium format and then 35mm. I have been a commercial photographer for years and I think that is where your disconnect happened with the Trinity. I do still carry everything from 14 up to 300 but I also was trained commercially. I imagine what I want then adjust the lens to achieve it. Prime shooters don't necessarily shoot that way and as you said, all of the intermediate focal lengths are not used by you. I will be the first to admit that I also don't use the 24-70 very much but it still stays in the bag out of habit. I also want to agree with you on the full frame VS. crop sensor statement. I have shot full frame digital for the last 12 years and that was purely because that is what I was used to. In fact, I still shoot my full frame Nikons for all of my purely commercial work. My nature photography work and my travel work all gets shot for the last few months on a pair of Fujis. They print at 16x20 without issue and the image quality is fantastic. I carry 2 bodies and 4 lenses and a drone and the camera cube weighs in at 10 pounds. My Nikons with 3 lenses and no drone tip the scales at 19 pounds. I am shooting mirrorless nikons by the way. I got rid of the D850s as quickly as I could once the Z cameras appeared. So, all of this said, what you are saying about bad advice is so true. Its' all over the place and it drives me nuts the things some people advise. Thanks again for a great video and keep up the good work!
One bit of advice. Don't depend on an on phone at app for a remote shutter. I had never had a problem until yesterday when the app wouldn't connect to the camera. I had thrown a plug in remote in the bag at the last minute, and I am glad that I did. I know I could have used the camera's built in timer, but it was easier, for me, to just plug the shutter release in.
Yes, Ive used a phone app for that as well and experienced the same result!
The BEST advice I ever got (I've got lots of good advice) was...1) to learn everything about my camera, i.e., what it can do and what it can't do and don't pay attention to what it can't do, rather, master ALL that it can do ... 2) pick up the camera and shoot at least 1 image a day, NO MATTER WHAT (no excuses)... 3) Take your time and think about exactly what you are doing...
Steve Bearman I agree with you Steve! That’s all great advice!
A tripod is a must as you get older. It helps nail down the composition and facilitates times of a few seconds or more, which I use.
It also prevents 'spray and shoot' and steadies the camera. L brackets are a luxury. I'd need two different ones for my D7200 which I've a 10-20 lens and my D800 24-120 lens. I don't change lenses. I've had the former for years and the latter recently.
I'm not going to purchases an expensive Full Frame wide angle at the moment and I'd have to change my ball head to arcoSwiss or whatever.
I'm also not a pro. Yes I've abandoned graduated filters a long time ago for polariser and NDs.
Finally I bracket and use the best shot in my opinion to edit. The dr in Nikon crops and fullframe is fantastic and I presume in the other brands as well. This Vlog has given food for thought 👍
Thanks Eltin! Glad to hear you enjoyed it!
All excellent advise. The "L" Bracket is always ordered at the same time I purchase a new camera. Have no idea why more photographers don't use these.
Great video as always Mark, and some valid points too! Things like the tripod; I go bush from time to time for a few days, sometimes longer. If I took the time to setup and use the tripod for every photo, I'd never get to the next hut! Usually, if I really need to stabilise, I can find a tree, or rock to lean against, or press the camera up to, to steady it (I use the tripod from time to time but usually it stays attached to my back-pack). Waiting for those low angle early morning or evening shots; I'd never leave the hut if I did that; a lot of my shooting when I'm in the bush is done at all sorts of hours. Good thoughts on the GND filters too; I've got a set but hardly ever use them, unlike the PL filter. I do use a UV filter but more to protect the end of the lens than anything. As to the lenses: I've got a reasonable selection, but the majority of my work (I shoot Canon gear) is the EF 24-105 F4 L. Strange as it seems, I've never heard of an L-bracket. Might have to investigate that! Best advise? Get out there and play with your camera; try different settings, auto, manual, in between. You might surprise yourself!
Thank you so much for helping the ones just starting this path (me included!). I always liked photography, but I just started now because my uncle left me his Canon 5D mark ii. And lots of people, when I tell them the camera I have, tell me "Oh, you should upgrade to the mark iv!". Yes, and I would really like it, but I think that, if I'm starting, why do I need that BIG camera? And seeing your video now, helped a lot to not just follow "blindly" what more experienced photographers tell me. Even about the lenses, I have my wonderful EF 24-70 f2.8 for all purposes and I bought the 70-300mm because I like wildlife photography. For now, I think I am quite good! Thank you again for softening the path with (always) good advice! I am a fan!
Thanks so much for this Barbara! It's great to hear the videos are helpful!
There's actually a good argument that aps-c Crop sensor is better for landscape than full frame because you effective "gain" and f-stop in depth of field. You can shoot at f8 or f11 rather than f16 which are typically sharper f stops.
Great collection. Not sure if I'm out of the beginners phase after a few years of non professional but enthusiastic photography. But the worst advice I ever got, kind of aligns with you number 1. It was: Don't use zoom lenses. Specifically for landscape people told me that zoom lenses are bad. Agree with the rest, got a couple of burned out shoots, so tend to underexpose slightly with my Nikons.
Great video Mark! However, I do have another take on the Soft Graduated Neutral Density (GND) filter. I don't agree that using a soft GND is as destructive as folks make it out to be. If you find that your soft GND has made the image too dark you can use a graduated filter in Lightroom to lighten up the sky. Living in Washington State with our constant overcast and harsh skies in winter I find the soft GND extremely useful. Using the soft GND when in the very dark forest with harsh white/gray overcast skies allows me to crank up the exposure compensation which makes the foreground/forest much brighter which is how my eyes actually see the scene. I do agree if that I simply put a soft GND on my camera without cranking up the exposure compensation it would lead to a very dark exposure. For folks in such conditions being able to knock down the overcast skies and bring up the shadow detail in the forest makes a world of difference. Said another way when your back home after a 5-mile hike in the wet forest/mountain and you are at your computer you can't fix the noise and loss of detail in the shadow areas because you didn't use a soft GND. Also, it gets old taking multiple exposures and doing exposure blending.
I brought an L bracket and a few extra universal/arca swiss style quick release plates just last week.
I use two tripods, one for photography and static cinematography and another very heavy, stable fluid head video tripod, usually with either a jib or a slider mounted on it.
I just want to be able to move my cameras between my different setups easily. depending on what I'm doing.
The L bracket is because I have a ball head on my lighter tripod. Brought a longer QR base plate to get the nodal point over the tripod's pivot point without packing an extra bit of kit.
Good stuff, many thanks! I would add just two things: 1. yes a tripod is not required all the time but if you're getting a tripod, get a good one right from the start - a good tripod can make a big difference to your image quality 2. IMHO, ETTR is a really valuable technique - you might not "need" it (or need it all the time) but even with high dynamic range cameras we all have, it does make a noticeable difference.
Much appreciated Tony! Agreed - a good tripod is worth it's weight in gold. ETTR is for sure something everyone should understand and it certainly has it's place - I just don't think its necessary on every single scene.
The advantage of shooting from a tripod is (apart when you need to because of too slow a shutter speed): (1) You have time to analyze your image for those pesky distraction magnets you're bound to miss via viewfinder but which jump at you at home, (2) Bracket shooting and mixing highlight/shadow zones is a lot easier as the images are properly aligned (except for clouds/water). But when in an inconvenient location (like a slope) shooting without a tripod is of course the way to go if you can ensure a blur-free image. Especially Full-Frame cameras have a huge workable ISO range to make use of to get the shutter speed needed. And there is always the weight to consider, of course. A lightweight tripod is attractive to carry but when it's a tad windy, you're actually better off without it. :)
Mark, you nailed it! You have validated several things that my wife and I do that we felt guilty before, such as always using a tripod or not having ND filters. As usual you are right on!
Many thanks Mike! Really appreciate it friend!
Great advice on the bad advice! Especially #1 is something I've been worried about because I wasn't sure if I had the equipment I needed to shoot what I want. Thanks!
So important tips hardest to come by and all these advice I'd embrace to my memory while I shoot any photograph and I already prefer some some of those like the knowledge of the equipment I own presently and one or two lenses from a little wide angle zoom (16/18mm) to short tele (55/80mm) and a longer range tele photo (55/250 - 300mm) on apsc format sensor and obviously my phone cam are the enough to shoot almost all type of conditions except some extreme conditions! The idea of owning an L-bracket with the tripod is invaluable which I couldn't have if you didn't have the experience of not owning one with a tripod! The use of tripod is also a secondary preference to conditions where you can shoot handheld using enough higher shutter speed for having a pronounced camera shake and when you have a camera body with inbuilt IBIS on! But not all the cameras being robust in features don't come with inbuilt IBIS and to own faster lenses you know involves a lot of consideration prompting to buy a tripod is a better alternative to check some money and getting away with not to go go for a lens which you don't have! Thank you lots for such invaluable advice!
Keep on shooting is the best advice :D, the ETTR thing is one of the advantage of a full frame camera after the resolution(for cropping) and low light, it has better dynamic range than small sensor. I use olympus and we usually tweak our histogram to have an indicator that we are still in the range of camera's dynamic range, a guidelines when to under or over expose :D. Regarding the tripod I'm coming from mostly handheld and I think as what other said it can slows you down but can aid on better composition. Nice video sir.
my cheap rebel canon. blows me away every time, when i get a good shot. it's art. love it. thank you
Everyone likes to explain what you have to do or purchase to be a good phototgrapher. But Nobody takes the time to look back if this was really helpful for himself. I appreciate your effort to share your experience with bad advices.
Thanks so much!
The RRS L-bracket has saved my A7RIII when it hit the ground several times over the last several years. Makes the camera easier to hold. Also so convenient for switching between landscape and portrait. Never take it off the camera. I've made the same mistake buying lenses. I of course like having them -- you know, to look at them... but in truth I use only a few now.
Tony Pierce I’m the same way Tony! I rarely remove my l bracket.
You'd be surprised at how good crop sensors are these days for astro photography after all its the lenses you use and the techniques you use both out in the field and in post that makes all the difference. In fact sometimes you can't even tell if its full frame or crop. BTW I use the Nikon D7500 for astro with fantastic results. Great video thanks for sharing.
Great advice Mark! I totally agree, especially the expose to the right. I do the same as you and often under expose just a bit to make sure I can recover detail in the sky.
Appreciate ya Paul! Thanks for watching this weeks video!
Im a self lerning person who has photo as hobby so any advice i have is from you and im thankfull for that. Keep doing what u are doing.
I appreciate ya Brano! Happy to hear the videos are helping!
Mark, sure enjoy these video's. I'm just getting back into the hobby so pretty new to all the gear that's available now. You really help with the learning curve! Thanks
This is great to hear Craig - thank YOU!
You’ve got some great advice here. My son is interested in photography and is looking to a complete upgrade. I’m going to have him watch this and start a discussion. Some of this I’ve already pointed out, but coming from a different trusted source is always good and you added some things I didn’t think about.
Much appreciated Gary - thank you!
god I wish I watched this 9 months ago.. I went balls deep, bought the best of the best lenses, from canon 16-35L, 25-70, 70-200 and 100-400. This is the best advice!!! literally all I use is the 16-35 for landscape and the 70-200 for photographing my kids, and longer reach landscapes.. Oh and yes L BRACKET IS A MUST!!!! bought mine not long after I discovered your channel lol
For the #1 point, I think this depends. Generally when we think of "holy trinity" we think fast glass. But for example, you could get a holy trinity of slower glass (the trinity is just a wide zoom, standard zoom and a telephoto zoom). Now perhaps depending on the stye, the last one may not be needed, but I think most landscape photographers would opt for the first two (wide angle and a standard zoom or standard set of prime lenses). As for the full frame, I would say that landscape is one genre (of a few) where you DON'T need a FF camera and that the output is not going to be noticeable since most people would shoot on a tripod most of the time, and thus be at a lower ISO. For one, modern APSC cameras have gotten quite good and rival FF cameras from every 5 years ago in terms of IQ and abilities (even higher ISOs). So the advice about going to FF and fast lenses (or the holy trinity in terms of fast lenses) is something people can ignore. I'm gong to guess that most people will be shooting at smaller apertures anyway doing landscape photography (so f/8 to f/16 probably) and if you don't need the shallow DOF you can really save some big bucks by buying the slower lenses (example: Nikon's 70-200 2.8's are around $2000-$2800, but their slower f/4 version for the F-mount DSLR is around $1000) and probably just about as sharp (just 1-stop slower). Now if you do want the shallower DOF, then you may have to invest in some faster lenses like 2.8's but it's not a requirement to do landscape photography (but it all comes down to taste). But this is one of the reasons that I'm sticking with a 14-30 f/4 lens and not bothering with the more expensive Z 14-24 2.8. I likely won't ever shoot landscape at 2.8 and I don't really shoot astro so I don't need the extra stop or want to spend the extra $1200.
Great Video Mark. I do however disagree with getting an L-Bracket as a must especially for someone like myself who must have a battery grip attached to my DSLR. In some ways I do see the benefit of using an L-Bracket to quickly orient your camera from Landscape to Vertical. Yes it allows you to work much quicker especially after you've successfully managed to get your tripod level however for someone like myself who uses a three-way tripod head and not a ball-head I have no problems switching from Landscape to Vertical. Yes it may take a bit of fine tuning to get my composition spot on but it's not impossible nor takes me much time. Second, the notion that makes shooting a panorama easier is somewhat subjective given the way Photoshop can effectively stitch panoramas these days. Other than that you're other tips are spot on, truly informative and definitely worthy of the highest recognition. Kudos to you man and happy shooting.
What you say about the holy trinity is true if you only shoot landscapes but I find it necessary to have the complete set (including zooms and primes). In fact, I have two completely different sets of gear for Landscapes and everything else. My landscape camera is a D810 with a Tamron 15-30 2.8 Zoom. I have primes for this rig but don’t use them for Landscape. For just about everything else I use Fuji XT3 and XT20 with 18-55 and 50-140 2.8.
Great video! A nice L-bracket is the first thing I buy for a new camera. Absolutely makes shooting anything on a tripod a breeze.
Pug Henry 100%!!
Great video Mark! And spot on, completely agree, especially on the cropping. Yes, you want to get as close to the subject as possible, but many times, especially in a waterfall shot, that isn't possible. Keep up good work!
Mark, I couldn't agree more. On everything, really. I am glad I did not fall for all the bad advice listed on your video, but I certainly did for some. And yes, bad...
The only thing I am not still sure is the tripod thing. The tripod I think it really depends on what you are looking for. For example, if I am chasing a composition, I just leave the tripod behind. But, if I already have a good idea of what my composition is, but still not sure if light conditions and other details are ok, then I like to have the tripod set. Even if it is just to have the camera ready. I am not sure if that makes sense to you...
Thanks for watching Leandro!
Great video, Mark!
Probably one of the nicest pieces of advice I ever received is something small. An encouragement to look much more into telephoto landscape photography like you are doing with the 100-400. There’s a lot of advice out there that pushes people primarily to the wide angle world, although it seems that has changed quite a bit.
Some really bad advice I took to heart early on are some lazy composition oversimplification/“rules” like the “rule of thirds.” I doubt learning that “rule” helps much of anybody.
As for your great tips, I’d take your challenge/great point on full frame sensors being “needed” or highly describable for landscape photography a step beyond what you’ve done here. It is true that full frame is superior for astrophotography when you are working with a single exposure. But, diving just a little bit more into astrophotography you are taking multiple exposures. It can be multiple shots of the shy for averaging (e.g. manually in Photoshop or with a program like Starry Landscape Stacker) for finer detail and noise control. A separate exposure or exposures for the foreground. Just a small amount of effort here allows a crop sensor to surpass what you get from a full frame sensor in a single exposure, and it is just a handful of additional exposures on the tripod and in the composition that has already been set up (and the same is typically done on full frame cameras as well). Getting a little bit more involved, considering the world of astrotrackers and deep sky photography, and you start to rub into many solutions where the pornographer deliberately chooses to use a crop sensor camera. Anyway, the push for full frame cameras in general landscape photography does not make much sense to me. Usually there’s less conversation, as well, on the merits of using more portable but still extremely high quality gear.
James Peirce Thanks James and thanks for taking the time to post this comment - good stuff👍
"I have spoken!"- Mark Denney Lol, awesome stuff sir and do agree with you in all you said. L bracket most of all. I never knew about them until I started watching a few youtubers that use them. I bought one and man does it help so much.
Hahah! Thanks Travis! I was in the same boat, but what a difference they make!
Perfect timing looking to buy a bracket for a newish camera. It's a must for landscape work same as a battery grip is for shooting wildlife or sports with long glass.
Some good advice Mark. You're the second pro to recommend not getting the graduated ND filters, but instead getting a round one ND filter for such things as waterfalls, etc.
Much appreciated Rod - thank ya!
Funny you mention the L bracket. I just got one this week. I shoot a lot of astro stuff, and man do I like it WAY better than using the slot on the ball head. It just seems way more stable. Not to mention composure...... Great video as always.
Sound, sound advice 👍🏼 I do agree with nick page about a tripod making you slow down and be more considered. Hand held I can be a bit trigger happy. 🙈
Many thanks Jan! Definitely so - I'm usually on a tripod unless something is unfolding quickly, but using one most certainly slows down the process in a highly beneficial way!
Me too. It's one of the best lessons I've learned about photography. It turns a mere activity into a form of zen practice. The downside of using a tripos and "slowing" the process: it also drives my family members UP THE WALL!
Mark, your videos are so grounded and I love watching each one of them. This one was absolutely brilliant as the advice you gave is priceless. Thank you Mark !
Thanks so much Anuja! Glad to hear you enjoyed it!
Another super Vlog and very sound advice. I have 5 lenses but as I am disabled with walking problems and a back problem I cant always get out and I have a macro so I can take close up shots in the garden as sometimes this is as far as I can go. But on good days I do like to go out into woods and listen to the wildlife around me and I can use the camera for anything I can see which catches my eye. But I do like getting out into the fresh air when I can. Good luck and stay safe in this epidemic world that has been put on us.
Mark, I just love your videos and the way you deliver great advice without all of the unnecessary bravado that so many other photographers who have TH-cam channels suffer from.
Thanks so much! Great to hear you enjoy the videos!
I shoot mostly landscapes and mainly use 15-35 and the 70-200 do have the 24-70 but that's mostly for events, polarizer a must, do use the 10stop nd, but u can do the same in camera, I say use full frame is almost a most since most crop sensors don't have the DR for sunrise and sunsets (there might be exceptions don't know), tripod a must if u using a 10stop LOL
I would even argue that a circular polarizer is a "nice to have" filter. I used to have one for landscape photography and eventually stopped using it altogether because I just wasn't thrilled with the results. Granted, this could be due to not great technique and improvement in my personal skills the last few years, but I never miss having one when I'm shooting. I would suggest a neutral density filter though.
Great, great video Mark. With reference to resolution, sensor size and prints, Ben Willmore has a great lesson on his Masters Academy on demystifying all the false data on that subject. Highly recommended.
Paul Graham Much appreciated Paul and thanks for the recommendation as well!
I appreciate your thoughts on lenses. I have always felt lens-envy because I only own 3 and they don't cover the full range. But eventually I just learned to be happy with the few lenses I have, and decided to get good at shooting with them instead.
Absolutely! No problem at all with perfecting what you have. I wish I would have done that years ago!
Mark, I just started watching and tip #9 is so true and you have put the point across very well, yes we should all know how to shoot in manual, but as you said there is nothing wrong with aperture or shutter priority.
Thanks for watching the video John!
i only keep a 10 stop nd filter for waterfalls and water in general, plus a polarizer. as for tripod i agree too, i shoot handheld especially when i need to get low. i live in the pacific northwest, and during the winter almost anytime of day unless the skies are clear. i shoot with a fujifilm x-t3, and with there lens tree it's just a phenominal camera, crop sensor and all, lol.
Best advice was to know your camera inside and out so you can shoot without even having to look for buttons or settings, you can do it without even thinking about it followed by practice, practice, practice! Worst piece of advice...you have to get it right in camera because editing is cheating!
Another fun video Mark....unfortunately I've been there, done that on almost every bad piece of advice you mentioned!
Thanks so much Paula! I think we've all been there one way or another at some point.
"Trinity" and L-braket MIT - those are the WORS! - I just have a 8 lenses set (which off I haven't use few of them more then 3 times) for my old A77, and now shitch to A7rIII with 2 lenses.
Thank you for this! I just debated on getting a CPL filter over an ND after researching for weeks which is more important for my landscape shots. This video Definitely rethink the way i take pictures.
Thank YOU for watching it!