Creating a sense of scale using nature’s layers! With @viajaentusofa / “When we began our travels, our choice favored large urban centers boasting significant monuments that we could explore. It’s remarkable that for ten years, our priorities have shifted. When considering our upcoming destination, mountains, lakes, or tranquil natural settings has become vital because they enable us to unwind for a few days. This evolution in our preferences is attributed to our exposure to these remarkable places, which have become some of my favorites. The scale and mountain layers enhance their beauty, demonstrating why camping, and the liberty it provides, is a superb method for landscape photography. Typically, the mountain peaks and other rock formations are more visible during the early morning and late afternoon when the sun is low on the horizon, casting long shadows that accentuate the contours of the landscape. So if you can camp close to your favorite subjects and capture them during sunrise or sunset, your images will likely look way better. The visibility of the cliffs can also be affected by weather conditions. Your subjects will be more visible on clear days with minimal haze or fog. The season can also play a role. In the fall, for example, the changing colors of the leaves in the forest can create a beautiful contrast against the surrounding landscape, making the layers of nature more visible. In this sense and while shooting on location, to form the backdrop, far-off mountains or hills are interesting. For the middle layer, seek out tree groupings, hills at intermediate distances, groups of objects, rivers, or lakes. If you have a body of water in the foreground, altering your viewpoint may enable you to observe a reflection of your subject, which can generate further intrigue - see pic 2. For the front layer, try using rocks, grass, or a person - compare pics 1 to 10. If you place an object in the foreground, you can add weight and balance to your image - especially when you change your perspective by getting lower, as demonstrated in picture 6. @viajaentusofa: Have your travel preferences evolved over the years too? 🥾

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1天前

Essential tips for highlighting the scale of mountain ranges! With @nickstirbis - Winner Best of the Week 12 at #nomadict / “I captured the photo that won Best of the Week on a recent trip to Patagonia. On our fourth morning in El Chaltén, Mylz and I woke up to clear skies and caught our first glimpse of Cerro Torre and Fitz Roy in the blue hour. We hiked up to Laguna Torre after watching a breathtaking sunrise over the Fitz Roy massif. At the end of the lake is the base of Cerro Torre, a notorious mountain that any climber around the world knows. Standing at the base of this mountain as an avid climber was a humbling experience, and it felt like a massive accomplishment after my relatively short time pursuing photography professionally. The moment felt huge, but getting the actual photograph was a relatively small part of it—I had Mylz pose on our way out of the basin, snapped the picture, and headed back down to town. I think that is part of what makes the photo special - it captures the raw feeling of being there in a simple way, with the clouds drifting between the mountains and the wind howling around us. It is that emotion and drama that speaks to me when I look back at the photo, and I would say it made the days of waiting completely worth it. My goal here was to highlight the scale of Cerro Torre, and that is what guided the composition choice for the image. With the moment being such a humbling experience, I chose to replicate the drama of that feeling with a 135mm focal length. I wanted the photo to look realistic while still being warm and stylized. In post-production, I went for a more teal blue and increased the saturation of the oranges and reds. Lastly, since there was a lot of contrast between the foreground and the mountain, I made sure to keep the shadows up and highlights down.” Congratulations @nickstirbis! You can read the original article by visiting the link in our bio!

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2天前

Comment “Free Preset” to achieve this atmospheric palette developed by @florisgone in your images! 🎨 Make sure you are following @colorpro to receive the preset in your DMs! 📨 @florisgone: “I enjoy waking up early for sunrise, it is all about giving yourself the chance to get lucky. You can plan carefully and choose the right season, but sometimes, it just comes down to whether the conditions align. 1) Mist over the land and golden light at sunrise — these are the moments I look for. Mist brings a sense of mystery, and sunrise light adds warmth and contrast that make the image feel alive. Together, they turn a simple landscape into something special. Then, in post-production, you can follow these steps to enhance the atmosphere even more: 2) Start in the basic panel. Slightly lower the exposure if your image is too bright, and increase the contrast to add depth. Reduce the highlights to bring back detail in the sky, and lift the shadows to soften the darker areas. Adjust whites and blacks to balance the overall light. Lower the clarity and dehaze sliders - this helps create that dreamy, misty feel. 3) Use the point curve to slightly lift the darks (black point) for a soft matte effect, and lower the highlights to create a more muted glow. 4) In the HSL panel, shift the orange hue slightly toward red for warmth.  Move the green hue toward yellow to create softer, more natural vegetation. Desaturate the greens and blues to avoid an overly colorful look, and increase the orange luminance to brighten golden sunlight. You can also lower the blue luminance to give skies and water more mood. 5) Then go into color grading. Add a warm tone to the highlights and a colder tone (to the shadows. This balance gives your photo that signature warm-vs-cool contrast, which works well for misty sunrises. 6) Finally, use the calibration panel to tie the colors together. Shift the blue primary hue toward teal and slightly reduce its saturation to tone down cool colors.” @colorpro: Scroll to see the fantastic before-and-after by @florisgone! 🎨 Download the preset and share your edits using #ColorProWithMe!

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3天前

Monochromatic color palettes with desaturated navy blues and greys for developing your seascapes and nature images! With @benthouard / The fact that blue is considered a trustworthy color has much to do with its darkest shade: navy blue. The name was coined after it was first used in the uniforms of the British Royal Navy. This deep color, paired with pearl white, looked stunning against the equally deep blue ocean and became a standard in navies worldwide, reinforcing the formality of navy blue. Navy blue is a timeless color that pairs well with most shades, and its versatility makes it perfect for exploring and creating a myriad of color schemes. It acts as a neutral color in palettes featuring bright tones like pink, lime, and yellow, while in combination with burgundy, pine green, and beige white, it evokes winter memories. In the first image of this series, the dominant color, 1c2632, is the closest to navy blue, but it has a noticeable gray undertone, making it stormier and more muted than a classic navy blue. Most of the palette uses a lighter version of navy blue, shifting towards cool grays and soft blues. This combination forms a monochromatic palette, as all the colors are variations of blue-gray tones, ranging from dark to light. It produces a cohesive visual effect, ideal for subtle, sophisticated, and atmospheric imagery. This effect is partly due to the gray touch in most of the dominant colors in the palette. Gray is a color without inherent strength, conformist, and always seeking adaptation. Whether we perceive it as light or dark depends on the surrounding colors. This subtle, adaptive quality makes it perfect for creating a sense of unity and balance in your images. Below, you can find the color analysis of image one in case you would like to implement this palette in your future seascapes or nature photography: 1c2632 – A very dark blue-gray 36424d – A slightly lighter grayish-blue 586776 – A desaturated blue with hints of gray 909eab – A soft, muted gray-blue d6dbe2 – A pale, almost silvery gray @nomadict: Which of these palettes by @benthouard inspires you the most? 🌊

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4天前

Six essential elements to great vintage looking street photography! With @fredrik.axling / “I’ve always enjoyed watching movies and TV series - perhaps that is where my passion for street photography began. When I first picked up a camera, I photographed just about everything. But, the moment I started capturing people, my images started to feel more interesting. From there, things moved quickly. Before I knew it, I had become a street photographer. Even from the start, I loved the vintage and retro style. I appreciate images where it is hard to tell when the photo was taken. Along the way, I have noticed certain elements that often give my images this timeless quality. These details—both in the way I shoot and edit—have become essential to how I approach vintage looking street photography today: 1) For me, the cinematic feel starts with the candid nature of the moment. I try to enhance that feeling through editing, but I never stage or direct street shots - doing so would take away the authenticity that makes them powerful. 2) I look for people with a distinctive or interesting appearance, which can naturally add a cinematic touch. In more portrait-like shots, the person’s character is key, followed closely by good lighting. 3) Expression is another essential element. A subtle look or gesture can often say more than the setting itself. 4) When capturing a wider scene, including a person is not always necessary, though it can help - a strong composition, good light, and an engaging setting matter most. 5) I also enjoy using lenses with a shallow depth of field to create depth and atmosphere. I appreciate shots where people are out of focus or slightly blurred from slower shutter speeds - it adds a sense of movement and mystery. 6) Ultimately, the best shots often have an element of mystery and something left unsaid that invites the viewer to look closer. That is one reason I love using reflections - they are perfect for creating that sense of intrigue.” @nomadict: What other elements would you recommend for creating strong vintage street photography? 📸

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5天前

Creative techniques and composition strategies to capture iconic locations differently! With @__orsini / Photographing iconic places is both a gift and a challenge. Places like Mont-Saint-Michel are rich in visual history, and yet, in the hands of a thoughtful photographer, even the most familiar landmarks can feel fresh again. These images by @__orsini are a good example. Below, we’re diving into a few research-backed photography techniques to help you create images of Mont-Saint-Michel (or any iconic location) that feel fresh: 1) Most of us learn the “rule of thirds” early on. But did you know there’s another rule called the diagonal method? Instead of placing your subject off to the side, you place key elements along the diagonal lines of your frame. It creates more tension and energy — and can make even a familiar subject feel more dynamic. 2) Photographic studies show that when a photo has strong lines leading somewhere, viewers spend more time looking at it — and feel more connected to the subject. For this location, look for the tide lines in the sand, the causeway at low tide, or even the curve of the clouds on a stormy day. Use these elements to lead the viewer’s eye directly to the abbey. 3) Our brains love patterns, but we notice when something breaks them. That’s why you can make a stronger image by adding something that doesn’t belong. Like a lone bird in the sky. A person in bright red. 4) Get low, high, or anywhere new. Changing your perspective can change everything! 5) Frame it like you are telling a secret. Use archways, tree branches, or even other people in the frame to “peek” at Mont-Saint-Michel instead of showing it all at once - like you’ve discovered a secret view. 6) Lastly, you don’t need the best camera in the world, but the gear you choose shapes how you see: a tilt-shift lens keeps vertical lines straight for a clean architectural look, a telephoto lens brings distant details closer and compresses layers, a drone reveals the vastness of the bay from above, and a film camera slows you down, making you more intentional while capturing timeless colors and textures.”

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7天前

Simple steps to use color to elevate your photography brand! With @platoux / Colors and brands share a close connection, as colors can instantly convey meaning and messages, eliminating the need for words. Furthermore, color alone can influence people’s attraction to a message about 60% of the time, increasing brand recognition by up to 80%. If you are starting as an outdoor photographer, to use color effectively and build a strong brand on social media, consider the following steps: 1) Get familiar with color theory and think about colors that complement each other or are analogous on the color wheel. Complementary colors create high contrast and catch the eye, while analogous colors provide balance and harmony - pictures 7 and 8 are good examples. 2) Identify the dominant colors in your favorite landscapes and see which color combinations work best. 3) Choose color schemes for the landscapes you photograph the most. For example, have a specific color scheme for deserts, mountains, forests, and coastal areas. 4) Consider how light, weather, and the seasons can affect the colors in your go-to landscapes, and plan your trips accordingly. 5) Edit your images following color theory, adjusting the tones and hues to your selected color scheme. 6) Once you have completed your edits, select your favorite images and organize them on Preview, Canva, or any other tool to see how they can fit together on your feed. 7) Create a color-based feed for your social media, following color theory and considering the color combinations in your landscape images. 8) Lastly, establish a schedule or visual roadmap to guide your color choices and maintain consistency. These are some basic guidelines you can use to start with! By applying these steps, you can effectively use color to enhance your brand and create a visually compelling presence across your social media channels. If you think about some of your favorite photographers, could you quickly describe their go-to colors? 🎨

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8天前

Pieces of advice to facilitate artistic improvement! With @maxbuiting / “My passion for travel and photography is rooted in my childhood curiosity and love for the natural world. As I grew older and pursued a career as a chef, I found a way to channel my passion for nature into my culinary creations. However, the constraints of a kitchen made me long for the freedom to immerse myself in the landscapes that inspired me. Transitioning to photography allowed me to capture the world’s beauty and tell visual stories. My artistic style continually evolves, and I treat each image as a blank canvas. I gravitate toward a warmer color temperature with slightly muted colors. I incorporate a soft glow in my editing process by adjusting clarity and noise reduction to create a signature look. The most critical steps in my editing process include removing distractions from the image and utilizing the tone curve for adjustments. Take as an example the last image of this series: I captured this photo using my 100-400mm lens, highlighting the sea fog’s unique ambiance to the scene. When editing this photo, I aimed to enhance the natural elements of the waves and fog while preserving the mystical atmosphere and emphasizing the person in the frame. I chose a soft and muted color palette to evoke a sense of calmness and tranquillity. If I could offer advice to my younger self for artistic improvement, I’d suggest: 1) Consistency and regular practice help refine your technical skills and deepen your connection with nature. 2) Seek feedback and embrace constructive criticism. Feedback can help you identify areas where you excel and areas where you can enhance your skills. 3) Setting clear goals is essential for a landscape photographer. Plans can help you define your artistic vision and provide a sense of direction. 4) Building relationships with other photographers can open doors to opportunities you may not have encountered otherwise. Additionally, sharing experiences with like-minded individuals can be inspiring and lead to lasting friendships that enrich your journey as a photographer!” You can read the original article with @maxbuiting by visiting the link in our bio!

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9天前

A fleeting moment as the soft morning light catches the colorful flowers! With @shootingstills.co.uk - Winner Best of the Week 14 at #nomadict / “At the start of bluebell season, a friend told me about a very small, quiet woodland that’s only 30 minutes from me, so I took my camera and headed there. It was a sunny morning, and I was aiming to get there just as the sun rose above the horizon, casting long shadows on the tall trees. I was standing, sipping a coffee, when I saw two deer run past about 50m away; they didn’t see me at first. For once, I had the right lens on the camera, a 100-400mm. I made sure I didn’t panic and got down low to accentuate the blurred flowers in the foreground that were picking up the sunlight. I managed to take 4-5 decent shots before they left. It’s of course rare to see a deer, especially in these conditions with bluebells that only last a few weeks per year. I used the trees on either side to confidently frame the deer, drawing you right to the subject. On top of this, the blurred foreground flowers add some softness and further push you into the centre of the picture. This made sure that the composition was strong, and I wouldn’t need to do too much editing. The soft morning colourful light catching the flowers was naturally present in the image, so with editing, I wanted to accentuate the warmth and softness whilst leaving the deer as sharp as possible. I further brightened the light parts of the deer, mostly around the edges, to enhance the contours and shape. Letting the highlights clip slightly really helps to accentuate the sun and brightness, but of course, it has to be selective. Colour choice, softness, and brightness are the key parts of the image. A deer is an animal that conveys a sense of happiness, and bluebells and morning sun only add to this feeling. So it made sense to me to draw on those parts of the image.” Congratulations @shootingstills.co.uk! You can read the original article by visiting the link in our bio!

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10天前