08/12/2020
Anyone else taking this time to do online workshops? In various groups I'm noticing a theme. People are keen to 'level up' their photography. They automatically assume they need a bigger (heavier) camera. This makes me sad. Because it's often a better lens, and understanding composition & lighting that will make a bigger difference. Meanwhile I'm on the flip side eager to create a lightweight setup.
This waterfall was at the bottom of 260 steps. Can you guess how I captured it? Most would assume a dslr, a filter (for long exposure), & a sturdy tripod. And I saw a couple of people lugging those up and down the steps. Would you have guessed my set up was an iPhone? So much lighter to carry!
This photo is a 15 second exposure using my iPhone, a Joby Gorillapod, earphones as a remote, and a $3 app called Slow Shutter. Yes you can apply a long exposure effect to live photos afterwards, but this app created better quality photos. The size of the Gorillapod meant I got a great low angle showing foreground for extra depth (& interest) in the image.
Did you know it's rare for a Landscape Photographer to click a photo and call it done. Beyond the gear, editing is a key part of the process. Swipe to see my before/after edit comparison. I edited this iPhone photo in Lightroom. Besides the global changes, I also did many local adjustments. (Each dot is a local change). EG the original photo was very noisy in the bottom LHS. Decreasing the texture, clarity, sharpness and noise helped remove the noise that was distracting from the smooth look I wanted.
I should point out, if you are keen to print your photos, a dslr is probably the way to go. But if your photos are intended for social media, don't assume to have to go heavier to get better photos.
PS I have to teach my husband to take BTS photos of me doing my thing. I wish I could show you how sweet this little set up was in action.