Mastering Landscape Photography: The Luminous-landscape Essays

by Briot, Alain

• ISBN13: 9781933952062
• ISBN10: 1933952067
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-12-05
• Publisher: Ingram Pub Services

Summary

Thirteen essays on landscape photography by master photographer Alain Briot. Topics include practical, technical, and aesthetic aspects of photography to help photographers build and refine their skills. Also covered is how to be an artist in business. Alain Briot is one of the leading contemporary landscape photographers. He received his education in France and currently works mostly in the southwestern part of the United States. This book starts with the technical aspects of photography; how to see, compose, find the right light, and select the best lens for a specific shot. It continues by focusing on the artistic aspects of photography with chapters on how to select your best work, how to create a portfolio, and finally concludes with two chapters on how to be an artist in business.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. 12
Introduction	p. 14
How to See Photographically	p. 16
Seeing Photographically	p. 17
Making Abstract All Sensory Input Except for Visual Input	p. 17
Focusing on the Visual Aspects of the Scene	p. 18
Learning to See in Two Dimensions	p. 18
Recreating Depth, the 3rd Dimension, in a 2-Dimensional Medium	p. 18
How to Compose a Photograph	p. 22
Introduction to Composition	p. 23
The Strongest Way of Seeing	p. 24
There is More Than One Way to Compose a Scene	p. 24
One Composition Among Many	p. 25
Walking the Scene	p. 25
Using a "Cutout" Finder	p. 26
Rules of Composition	p. 27
Conclusion	p. 31
How to Choose the Best Lens for a Specific Composition	p. 32
The Importance of the Lens	p. 33
Human Eyes and Camera Eyes	p. 33
One Landscape: Three Main Lens Choices	p. 34
Which Lens Should I Take?	p. 42
Photographic Skills Enhancement Exercises	p. 42
Conclusion	p. 43
How to Find the Best Light for a Specific Photograph	p. 46
And God said, Let there be light: and there was light (Genesis 1:3)	p. 47
Drawing with Light	p. 47
Three Governing Rules Regarding Light	p. 48
How to Find the Best Light	p. 48
Sunrise and Sunset - The Best Light	p. 50
Other Light Choices	p. 52
The Various Types of Natural Light	p. 52
Photographic Skills Enhancement Exercises	p. 58
Conclusion	p. 60
How to Select the Best "Film" for a Specific Photograph	p. 62
Introduction to Film Choice	p. 63
A Look at Photography in History	p. 63
Film and Seeing	p. 64
The Importance of Raw Conversion	p. 65
Color or Color	p. 66
Let's Use Film (or digital capture); Let's Not Let Film Use Us!	p. 66
Color or Black and White?	p. 67
Duotones, Tritones and Quadritones	p. 69
Film Speed	p. 70
Photographic Skills Enhancement Exercises	p. 73
Conclusion	p. 75
How to Determine the Best Exposure for a Specific Photograph	p. 76
Introduction to Exposure	p. 77
The Importance of Proper Exposure	p. 77
Gray Cards, Overexposure, and Underexposure	p. 78
How to Determine the Contrast Range that the Film or Digital Camera Can Capture	p. 80
The Power of the Histogram	p. 82
Exposure for Digital Captures	p. 83
The Importance of Shooting RAW	p. 84
Exposing to the Right	p. 84
Some Examples of Common Histograms	p. 85
Bracket, Bracket, Bracket	p. 88
Study the Scene Being Photographed	p. 90
High Contrast Remedies	p. 92
Familiarize Yourself with Hand Held Light Meters	p. 97
Spot Meter Meets PDA	p. 98
Photographic Skills Enhancement Exercises	p. 99
Conclusion	p. 102
Keepers or Non-Keepers?	p. 104
Keepers or Non-Keepers?	p. 105
Which Ones Are Good; Which Ones are Bad?	p. 105
My Personal Selection Criteria	p. 108
Technical Excellence vs. Aesthetics	p. 110
The Selection Criteria	p. 110
Photographic Skills Enchancement Exercises	p. 111
Conclusion	p. 112
How to Create a Portfolio of Your Work	p. 116
Introduction to Creating a Portfolio	p. 117
What is a Portfolio?	p. 117
Portfolios and Portfolios	p. 117
Goal and Purpose	p. 120
Audience	p. 120
Portfolios Are Not Necessarily Aimed at Showcasing a Photographer's Best Work	p. 122
The Contents of a Portfolio	p. 123
Some Important Questions About Portfolios	p. 123
Photographic Skills Enhancement Exercises	p. 125
Conclusion	p. 129
How to Establish a Personal Photographic Style	p. 130
Introduction to Personal Style	p. 131
Who Are We?	p. 131
Who Am I?	p. 133
A Personal Style is a Unique and Personal way of Seeing	p. 133
Choosing a Subject is Not Developing a Personal Style	p. 135
Choosing a Subject is Not the Same as Choosing a Genre	p. 136
Personal Discovery is Not Personal Style	p. 138
A Personal Style Is a Combination of Choices	p. 138
A Personal Style Is Fine Tuning Choices to Fit Your Own Personality	p. 142
My Personal Style	p. 146
Fortuitous Attempts and Defining Images	p. 147
Photographic Skills Enhancement Exercises	p. 148
Conclusion	p. 151
Being an Artist	p. 154
Introduction to Being an Artist	p. 155
Freedom of Expression: Let Us Be Artists	p. 157
Being an Artist Is a Lifestyle; Not a Temporary Situation	p. 159
Being an Artist Does Not Mean Making an Income from Your Art	p. 161
Being an Artist Does Not Mean Exhibiting or Publishing Your Work	p. 162
Being an Artist Means Having an Audience	p. 164
Being an Artist Means Having an Appreciation for the Arts	p. 166
Being an Artist is Knowing How to React When You are Told that "Artists are Lucky!"	p. 168
Being an Artist Does not Mean Being an Art Critic	p. 171
What About Talent?	p. 174
Photographic Skills Enhancement Exercises	p. 176
Conclusion	p. 178
How to be an Artist in Business: My Story-Part 1	p. 180
Introduction to Being an Artist in Business	p. 181
The Beginning of a Career	p. 187
The Straw that Broke the Camel's Back	p. 190
Doing What I Love	p. 192
Why Didn't I Think of this Before?	p. 193
Opportunities Often Come Under the Guise of Hard Work	p. 194
The Best Place to Start a Business Is on the Navajo Reservation	p. 194
How to be an Artist in Business: My Story-Part 2	p. 198
The Break	p. 199
The People	p. 199
The Approach	p. 203
The Progression of the Grand Canyon Show	p. 204
Quantity	p. 206
Transitions: How the End of One Opportunity Can Be the Beginning of Another	p. 211
The Second Best Place to Start a Business is Phoenix, Arizona	p. 213
Teaching Again	p. 215
Quality, Not Quantity	p. 216
New Shows	p. 220
Longer and More Thoughtful Chapters	p. 220
New Projects	p. 221
Becoming a Music Producer	p. 221
Setting Up the Ideal Studio	p. 222
Two Businesses in One	p. 223
Learning Never Ends	p. 223
Conclusion	p. 225
How You Can Do it Too	p. 226
Introduction to How You Can Do It	p. 227
Do What You Love	p. 227
Take Control of Your Own Destiny	p. 228
Fame or Fortune? Make a Choice!	p. 228
Confront your Fears	p. 230
Seek Help from People Who Are Where You Want to Be	p. 231
Opportunities Often Come Under the Guise of Hard Work	p. 234
Press On Regardless	p. 234
It's About You	p. 235
Quality or Quantity? Make a Choice!	p. 235
Do a Little Bit Every Day	p. 236
Integrity	p. 238
Best Sellers	p. 240
Photographic Skills Enhancement Exercises	p. 241
Conclusion	p. 243
Conclusion	p. 246
Index	p. 248
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