Assignment 5: in the style of an influential photographer; first thoughts

The subject for my essay in Assignment 4 was Ansel Adams and so my photographs for Assignment 5 will be images in his style.

To this end, over the past 2 or 3 months, I have been gathering a set of images which might help me to fulfill this brief. An important aspect of his style, certainly after he had rejected the Impressionistic style of photography and embraced the new Modernist style, was that images should be pin sharp from front to back. They were free of grain and printed on smooth papers. His images varied from close-up intimate landscapes full of detail to expansive wide- angle shots. As he developed his style he gradually lowered his horizons and made the most of dramatic skies, even making them the subject of the photograph. He liked to photograph water in all its forms, especially crashing waves and surf and mountain rapids and dramatic waterfall. He also liked to take really close-up images of nature with a great amount of detail. There were rarely any people in his landscapes. I have, therefore, looking for images that fitted the following criteria.

wide-angle landscapes sharp from front to back, possibly with a high horizon
images with a much lower horizon and a dramatic sky
photographs of water such as breaking surf and rapids using short exposures to freeze the motion
more intimate landscapes
close-up shots of nature full of intricate detail

All images will be converted to rich Black and White, taken at low ISOs to avoid noise/grain and printed on smooth gloss or satin paper.

Below are a selection of images that I might use.

Wide Angle Landscapes with a high horizon

A view from Back Tor on Derwent Edge looking to Kinder Scout in the background. it was taken at ISO 200 1/60 @f16 to achieve maximum depth of field and 20mm. The Black and White conversion was done in Lightroom 4. I increased both exposure and contrast slightly, reduced the highlights and deepened the shadows slightly and increased the clarity. I used the blue slider in the Black and White mix to darken the sky slightly.

Looking towards Froggat Edge from Curbar Edge, Derbyshire. This was taken at 17mm and 1/25 @ f16 again to provide maximum depth of field. After conversion to monochrome in Lightroom 4 I used the ND grad to darken and increase the contrast in the sky and then increased the clarity slightly to give it some punch.

Earl Crag, Upper Airedale. Taken with a Canon G10 . 6.1mm @ f8

Earl Crag, Upper Airedale. Taken with a Canon G10. 6.1mm @ f8

Stanage Edge, Derbyshire. Exposure increased in Lightroom 4 and slight balancing of tones in the sky with an ND Grad and then converted to Black and White. Next came a slight adjustment with the black slider and then a slight increase in clarity.

Stanage Edge, Derbyshire. Exposure and contrast increased slightly and then converted to Black and White. Dark tones adjusted and then clarity increased slightly.

Winter conditions on Derwent Edge, Derbyshire. I converted the picture to Black and White in Lightroom and next used an ND grad to reduce the exposure in the sky by 1.5 and also reduced the highlights further. I also slightly increased the contrast and the clarity. I then used the adjustment brush to reduce the exposure on the ice on the path in the foreground. Finally I adjusted the sliders in the Black and White mix until I achieved a result that I was happy with.

Winter on Worlaby Carrs, Lincolnshire. I used a wide-angle of 24 mm and f16 to achieve maximun depth of field. A tripod, mirror lock-up and cable release were used to assure sharpness with the 1/40 second shutter speed. Conversion and adjustmants made in Lightroom. I used an ND grad to balance the exposure in the sky.

Images with a Lower Horizon and a Dramatic Sky

Lincolnshire Wolds from Bonby Carrs. I was out photographing birds down Carr Lane, Bonby when I noticed that some wonderful clouds were building up over the Wolds. I realised that this would make a suitable image for this project. I took both horizontal and vertical formats placing the hozon low in both. Although the vertical shot made more of the lane leading the eye into the shot I felt that this one made more of the sky. Conversion was done to Black and White in Lightroom and adjustments made as described above.

Barn and Sky, Lincolnshire Wolds. I found this barn whilst out looking for suitable images for this assignment. As the sky was really dramatic, I framed the shot with a low horizon to make the most of it. Again Black and White Conversion and adjustments made in Lightroom 4.

One late afternoon last autumn I visited Tetney Marshes to look for some landscape opportunities as the light was particularly good and the location is very close to home. I watched these huge cumulo nimbus clouds build up and decided to make the sky a subject of the photograph and so placed the horizon very low in the shot. Conversion and adjustments made in Lightroom 4.

Breaking Surf and Rapids using a Short Exposure to 'Freeze Motion in Time'.

Breaking Waves, Mallorca. On this particular day the sea was particularly rough following an overnight storm. Watching the waves crashing onto the rocks at Calla San Vincenti, I realised that it was a great opportunity for a short exposure shot and set the shutter speed to 1/4000 second to freeze the motion. Ansel Adams had to wait for the 'Decisive Moment' to fire his shutter; I was fortunate to be able to use High Speed Continuous drive.

Standing Wave and Log, River Dove. I used 1/640 second to freeze the water.

White Water, River Dove. Again 1/640 of a second froze the motion of the water. Black and White Conversion and adjustments in Lightroom.

More Intimate Landscapes.

Tree, and Cliff, Dovedale. This shot was inspired by Merced River, Cliffs, Autumn taken by Adams in Yosemite, 1939. I was attracted to the tree by the wonderful coating of moss on it. Conversion and adjustments in Lightroom 4.

Beech Trees, Winter. Again conversion and adjustments in Lightroom 4.

Light shining through trees in a local Woodland. Sky excluded. Conversion and adjustments in Lightroom 4.

Flooded Woodland Path. Conversion and Adjustments in Lightroom 4.

Light shines through beech trees in a local woodland. Conversion and adjustments in Lightroom 4.

Woodland ditch. As with above images taken at f16 for maximum depth of field and with tripod, mirror lock-up and cable release.

Detailed Close-ups of Nature

I was attracted to this dead Umbellifer head during the cold weather in early January this year. I chose my specimen carefully and found one that had a dark background and was backlit. I was pleased with the detail in the head and on the stem.

Whilst out walking in a local woodland recently I noticed some wonderful old silver birch trees with lots of detail, shapes and textures in the gnarled bark.

Wall Detail, Derbyshire. I liked the detail in this wall in Derbyshire at New Year and thought that it would make a pleasing Black and White in close-up. My inspiration was the Surface and Texture images in From The Mountains to the Sea Exhibition.

Steps, Dovedale. I loved the detail and texture in these old steps at Milldale in Dovedale, Derbyshire. Again inspiration came form Mountains to the Sea. Conversion and adjustments in Lightroom 4.

Other Possible Images.

Andel Adams had many images of buildings in his portfolio and these were the inspiration for these two shots of the Palm House in Edinburgh Botanical Gardens, take while visiting my son during the winter.

Palm House, Edinburgh Botanics. I was attracted to the juxtaposition of the palm house against a dark blue sky and thought this would work in Black and White. I like the clouds here and used a polariser to enhance them.