articles/Landscape/tools-of-the-land-page4

Tool of the Land - Landscape - part 4 of 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

by Mike McNamee Published 01/08/2015

Filters
The serious game in town is the Lee Filter system which is now available in both 100mm and 75mm sizes, the latter being specific to the CSC cameras. Most photographers will get by with a grad filter, and one of the 'Stoppers' - Big for cloud and water movement, Little for water movement, leaving the clouds generally untouched. Many people add a polariser to this list. Hard Grad filters are preferred along with a density of 0.6 (two stops).

When using 'stoppers' you have to gauge your exposure by experience rather than calculation due to some of the variables around. Usually you have to work the grad filter first and optimise the exposure settings before adjusting for a stopper filter. Always shoot Raw because the stoppers have a habit of skewing the colour temperature.

Tripods
This entire feature could be devoted to tripods and we might still be short of pace. Like ladies' handbags, one is rarely enough! The first decision is about weight and method of transport. Your tripod and head is almost invariably the heaviest piece of kit in/on your bag and this even applies to the smaller travel tripods such as the Manfroto 190 or say the Sirui 1204X. Both are carbon fibre and both pack down to the height of a camera rucksack. If transport is removed from the equation then the best option is the tallest and biggest tripod you can lay your hands on. Although a tripod that towers over your head might seem excessive, if you are working on a beach or close to water you often need to immerse the tripod legs a couple of feet into the water bringing the tripod back to more normal eye level if the photographer is on dry land. Such a tripod will weigh at least 7lb including even a modest head and will be too long for most rucksacks.

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• Tool of the Land - Landscape page 3
  
• Tool of the Land - Landscape page 4
  
• Tool of the Land - Landscape page 5
  
• Tool of the Land - Landscape page 6
  
• Tool of the Land - Landscape page 7
  
• Tool of the Land - Landscape page 8
  

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