Mastering Landscape Photography: The Luminous Landscape Essays

by Alain Briot

Overview

This book includes 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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781933952062
Publisher:	Rocky Nook
Publication date:	12/15/2006
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	280
Product dimensions:	8.00(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Alain Briot is one of today's leading contemporary landscape photographers. Originally from Paris, France, he attended the Academie Nationale des Beaux Arts where he studied drawing and oil painting from 1977 to 1980. Briot then began his study of photography at the American Center in Paris.

After visiting the American Southwest, Briot became enthralled with the artistic potential this landscape afforded and in 1986 he relocated to the U.S. He began his study of photography at Northern Arizona University, earning his Bachelor's Degree in 1990 and his Master's Degree in Visual Communication in 1992.

From 1995 to 2002, Briot lived at Canyon de Chelly, Arizona, in the heart of the Navajo Nation. Living there allowed him to become intimately familiar with Native American arts and culture, which is evident in the frames and matting designs he uses.

Briot's goal is to create the most exciting and beautiful photographs possible. His equipment-be it cameras, software, etc.-is chosen for the ability to make this possible.

Alain Briot is a columnist on the highly respected Luminous Landscape website, and is a popular teacher of photography workshops. He currently lives and works in Phoenix, Arizona with his wife Natalie. Learn more about Alain at www.beautiful-landscape.com.

Table of Contents

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