Fog on the Valley & repost

Last October I wanted to do an early morning sunrise from Chip Ross Park just a few minutes from where I live, but the valley was all socked in with fog. So I decided to drive an hour away to Mary’s Peak! It was great! I was the first one up there and made it before the sun rose . I thought the fog/clouds over the hills and valley looked more interesting than the sunrise so I decided to crop out the sky and make it into a black and white.

Specific Feedback Requested

Anything

Technical Details

Is this a composite: No
Nikon D3400
55mm
1 sec (handheld)
f/11
ISO 100
Convert to black and white, did minor adjustments in exposure, contrast, highlights, shadows, blacks, whites. I also moved the tint and temperature sliders a tad to the warm side.
Cropped to 16x9

apani.hill
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I like this shot quite a bit! Reminds me of some of the images you see of the bay area (where I live now) of fog rolling in off the sea. Actually I used to live in the Albany/Corvallis area as well!

You probably have heard this several times before since you shoot mainly handheld, but I think in this case either lifting the ISO and shooting at a faster shutter speed, or using a tripod, would have helped reduce the motion blur.

Overall I like this shot, it has a nice sense of depth to it and there is a nice contrast between the rolling hills and the rolling fog. The crop seems to suit it. Personally I tend to like high-contrast images, particularly in B&W, so I would be curious to see what that looks like here and if it could bring out more tones in the fog and hills. But maybe lower contrast is better here as it emphasizes the calm and softness of the scene :smiley:

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Yeah, I thought it looked like the ocean too @Matthew_Chatham I actually tried doing more contrast but it actually took away from the less pronounced hills and the little tree shapes couldn’t be seen as well. I wanted the slow shutter because I was hoping to get movement in the clouds. But obviously it looks like I got movement in the camera too! Heh heh… I didn’t think it would look that obvious. Thanks for your feedback!

My first thought was to have the clouds sharp, requiring a faster shutter speed and higher ISO. I find the blur gets more disconcerting to my eye as they get closer. I would be inclined to go pano and crop up to just above the peak lower right.

OK, thanks @Harley_Goldman, I see that I’m not going to make history and be the first landscape photographer who doesn’t use a tripod! Haha! :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes: One of these days I really hope to get one and then I can go for the long exposure shots! But in the mean time does this crop that I think you’re suggesting salvage it or should I just toss it?..

I think that salvages it. Big difference to my eye.

We all tried to shoot at mid-day light and we all tried to get by without a tripod and then ended up with a flimsy tripod for our first one. All part of the journey. :grinning:

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And then we all bought a sturdier, more expensive tripod that was really what we needed. If I had one photography lesson that I wish I had known in advance, it’s the one that says buy the sturdy, expensive tripod first, and don’t waste your money on the flimsy one. :atm:

Vanessa, I like the atmosphere in this image, and the tighter composition of the rework isa good improvement. It does look like the ocean. For me the biggest advantage of a tripod is not the ability to take longer exposures and avoid camera shake (although that is very important). Rather the big advantage is that a tripod forces you to slow down, and be more deliberate and careful with your composition. A tripod will improve your compositions too, not just increase image sharpness.

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Yeah, that definitely makes sense, I guess even for some macro, small scenes where you want an insect in it. What do you think about the manfrotto brand? @Ed_McGuirk and @Harley_Goldman, I see they have a compact adjustable one. I’ve also seen ones that can go completely on the ground… The only thing I don’t like is that if my camera is stuck on a tripod and I see an awesome animal or bird then I can’t freely aim towards them. I guess maybe that’s where being focused comes in and not feeling like I have to shoot everything that catches my eye or moves!

I don’t know much about the Manfrotto, but there have been some tripod threads on NPN worth reading. I have 3 Gitzo’s in different sizes and weights. Expensive tripods, but mine have taken a beating and still work great. My 1325 has to be 15 to 18 years old and works as well as the day I got it with all original parts (I don’t take mine into salt water). It is my main tripod and has seen a lot of work over the years. The old saying “Buy once, cry once” applies. Get something good whatever you choose. Ditto on the ballhead.

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I think tripods are one of the few things in landscape photography where less is not more. For someone who has put this much time and effort into taking landscape photos, and critique at NPN, you owe it to yourself to try a good sturdy tripod. I think Harley and I were both gently suggesting that compact, flimsy tripods are just a waste of time and money. I wish someone like Harley had told me “Buy once cry once” 30 years ago when I first started out.

I too have an old Gitzo 1325, it’s still going strong after many years. Brand is less important than design. Go carbon fiber instead of aluminum, they weight less and are more sturdy. Get one without a a center column, they are less stable. Get a decent ballhead to go with the tripod, they make things more flexible than you might think. Tripod newbies seem to love ballheads with a pistol grip to go from horizontal to vertical. Big mistake, they are very clumsy to use. Get an Arca Swiss style plate L bracket for your camera instead.

Here is a thread on tripods from NPN, both the tripod Igor recommended, and the one David Wallace bought look like good options that wont break the bank as much as a Gitzo would. In terms of Ballheads, I use the Kirk BH3.

If you are serious about getting better in landscape photography, tripods can make a big difference in taking yourself up to the next level. You will hate it for a few weeks, and then wonder why you didn’t do it sooner.

Funny…the tripod story is always the same…well, kinda. My first one was a Bogen 3001 (pre-Manfrotto branding) aluminum with a massive pan-tilt head. Sturdy - absolutely (remember when Peter Bogen was featured in the ads sitting on one?) - but big, heavy and awkward. I hated it. So I hardly ever used it (these are film days we’re talking about here - 80s and 90s). Then I got a small Slik with a ball head and used it a little. When I switched to digital I used it more but hated it for all the reasons photographers hate small tripods - not stable, too little and can’t be positioned where you want it, can’t hold a camera with anything like a telephoto.

Then my husband put me out of my misery and bought me a decent tripod, ballhead & L-bracket and I’ve never looked back. A tripod is your sharpest lens.

With an L-bracket you can easily take it off to get a handheld shot, but once you start with one, it’s hard to go back and it becomes more and more natural - a real part of how you work in the field.

Here’s one for sale on NPN - Gitzo 1325 Carbon Fiber Tripod - it may not be quite what you want, but it will give you an idea of second-hand prices. Checking the used department at B&H or similar big store might be an avenue as well.

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@_Kris is right on the money. With my L bracket it’s very quick and easy to take the camera off and on the tripod. I wander around with my camera in my hands, find my composition/subject, then when I’m ready to get down to business and take the shot, it goes on the tripod. And then the tripod makes it easy to fine tune the composition, Kris is right, it becomes intuitive to do this.

Yes to all the above! You absolutely want an Arca-Swiss type head with a quick release lever and a camera body / lens foot plate or bracket. An L plate is truly worth getting. Then be sure you splay out the feet to give you the rigid platform you paid for. Weighting the tripod can be helpful sometimes too. Use your camera bag or a bag of handy rocks.

I think your image above has a lovely charm, but agree about the blur being a distraction. I’d also experiment with the contrast – but not by using the contrast slider, which is a blunt instrument.

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Thanks @Diane_Miller I’m glad you like it in spite of all its flaws! Thank you, so much, everyone @Ed_McGuirk @Harley_Goldman @Diane_Miller @_Kris for all your thoughts and input on tripods and even the ball head and brackets. So, I really would like to get a top of the line, one purchase does it all kind of thing, but as I can only afford not even $100 right now…my husband, who is an amazing researcher, found this… Dolica GX600B200 Proline GX Series 60-Inch Aluminum Tripod and Ball Head Combo for DSLR….there’s a lot of great reviews on it from landscape photographers. Basically, I guess what I’m asking is should I wait for the next 2 years to save up for the grand daddy of tripods and go without any or at least get something halfway decent that I can afford and at least be getting experience with a tripod, is this better than nothing?! If I waited until I could get the best camera I wouldn’t be taking pictures! I know I have to make my own choice, but just thought I’d let you know what I’m thinking…Thanks for all your help! And the Gitzos look amazing! They even have ones for travel and hiking/backpacking! Some day!

If you go with that, good chance you will be throwing it away at some point, but at least it is not a huge investment. I would say it is better than nothing, but plan to save up and get a good tripod and ball head when you can afford it. Ebay has some really inexpensive L brackets that work quite well, if one will work with that head. Their included plate might be your only option.

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