I am getting ready to start a three-year project and would like the help from this community before I begin. The short version of the goal is to take a postcard quality photograph of every Michigan State Park. I would like to focus on a natural feature of the park, so I am going to try to avoid swim buoys, buildings, etc. There are around 100 parks, so I am going to try to visit about one per week as I am available. (Since I am a working father of five, this may be a lofty goal!) I created this image yesterday morning at Young State Park.
Specific Feedback Requested
First, I want to make sure I have right gear. (If I am going to devote this much time to something, I don’t want the equipment holding me back!)
I currently have a Z 6ii body, which I think will meet my needs. (If I am wrong, let me know.)
My only lens, however, is the Nikkor Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR. I like this lens because it covers almost the entire range I would like to shoot, however, I don’t want to sacrifice image quality for convenience. Therefore, do you think there is an advantage to an S-Line 2.8 lens?
I also have a basic tripod. I am not certain how much I will be able to use this. I do see advantages in composition to using a tripod, but in most cases, it is so much easier to shoot handheld. (Besides, this picture was taken in fairly deep water, so a tripod would not have been possible.)
Second, I would like your honest opinion of my first image. I don’t want to bias your critiques by giving my own first, so just have at it. The more criticism I receive now, the better my next picture will be.
Technical Details
Nikon Z 6ii, Nikkor Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR, ISO 200, 53mm, f/13 1/200 sec
I used Luminar Neo to do the following: slightly cropped to reduce the amount of foreground water, auto dust spot removal, significantly decreased highlights and blacks and similarly increased shadows and whites, and I also let Accent AI (32) and Sky Enhancer AI (10) work their magic.
First thing I’d say is, don’t worry about your equipment, it sounds fine. Unless you plan to shoot in low light do you really need the expense and weight of a 2.8 lens? That’s something you would have to decide but if you’re asking if you “need” it, I would say, “no”.
As to the photograph itself. It does have the feel of a postcard, especially in terms of colour and light. So, in that regard, it’s a success. But as a photograph, here’s my critique: while I can see what this is a picture “of” - water, beach, forest, sky - I really don’t know what this picture is about. What is it you want me to be looking at, because this kind of feels like a picture of everything. For example, over on the middle/right side of the frame, something is going on at the point. Why have you included it because I can’t see what’s going on there and so it becomes a frustrating distraction. Given your intention for this project, you might want to consider what the natural feature of this park is that distinguishes it because according to your stated intention, that’s what you’re trying to convey - or is it? Now, the fact that you plan to do a photo series does make a difference because it isn’t your intention that any one photograph stands alone. Your intention is that they be read together. At the same time, you wouldn’t want 100 pictures that are all essentially same - water, beach, and forest. So, again, I’d give consideration to what distinguishes each park, and try to find a way to convey that. I think this is a great project and a terrific way to hone your skills as a photographer and story teller. Best of luck with it and I look forward to seeing more of it as it unfolds.
This sounds like a fun project and certainly a great goal to set for yourself.
Your equipment sounds just fine. It is MORE than enough to do what you want. Equipment will not be the thing that holds you back in your endeavor.
Do you plan on selling this series of postcards? That wasn’t clear. If so, your images are going to have to stand out from the crowd of thousands of other postcards that are available of the parks. Light / time of day will help dictate images that stand out. “Ordinary - I was there images” won’t. I think @Kerry_Gordon provided a solid critique of this image. Technically the image is sharp, well exposed. It doesn’t tell me any story about the park or that is even in a park. I think it is critical for a postcard to be instantly recognizable from the location.
I agree with you, and this is certainly something to think about. The short answer what I am trying to convey would be the clarity of the water. An underwater may have been able to convey that better, but, as Keith Bauer pointed out, “… it is critical for a postcard to be instantly recognizable from the location.” I agree with him to an extent, so unless the park has an iconic natural feature, like red woods, I think you need to include enough that the viewer could at least recognize the location.
The point didn’t turn out as I had hoped… I basically included it to complete the land mass, but I think it may be cropped a little tight. More of an issue, I think, is that the boats on the far shore, which is miles away, seem to be right next to the point. Maybe a lower f-stop would have helped.
I wouldn’t say the intention is to find one natural feature that distinguishes the park, but rather to convey the park using only (mostly) natural features. I agree it is going to be important that each park stands out from the rest. On reviewing the image again, I can see that if I put this one with a few other similar images, I am not sure even I would know where it was taken.
If I were to sell them, it would be as a series. I would not be trying to sell them as individual postcards at a gift shop. That said, I would still like them to high quality!
This is going to be the challenge of the project, since most people recognize parks from manmade features such as bathhouses or lighthouses. Miles of beautiful Great Lakes shoreline can start to look the same.
Thanks for sharing and I’d say go for it on your long term project. I think a great goal - which will create some great challenges - AND opportunities.
As far as equipment goes, I can’t speak to the quality or abilities of what you have, but I would say that being consistent and sticking to a single lense like you have. The 24-200 is a good range giving you lots of options. (I’m not familiar with the system, is this full frame or APS-C frame so effective focal lengths are different.) Having more choices, like a super wide, or longer telephoto, means more variability in your scene selection. Which may or may not help you in your project.
The image is a nice one - a good “postcard” image. I really like the “in the water” perspective. I had a similar question as others - what feature are you trying to represent of the park? In your project, your story, are you simply trying to get a great image from each park, OR, OR, an image that represents why people go there, or should go there? Who is your audience? If if were my project and it was simply a project, or “bucket list” goal to photograph in every single park, then I would go for your best image of each place - or one you think represents the park the best - to you. But if the project will be used for an audience of park-goers, then you want to make sure that one image represents the best, or the most prominent feature of the park - why they should go?
To your point… I don’t know how many state parks surround Lake Michigan, but as you mention, they probably all feature shoreline views… So what is unique about each park? Maybe it’s not lake view or access?
OH, what about seasons? I’m betting there is terric fall color and most of these parks? Clearly you won’t get to all of them during peak color - nor do you probably want all the same seasons - but keep in mind you might be visiting during drab, winter seasons?
Anyway, just some thoughts. I think it’s great to have a project, a goal like this. I’m sure you’ll fine tune your objectives as time goes on. Good luck and thanks for sharing!
Thanks. I thought that might help in bringing some variety to the shots. Most pictures from the west side of the state are sunsets. I did sunrise and facing the park from the water.
A thought I had for monetizing the project was to sell a subscription to the postcards. After I went to a new park, I would mail the actual postcard to each of the subscribers. In the end they would have a collection of all the state parks. Presumably, the subscribers would be people familiar with the parks, hence the different perspective. (Plus, I like the natural beauty of the parks myself.)
I think this will be part of the challenge and excitement of the project – trying to discover the unique natural wonders of each park. I am sure I will get better with time.
We have stayed in some cabins off The Great Lakes the last couple of winters, and it may possibly be the best time to visit. The ice formations can be amazing! That said, the sky does pose a challenge. If the project goes well, maybe I can expand it to each park in each season.
Gear is super over-rated IMO. Composition, creativity, understanding of HOW to take a good photo, concise curation, and good editing are far more important.
With that being said…
If it was ME doing this project with that camera, I would probably get the Nikon 14-30 f/4; Nikon 24-70 f/4; 70-200 2.8z; and/or the 100-400… but with the lens you have now you should be able to make some good work, so don’t worry TOO much about it!
I would NOT focus on 2.8 glass unless you do wildlife, portrait work, or wedding work. The only caveat to this is night photography, so unless you’re not doing much of that, I don’t think you’ll benefit much from it.
I’m a big fan of a good tripod though…
Regarding the photo you posted - I would re-shoot this or crop it to exclude the part on the right 1/3 and focus more on the trees and the coastline. I do like the inclusion of the waves. I also think you could benefit from photographing this scene during more flattering light. With that being said, there is not such thing as bad light, just depends on your subject.
Haha.
I’ve been making images a long time and have accumulated the lenses I want over a long period of time, but I’m also a pretty hard worker I think you will NOT regret a 100-400 and that Nikon Z version is supposedly one of the best there is. I would say my Sony 100-400 is my most used lens at this point.
As if to drive home the point, this week, at Rifle River State Recreation Area, there were four loons, a herd of deer and two great blue herons teasing me all week. All out of range of the 200 lenses. Time to start savings!
Matthew, I just want to say that I think that this is an excellent choice of project. Regarding recommendations, I have nothing to add to what already has been said.
I think you will NOT regret a 100-400 and that Nikon Z version is supposedly one of the best there is. I would say my Sony 100-400 is my most used lens at this point.