Landscape and Nature Photography
Photographing land, sky and wildlife responsibly and safely: planning with sun, tide, weather and aurora data, composition, hyperfocal focusing and focus stacking, polarizers and ND filters, long exposures, night skies and dark-sky parks, wildlife fieldcraft, macro, National Park Service rules, the ESA, MBTA and Eagle Act, field safety in cold and wild country, honest editing, prints and a seasonal portfolio.
PHOT-330 Year 3 3 credits 12 lessons · 5 h 53 min
Offered by HSM University · Photography
This is the American version of this course. See the Canadian version.
What you'll learn
- Describe the branches, traditions and markets of landscape and nature photography in Canada and the United States
- Plan shoots using sun, moon, twilight, weather, tide and aurora data, with backup locations and decision rules
- Compose landscapes with clear subjects, layered depth, lines, scale and simplicity, including intimate scenes and panoramas
- Calculate hyperfocal distance, depth of field and diffraction limits, and plan focus stacks for near-to-far sharpness
- Use polarizers, neutral density and graduated filters, calculate filter exposures and choose between grads and blending
- Choose shutter speeds for water, clouds and light trails and make sharp, safe long exposures in the field
- Photograph the Milky Way, star trails and the aurora using dark-sky planning and appropriate exposure rules
- Apply fieldcraft, autofocus, shutter speed and reach calculations to photograph wildlife without disturbance
- Photograph small subjects using magnification, working distance, macro depth of field, focus stacking and light
- Follow ethical field practices and the wildlife, park and drone laws that apply in Canada or the United States
- Plan for safety in the field, including cold, wildlife, water, ice, avalanches, lightning and smoke
- Process, disclose, print, price and license nature images, and complete a seasonal portfolio project
Course content
12 lessons · 5 h 53 min total · final exam
- 1 The landscape and nature photography genre 25 min · quiz
- 2 Planning for light, weather and seasons 34 min · quiz
- 3 Landscape composition 27 min · quiz
- 4 Depth of field, hyperfocal distance and focus stacking 30 min · quiz
- 5 Filters: polarizers, neutral density and graduated filters 31 min · quiz
- 6 Long exposures: water, clouds and light trails 31 min · quiz
- 7 Night sky and astrophotography 29 min · quiz
- 8 Wildlife photography: fieldcraft, gear and technique 27 min · quiz
- 9 Macro and close-up nature photography 33 min · quiz
- 10 Ethics, parks and wildlife law in the US 27 min · quiz
- 11 Safety in the field 30 min · quiz
- 12 Processing, honest editing, selling work and capstone portfolio 29 min · quiz
- E Final exam 20 questions
Requirements
Recommended background. You can start any course at any time.
Description
Photographing land, sky and wildlife responsibly and safely: planning with sun, tide, weather and aurora data, composition, hyperfocal focusing and focus stacking, polarizers and ND filters, long exposures, night skies and dark-sky parks, wildlife fieldcraft, macro, National Park Service rules, the ESA, MBTA and Eagle Act, field safety in cold and wild country, honest editing, prints and a seasonal portfolio.
Part of the Film & Photography stream, typically taken in year 3.