LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY.
The photographic study of nature will always remain a chief source of pleasure to the enthusiastic amateur, giving as it does the opportunities, nowhere else obtained, to display his taste in choice of composition, and his ideas of that which is most pleasing to the eye. Care in sele&ing the best point of view from which to take a subjeel is of more importance than obtain ing sharpness of detail. A question often asked is : " What is good composi tion in landscape photography?" Another question supplemental to the above : "Are there any rules for composition ? " There are, and many, but frequently when we attempt to make use of them they do not fit the subje&. (There are, however, some that can be used with entire satisfaelion ; of those we shall speak later.) So we would say that a good composition is one that is pleasing to the eye, one that leaves you with that feeling which is experienced when you are convinced that you have the best that can be made from the subject in hand, the feeling justified by the result obtained.
Composition needs study, continual study, and to obtain the best results one must necessarily improve his knowledge of the beautiful in nature, that he may be able to sele6t those " bits " which convey to him a feeling of entire satisfaalion. To obtain the best results that feeling must necessarily be cultivated. Frequently one fails to see that which is essential to making a good piaure, or he fails to distinguish the essentials from the non-essen tials ; he may have good ideas, but he fails to carry them out.
Do not be discouraged because upon studying the composition of a pi6lure you have made, you exclaim, " Why, that is lop-sided! " or " Look where I have placed the tree! " but give it some thought, convince yourself that the same subje& taken from another point of view, perhaps taken at another time of day when the sunlight would certainly change the aspe(St of the scene, must turn out far different results, then try again. It will frequently happen, there will exist little similarity between the two prints, although both were taken from the same subjeei, one giving entire satis fadtion, the other none.
A mistake often made by the amateur is that he tries to get too much into his picture ; in other words, he covers too much field. For instance, he makes a pidure containing a bridge, a herd of cattle, a few trees, a small body of water ; while the distance may contain a range of mountainous country. A composition of this description in most cases might be divided to good advantage into four or five pictures ; the placing of all in one divides the pielure into sections, the result is that it fails to be interesting.
One should select some one object for his pielure ; this should be the main point of interest, one that arrests the eye immediately the view is placed before him. When this has been selected all other features of the composi tion should be of secondary consideration. If at times it is found necessary to include something that might be a detriment, it is often possible to put it slightly out of focus without destroying the principal obje6t.
The next point is p/acing the main objeCi of interest ; if it can be avoided do not locate it in the center, but rather at one side or the other. It may be the end of a road, perhaps a house in the distance, and to call attention to that faCt the lines of your composition should converge towards it. You will often notice upon glancing at the picture of a landscape that the eye is drawn to one point. This is caused by the lines of the composition leading to that point, the objed of interest, it having been studied to produce that effeCt. When taking the pielure of a house do not get direaly in front of it, but at one side, thereby showing it in perspeCtive. This will also apply to street scenes ; do not take a view of the street from its center, but from one side.
There are a few rules that can in most cases be followed with good results. The horizon line, which in most landscapes is the more conspicu ous, should never divide the picture into two equal parts, but should be either one-third from the top or one-third from the bottom. When one has subjects in the near foreground, the line should be about one-third from the top, while for broad, expansive views it should be at the same distance from the bottom. With the latter one should have, if possible, a clouded sky.
The introduction of figures into the landscape may increase its value ; it may also mar its effect. Figures, to help your composition, should be in action ; in other words, they should not be aware of the fact that they'are being- photographed. Many of the most beautiful landscape effects contain figures and when the pose is in harmony with the composition the result is always pleasing.
Clouds, when possible to obtain, are an advantage in the composition of a landscape, breaking up, as they do, the usual monotony of a blank sky, and adding much to the beauty and interest of the picture. A prettily clouded sky is often the redeeming feature of an othenvise poor composition. Two practical methods of getting good clouds in your prints are given in the special article on page 165.