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✅ F/2.8 vs F/4 - Is the Difference Worth the Upgrade?
Published about 1 month ago • 4 min read
Hello, my friend!
I just returned from two unforgettable weeks in the Great Smoky Mountains during peak fall color, easily one of my favorite times of the year to be out with a camera. I filmed two on-location videos while I was there, and I’m sharing the first one below. I feel incredibly fortunate to witness and photograph scenes like this, and I can’t wait for you to see it.
I hope you find some useful information in this edition of The Morning Blaze and as always thanks so much for reading & sharing. Have a great weekend! - Mark D.
The Great Smoky Mountains
📺 MY NEW VIDEOS
A Perfect Fall Morning - How I Capture Peak Color
There’s just something special about photographing the Smoky Mountains in the fall. The mix of vibrant color, crisp air, and flowing streams creates some of my favorite scenes of the entire year. In this on-location video, I head deep into the Smokies to chase peak fall color and walk through my personal workflow for photographing my favorite season with moving water. From finding the right composition and dialing in settings to working with changing light and subtle motion, this is the kind of morning I look forward to all year.
F/2.8 vs F/4 - Is the Difference Worth the Upgrade?
Is an f/2.8 lens really worth the extra money for landscape photography? That’s the big question I wanted to answer in this video. I’ve used both f/4 and f/2.8 lenses for years, but I’ve never done a true side-by-side comparison, same location, same composition, same settings. So I packed up both lenses and headed to Colorado to put them to the test in real shooting conditions. In this video, I’ll compare center and corner sharpness, vignetting, contrast, color, weight, and of course… price. My goal isn’t to tell you which one is better, but to show you what kind of real-world difference there actually is between an f/2.8 and an f/4 lens when it comes to landscape photography.
This Composition Tool Eats the Rule of Thirds for Breakfast!
I think by this point we're all familiar with the more popular composition techniques for creating powerful landscape photos. We know to use leading lines to draw the viewer into our photos, we know to use layers to create depth in our images and we frame our photographs using the rule of thirds, but are these really the best approaches? Now as far as the first two points go, I'm a big fan of both, but I'm not 100% sold on the rule of thirds as a long term solution for composition.
Guide to Landscape Photography Composition: A Four-Step Process
Over the past couple of years, I’ve been running a survey asking photographers to identify the most crucial aspect of a great landscape photo. The options to choose from were Light, Composition, Subject, or Conditions with "Composition" emerging as the overwhelming favorite.
This general consensus also resonates with me as composition is indeed a critical factor in creating captivating landscape photographs. However, it’s also a topic inundated with countless tips, techniques, and best practices. Today, I want to share a method that has profoundly impacted my photography. This four-step process simplifies the art of assembling an attractive landscape composition and will help you find your creative flow the next time you're out in the field.
✅ Step 1: Stop & Stare
The first step is what I like to call "stop & stare", and it's one of my favorite parts of the photographic process. See to me, photography isn’t just about the final image; it’s about the entire process and the memories you create along the way. Whether you’ve hiked 10 miles or just a few feet to your location, take a moment to stop, put down your gear, and absorb your surroundings. Watch how the landscape unfolds before you. Notice the movement, the light, the subtle details. This can be a brief 10-minute pause or a more extended 30-minute reflection - totally up to you. The key is to engage deeply with the scene without your camera. This mindful observation lays the groundwork for a more intentional and inspired composition.
The Great Smoky Mountains
One of the most rewarding aspects of landscape photography is the opportunity to connect with nature on a deeper level. When you stop and stare, you allow yourself to fully experience the beauty and tranquility of the environment. This practice not only enhances your photographic vision, but also fosters a sense of appreciation and mindfulness. Whether you're in a lush forest, a rugged mountain range, or a serene beach, taking the time to observe your surroundings will enrich your overall experience and lead to more meaningful photographs. >> Read More
🤓 PHOTO NERDS
📸 The 1st digital camera weighed 4 times more than a modern DSLR coming in at a whopping 8 pounds!
💻 The Knoll brothers created a piece of software in 1987 called ImagePro. Adobe purchased this & created what we now know to be Photoshop. Version 1 was released in 1990 and was for Macintosh only.
✨ INSPO
"If you can't feel what you're looking at, then you're never going to get others to feel anything when they look at your pictures." - Don McCulli
Your first 10,000 photographs are your worst." - Henri Cartier-Bresson
🌳 FINAL WORD
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📨 Join 56,000+ Photographers enjoying The Morning Blaze - my free, online photography publication where I share photo tips, tutorials, & inspiration I’ve gained throughout my journey from beginner to professional Landscape Photographer.
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