Everyone knows I’m an old-fashioned kind of guy when it comes to getting the correct exposure “in-camera” as opposed to “in post”. For me, post-capture processing in Lightroom or Photoshop is a matter of tweaking the RAW image to help recreate what I remembered seeing when I took the shot. A graduated neutral density filter is used to balance the exposure between the background and foreground of an image. As such, it is an essential tool that every landscape photographer should learn to use early in their career (or hobby). Yes, I know you could accomplish the same thing using a photo-blending technique like HDR but it’s much easier to do this “in camera” while you’re out in the field.

The way a graduated ND filter works is very simple, by reducing the amount of light transmitted through a portion of the filter to your camera’s sensor so that the foreground exposure more closely matches the background exposure. They are not perfectly matched mind you, just more closely. By positioning the graduated ND filter in front of the lens you can vary the amount of exposure “balancing” the filter does in each scene. You can position these filter by hand or by using a filter holder as shown in the image below.

This is my typical setup for a landscape shot with my 5D Mark III on a lightweight but sturdy tripod (Gitzo Traveller using an RRS ball-head) and a Singh-Ray graduated neutral density filter held in place by a Cokin “Z” holder, mounted on a wide angle lens. The graduated neutral density filter is generally a 2, 3 or 4-stop / soft ND grad made by Singh-Ray, a company that designs and builds the best quality photographic filters in the world.

The purpose of the “ND Grad” filter used here was to “hold back” the bright sunset to balance foreground exposure in this late evening shot in Orchard, Texas. This allowed my DSLR to meter for the mid-tones without blowing out the bright highlights or losing all the shadow detail. The great thing about a graduated neutral density filter is that you, the photographer, have complete control over how much light the filter blocks by changing its position in the filter holder. Many photographers (myself included) prefer to hold the filter against the lens by hand, moving it to achieve exactly the effect we want.

On of my favorite landscape photographers Steve Kossack, is famous for teaching students “conscious control over colors and light” and a big part of his craft is in using the right filter at the right time. Steve’s also famous for hand-holding and moving his ND-Grad filters during the exposure so that each image is unique and one of a kind.

As Steve teaches, getting control of the colors and the light “in-camera” using a graduated neutral density is a great way to practice your craft in the field. Learning to properly use a few simple filters can extend your success and bring some much needed control to your landscape photography.

The Road to Paradise – Davis Mountains, Texas
Copyright © 2015 Jeff Lynch Photography
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Shot taken with a Canon EOS 5D Mark III with GP-E2 unit attached, set on aperture (Av) priority using an EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens tripod mounted. The exposure was taken at 40mm, f/16 for 1/40th of a second at ISO 100. Post capture processing was done in Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5.

GPS Coordinates: 30°42’55” N 103°46’57” W, 4549.9 ft

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Gentle Curve – Davis Mountains, Texas
Copyright © 2015 Jeff Lynch Photography
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Shot taken with a Canon EOS 5D Mark III with GP-E2 unit attached, set on aperture (Av) priority using an EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens tripod mounted. The exposure was taken at 28mm, f/16 for 1/60th of a second at ISO 100. Post capture processing was done in Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5.

GPS Coordinates: 30°39’16” N 104°15’49” W, 5232.6 ft

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Mountain Drive – Davis Mountains, Texas
Copyright © 2015 Jeff Lynch Photography
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Shot taken with a Canon EOS 5D Mark III with GP-E2 unit attached, set on aperture (Av) priority using an EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens tripod mounted. The exposure was taken at 28mm, f/16 for 1/50th of a second at ISO 100. Post capture processing was done in Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5.

GPS Coordinates: 30°39’16” N 104°15’49” W, 5232.6 ft

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Cloudscape – Davis Mountains Preserve, Texas
Copyright © 2015 Jeff Lynch Photography
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Shot taken with a Canon EOS 5D Mark III with GP-E2 unit attached, set on aperture (Av) priority using an EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens tripod mounted. The exposure was taken at 28mm, f/16 for 1/50th of a second at ISO 100. Post capture processing was done in Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5.

GPS Coordinates: 30°32’20” N 103°59’47” W, 5232.6 ft

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Base Camp will be at the Indian Lodge in the Davis Mountains State Park in Fort Davis, Texas and we will be shooting at Big Bend National Park, Guadalupe Mountains National Park and Davis Mountains State Park as well as other key locations during the four day workshop. Several of these locations will require a short hike to the best shooting locations so a good pair of hiking shoes or boots and a photo-pack to carry your gear is highly recommended. Most other key spots and overlooks are “drive up and shoot” opportunities, so don’t worry if you’re not up for the hike. There are thousands of great locations within 200 miles of our base camp!

Sunday 04/24/2016
4:00pm – 5:00pm  Meet & Greet at the Indian Lodge
5:00pm – 7:00pm  Dinner in Fort Davis
7:00pm – 9:30pm  Sunset & Starlight Photography at the Davis Mountains State Park

Monday 04/25/2016
6:00am – 7:00am   Breakfast at the Indian Lodge
7:00am – 12:00pm  Sunrise & Early Morning Photography in the Davis Mountains
12:00pm – 2:00pm  Lunch in Fort Davis
2:00pm – 4:30pm  Drive to Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Bring Snack)
4:30pm – 9:00pm  Evening & Sunset Photography at Guadalupe Mountains National Park
9:00pm – 11:30pm  Drive back to Fort Davis

Tuesday 04/26/2016
4:30am – 7:30am  Drive to Santa Elena Canyon in Big Bend National Park (Bring Snack)
7:30am – 10:30am  Sunrise & Early Morning Photography at Santa Elena Canyon
10:30am – 12:00pm  Morning Photography along Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive
12:00pm – 1:30pm  Lunch at the Basin Lodge in Big Bend National Park
1:30pm –  5:00pm  Afternoon Photography along the River Road (Rio Bravo)
5:00pm – 7:00pm  Dinner or Snack break at Castalon Outpost
7:00pm – 9:30pm  Sunset Photography at Sotol Vista Overlook
9:30pm – 12:00am  Drive back to Fort Davis

Wednesday 04/27/2016
6:00am – 7:00am   Breakfast at the Indian Lodge
7:00am – 10:00am  Drive to Big Bend National Park via Panther Junction
10:00am – 12:00pm  Morning Photography at Boquillas Canyon
12:00pm – 2:30pm  Lunch at the Basin Lodge in Big Bend National Park
2:30pm –  5:00pm  Afternoon Photography along Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive
5:00pm – 7:00pm  Dinner or Snack break at Castalon Outpost
7:00pm – 9:30pm  Sunset Photography at Sotol Vista Overlook
9:30pm – 12:00am  Drive back to Fort Davis

Thursday 04/28/2016
6:00am – 7:00am   Breakfast at the Indian Lodge
7:00am – 12:00pm  Sunrise & Early Morning Photography in the Davis Mountains
12:00pm – 2:00pm  Lunch in Fort Davis
2:00pm – 9:30pm  Afternoon & Evening Photography along Davis Mountains Scenic Loop
9:30pm – 12:00am  Drive back to Fort Davis

Our schedule is very flexible depending upon the weather and everyone’s energy level, but come prepared for four days and nights of some of the best landscape photography opportunities you’ll ever experience. We guarantee you’ll be exhausted but satisfied at the end of the workshop!

Trap Mountain View – Big Bend National Park, Texas
Copyright © 2016 Jeff Lynch Photography
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Shot taken with a Canon EOS 5D Mark III with GP-E2 unit attached, set on aperture (Av) priority using an EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens tripod mounted. The exposure was taken at 24mm, f/16 for 1/40th of a second at ISO 100. Post capture processing was done in Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5.

GPS Coordinates: 29°10’10” N 103°26’13” W, 2842.5 ft

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Home Sweet Home – Davis Mountains Preserve, Texas
Copyright © 2015 Jeff Lynch Photography
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Shot taken with a Canon EOS 5D Mark III with GP-E2 unit attached, set on aperture (Av) priority using an EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens tripod mounted. The exposure was taken at 32mm, f/11 for 1/15th of a second at ISO 200. Post capture processing was done in Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5.

GPS Coordinates: 30°44’41” N 104°9’49” W, 5680.1 ft

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Gentle Curve – Big Bend National Park, Texas
Copyright © 2015 Jeff Lynch Photography
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Shot taken with a Canon EOS 5D Mark III with GP-E2 unit attached, set on aperture (Av) priority using an EF 17-40mm f/4L USM lens tripod mounted. The exposure was taken at 24mm, f/16 for 1/20th of a second at ISO 100. Post capture processing was done in Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5.

GPS Coordinates: 29°10’10” N 103°26’13” W, 2846.8 ft

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Desert Green – Big Bend National Park, Texas
Copyright © 2015 Jeff Lynch Photography
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Shot taken with a Canon EOS 5D Mark III with GP-E2 unit attached, set on aperture (Av) priority using an EF 17-40mm f/4L USM lens tripod mounted. The exposure was taken at 37mm, f/16 for 1/60th of a second at ISO 100. Post capture processing was done in Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5.

GPS Coordinates: 29°15’30” N 103°22’10” W, 3811.7 ft

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