Sabrina Von Bein
@die_raubritterin
Best of the week 43 at #nomadict 2022
In 2008, I received my first SLR from my uncle. From then on, I took many photos during my trips, but I was never satisfied with my results. I always had the feeling that something was missing from my photos. Then, in 2017, I joined a local photo club. That was the first time I heard about composition rules, RAW format, and the possibilities and power of editing. Gathering all this information and applying it to my work was a big step!
Another step forward was when I photographed solely using the manual settings for one year. In the beginning, most of the photos failed, but after some weeks, I got a feeling for the correct settings. Since then, my photography skills have developed continuously. Even today, I learn something new with every further photo excursion, and two years ago, I switched to mirrorless full-frame cameras. Their dynamic range and image stabilizer are magnificent and open up new possibilities.
For me, photography and traveling are a perfect combination of what I love to do. The phrase “traveling or hiking without my camera is like going on a honeymoon without taking my husband with me” applies to me quite well. And Germany and its landscapes have contributed to this journey.
I live in upper Bavaria near the alps, so most of my photos are taken during hiking trips. During the pandemic, I learned to appreciate the beauty of my homeland again, and I can say that I am blessed to live in such a beautiful corner of Germany.
In my home area, I also had the opportunity to develop my style. In this regard, I must be at the right place on top of the mountain before sunrise or sunset. I am in love with the golden hour and the warm tones. My landscape pictures have intense colors, and a blurred foreground makes photos more interesting for me. Images of mountains may also make it easier to appear majestic, as most people are fascinated by this force of nature.
I captured the winning photo in a unique region. Visiting South Tyrol, Italy, was on my bucket list for a long time. The alarm clock rang at 4 a.m. It was not easy for me to leave the warm hotel bed as it was freezing outside.
In the dark, I had to wait about one hour till sunrise. However, it is a great feeling when the day begins, the birds start singing, and the first rays of sunshine reach the summit. Moments like this make you forget every effort.
My want-to-shoot motif was not possible due to the prolonged drought this year. The Lago di Braies had less water than anticipated, so I had to find another composition. Two days before I took the winning photo, I visited the lake in the afternoon to have a first overview of the local conditions. If possible, I always scout out a new location before a shoot. Then I am more relaxed about shooting the photo I want. That is why I chose the aerial view, and for the composition, it was not relevant to see the mountain reflected in the lake. I wanted the yellow larches to frame the lake and draw more attention to the peak gently kissed by the first sunlight.
Back home and while editing, I used one of my presets for this landscape shot. To retain some detail, I brightened up the shadows and mid-tones a little bit. The sky and the mountain in the background were a bit too bright. That is why I reduced the highlights. I increased the saturation of yellow and blue tones and reduced the clarity of the whole photo for a dreamy look. For the next step, I added a radial filter to darken the edges in the lower section to direct the view to the mountain. The final step was adding some dodge and burn. To crop the photo and decide which look/preset fits best were steps that I completed beforehand.
"I feel like capturing this image taught me an important lesson. Always think outside the box!"
If it is impossible to take the photo you had in mind, it is always worth a new try with another composition. It is worth a mint to scout out a new location before you want to shoot.
Then, the most crucial ingredients for a great landscape photo are the following, in my opinion:
(1) It does not matter how spectacular the landscape is if you do not manage to convey emotions
(2) I am in love with the warm tones of sunrise and sunset. Such photos are always appealing to me right away
(3) Blurred flowers or rocks in the foreground give depth to the picture
(4) And lastly, the use of leading lines.
Making a living as a photographer is not easy. So I feel proud because my photos are part of travel guides and other books. I regularly take part in photo exhibitions with my local photo club. It is always something special to see your photos printed. The more you show yourself to the public, the faster your work will be recognized!
Social media is a big way to draw attention to find new customers. Of course, it would be a dream for me to develop my landscape photography more professionally. Capturing photographs for hotels and tourism regions would be a possibility. I am excited to see where the journey will take me and my camera!
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