A Hard Photography Skill that Pays Off Forever!

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

🌟QUICK QUESTION: Which was the first lens you purchased, Wide, Mid, or Telephoto?

[@SwompyGaming]

I got a 70-300 for fuji as my first non kit lens. the camera came with a 15-45 though

[@Axonteer]

Technically the ef-s 15-55 kit lense, second was the 55-250 and then 10-16mm (all apsc 1.6x lenses from canon)

[@rh6625]

A Meyer-Optik Goerlitz Oreston 1.8/50.

[@markallemang7745]

All-in-one zoom so I would not have to change lenses on the beach or other places. 28-300 nikon. Got tired of crap getting in the camera.

[@alternativeplan9111]

Basically all of them 😅 I got the Tamron 18-400mm for my Canon 90D last year

[@macmeier1]

There was a quote that goes something like this: "The novice cares about the equipment, the professional cares about the money and the master cares about the light."

[@CapturedByKen]

This made me smile immensely! Keep on chasing the light mate

[@100Equipoise]

Excellent

[@polarized8708]

Genius.

[@mishkalarsoncreations]

I would rather become a master

[@hamiltonchristie6992]

This clicked immediately and I can recall working through all those phases. 🙌🏾📸

[@bkc1965]

Ansel Adams said, "A photograph is usually looked at-and seldom looked into." I think his wisdom is also true with the scene in front of us. We tend to look at the scene but not look into the scene. I know that I am guilty of that, and this video here is a great reminder of how I can improve my photography. So, thanks for sharing this philosophy, Mark. Another informative and inspiring video.

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

Awesome to hear you enjoyed it Bryan!

[@Adzdiary]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z366nHatqdSer6M

[@MSmith-Photography]

Wide angle - Tokina 11-16mm I feel that, as someone that isn't a professional photographer, when I'm at a location, I gotta make use of the conditions that I've got. For the most part, I can't afford (both time and money) to go back to a location when the conditions are "ideal".

[@Gremlack13]

I was in Iceland just a few weeks ago. There are so many areas that are hard to get close to, having my 70-200 really helped me get closer and isolate specific areas, as you said. I have thousands of pictures that will now take me a lifetime and a half to sift through and process. Such an amazing country to visit and experience.

[@martindalpe.photography]

my first lens for landscape, 70-200mm F2.8

[@deecammack1452]

You have gone from photography from your head to photography from your heart. You probably started from your heart then when learning the skills switched to your head. You photographs are beautiful. I am just a novice but I get it. To lose that joy and then find it again is the greatest thing.

[@jpvvandermerwe87]

My very 1st lens that i got with my Minolta SLR (1986) , was the all-mighty ''Standard'' lens, better known as the 50mil. Still have that lens today ! Love that lens . . .

[@michaelblowers6823]

I started out with a 24-70mm and found it actually gave me the opposite experience where it encouraged me to do grand landscape where I could but also play with more intimate compositions as well.

[@simoneiorio9703]

This video is a perfect example of what you are telling into it: simply and basic rules, but focused an explained (substitute of used, when in shooting session) at the best, as your "looking down" in the big world of photography field, where big things, if not well implemented can becomes as a boring sky. Someone can think that today with post is possible anything and a boring sky can become a wonderful sky, (simply taking it from another place, as example), but, apart the true value of a photo and the satisfaction of the photographer when a good thing came from the field, the philosophy in this video make better all photos, the "looking high" photos too.

[@laurelb8372]

I used to do that, kept clicking away & heaps of same photo. Thanks for reminding us to move around, looking around

[@charliejg]

Learning to look for light was the biggest thing I learned to help my photography. I actually learned it from a UK street photographer named Roman Fox. I would look at his images and try to figure out the commonality that I loved in his images. He uses light so well. So, now when I'm in landscape photography situations I try to remember this as well. Sometimes those light and shadow detail shots are really nice. It also makes me slow down and look around before shooting. Really great advice Mark!!! Have a great week!

[@iaincphotography6051]

Have a look at the work of Mark Littlejohn, it may strike a chord with you.

[@charliejg]

@@iaincphotography6051 Thanks!!

[@paulstclairterry6971]

In a sense, you have rediscovered some of the interest and excitement that probably brought you into photography in the first place. I have just entered my eighth decade, had a corporate career until retiring at 55, and have been developing my skills and interest in photography with a view to turning this into a career. I still have other pursuits, having designed and created some decorative artworks for clients, embarked on a novel, and tutored students in undergraduate mathematics. In this latter guise, I have always said to my students, "follow tour interest". My interest in photography is reasonably catholic: I enjoy portrait photography and landscape photography, architectural photography and close-up photography. But, these categories are all interpretive. What I see (sic!) is that I am framing images of light and shadow, shape and (sometimes) colour. I photograph out of interest and out of passion. You are one of my favourite photographers and I enjoy your simple and easy storytelling style on your KZbin channel. Of course, your client-base needs to identify what it is you do by category but you now have rediscovered the freedom of capturing the images you want as an outdoor photographer.

[@deborahcorreale352]

First lens I got was in 1980, a 55mm. I was 16 heading off to art school for photography, The school gave you a list of basic equipment that you needed for school and as a graduation gift from high school my stepfather purchased me my first camera, lens, flash camera bag and tripod. It was a Minolta, still have it sitting in a camera bag in my closet. Have to say I miss the days of using film and processing my black and white negatives, printing photos. Thank you for a moment of nostalgia and very happy memories.

[@jacquesgiard6943]

Thanks!

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

Thanks so much for this!!

[@devlinstalion5483]

Your experience is exactly my experience… My first lens was a 14 to 22 EF-s lens. I got frustrated after all my images were the same!! I have a photography friend who looked at me like I was crazy when I said my favorite lens for landscapes these days is a 100-500!

[@robertnicklas655]

Oh my Lord, Mark. Your video took me back 45 years ago when I had photography in high school

[@mxb5346]

*The Best Photography advice of All-Time* I have watched COUNTLESS hours of KZbin videos so I can claim myself a sort of KZbin Photography Video Expert. And the advice in this Video is the Best you'll ever watch. Period

[@lindagrigsby5460]

Thank you! I needed this video!

[@glorycapture3066]

One of the things I've learned in my photography is to not go so much for epic, but for essence. I've often been disappointed in the past that I don't have many grand landscapes in my portfolio, but I've been increasingly thankful to add many, "essence" images taken at longer focal lengths that communicate much more than a huge, wide shot ever could. One of my favorites trees to shoot is a Magnolia with it's amazing, fragrant, large flowers. If I were to take a wide shot of the tree, even in full bloom, it does not faithfully render the essence of it like a close up of a single flower. In answer to your initial question, it's always been a 50 mm. That focal length has always been one of my absolute favorites for everything.

[@Elegance00000]

Wow

[@Superbustr]

Try going out with a 85mm. Forget about the portraiture bs that people say the lens must be used for. It will blow your mind.

[@hal0hal0mc]

100% agree about essence and 50mm and perhaps this is why I have always gravitated towards macro photography. I am a firm believer that you can make even the most mundane object resonate if you can capture it in the right way. I view it as a challenge, even... Sometimes the essence of a subject is not conveying the whole thing but the "heart and soul" of it... Like the flowers of the magnolia. The signature of many plants are their flowers so these become the focal point you are trying to highlight. Aspen are a beautiful tree, but a super wide shot may not convey its white bark which is part of its soul. One of my favorite shots is a close up of an Ash burl that looks like an alien landscape. I learned on my dad's Pentax 35 mm film camera with a 50mm about 15 years ago and only recently bought a Lumix G85 and rediscovering my old twin passions of botany and photography has been a real pleasure.

[@mkshffr4936]

I have a 58mm for my 35mm SLR that I really like. It is just enough longer than the "normal" lens to give a more intimate feel without taking you out of the normal visual perspective.

[@beverlyhelm5287]

I love that shot of the fog and the red cliffs in Moab! I also really like the one of the little pool in Iceland. I can’t wait to get out and find something to photograph!

[@funknick]

Completely agree with what you're saying here. I was given some great advice to buy a nifty-fifty lens that had a really wide open aperture, but sat at around 50 mm full frame equivalent for doing my nature/landscape photography. It forced me to focus more on specific details in a shot, rather than trying to capture "everything". The advice was that "photography is about eliminating distractions" (James Popsys). At first, it was really hard to put this into practice, but now I find myself using portrait and telephoto focal lengths out in nature far more often. The reason being is that I don't walk around going "oooh ahhh... this whole setting is amazing" instead I am walking around constantly going "what catches my eye?". When you do that, you tend to find a lot of "puddles of light" (as you've put it). Then I hone in on that and attempt to find a good angle of composition + exposure to create a solid foreground/background (bokeh) and then once I do that, I keep trying to add interest while also eliminating anything that doesn't add to the shot. Once you start doing this, I think many folks will agree with your other comment that you're "having more fun with [my] photography". Focusing on reducing and capturing interest is what really turns photography into a creative exercise instead of a technical one. It also makes the photography all about what YOU notice and find interesting. It also connects to your other point of "telling a story". Many folks may wonder "what story?" and I always say, "the one that involved me walking through a forest and seeing a cool thing!" (hahaha). This is honestly a great video and many other exemplary KZbin photographers agree with you. Thanks for sharing your perspective on what is in my opinion the most important part of photography. The main skill which will transcend your gear and make you feel like an artist.

[@TsebhoR]

thank you very much, everyone around me is obsessed with compelling photos of light and sunsets and sunrise, I feel like I have a better idea for my next photography trips, I appreciate your video, thank you again

[@adevopsguy9517]

Thank you Mark. Your tip about looking down really got to me...

[@Kgougasian]

Mark, I loved this video because i have never even heard the word Storyboard in photography! Thank you.

[@pennyfisherman8540]

My first lens was a 70-200mm. As a novice, having a zoom lens sounded the most versatile and made composition easy as a beginner. I still use it when I do landscape photography today if I want to photograph places in the distance or isolate a feature of the landscape without including foreground.

[@zachhallphotography]

Was never much of a wide angle guy but used to use my 24-70 quite often. When you realize that 90% of the time you will be trekking around your usual home domain looking for potential images, you quickly realize you need to spice things up or you'll burn out and lose interest. Since then, most often you can find me rocking a 70-200 or 60-600. Great video!!

[@jcam783]

Great tips Mark , thank you for sharing this .

[@chrisw3088]

Thank you! This is what I needed to spark more depth in my photography. Great content!!

[@realthoprivate]

Thanks for the video! Great tip to photograph what is interesting, not what is boring.

[@dallaswright3577]

Videos like this are why I follow your KZbin channel. You always have something useful to say and communicate it skillfully.

[@jimswift2400]

This video needs to be viewed at least twice. There is so much valuable information which can save the day when the light is not right. Getting a good shot when the sky is not right is so frustrating. It would be nice to get one or two shots almost every time is a great skill. Well done!

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

Thanks so much Jim!

[@alebo0]

That geothermal hot spring drone shot you took was great! At first, I was convinced it was one of the enormous ones!

[@Invader137]

A 135mm was my first purchase for landscape. This was a great addition to my Canon A1 and A1 Program.

[@lightonthelandscape]

My first lens was a 24-70mm (about 8 years ago) for studio/portrait/event photography. Good all round lens. I then had a trip to Iceland and purchased a 16-35mm and 100-400mm. I rarely used the 24-70mm on this trip as I was new to landscape photography and went full hog into wide angle. It was amazing to me how much I could capture in one scene. However, I did have two bodies, so I had the 100-400mm which I pulled out whenever I was taking a wide angle long exposure or just waiting for the right light and just snapped detailed shots here and there-simply to pass the time. When it came to reviewing and processing my images, I was amazed at how many of the 'passing time' detail shots with the 100-400 became my preferred images. I also kicked myself for taking wide angle shots and finding a plethora of hidden gems within the composition that I should have taken with a long lens. If only I had zoomed into the scene! I now religiously hunt for the detailed shots , unusual points of view, unusual light, every time I go out. Thanks Mark, great tutorial as usual.

[@FlatWaterFilms]

It's getting easier yet more complicated for me. One minute I'm shooting landscape at f/13, within the next few minutes I'm shooting macro at f/2.8. The sky conditions drive me batty sometimes. Today I actually returned to a downtown big city location. Haven't been there since 2019. The water fountain is back online ( it's a combo scene). The skyscrapers, old churches and sculptures where a lot of fun to capture as a bonus. It's nice to park the car right next to all the action, instead of those difficult hour plus hike ins. It's hot here right now, highs over 90F everyday. Time to slowdown and stay in the shade. 😊

[@rdgerdes]

I'm an amateur, not striving to be great as much as want to have fun. I can't seem to get a "style" of my own, and I'm not at all bothered by that. I have 2 lenses with my XT-3, neither are primes. Sometimes, I enjoy switching from landscapes or close ups, I take my X100-V with a fixed lens and head downtown to the streets and architectural details. I'm having fun doing it all! I appreciate and incorporate your techniques and suggestions. Keep 'em coming. Thanks!

[@benoftroy]

thanks for the video! first lens I got with intention to shoot landscapes was a 20mm f/1.8

[@raficknaseeven3533]

Wow Thank you Mark. I never looked at photography in this perspective. Always great to learn from your experience over time.

[@seangaffney581]

I went overboard and have several wide angles both full frame and apsc but recently purchased the Sony 90mm f2.8 Marco and with its 3 focal ranges it opened my eyes to so much more.

[@hilleviupmanis8687]

Thank you for your time!

[@allengreene27]

Love your channel, there’s always good takeaways. Cheers!

[@garrydelday5816]

There is always a photo within a photo, that’s my philosophy and I’m only two years into my journey but loving it 😉📷

[@Wash0ut_]

Wonderfully insightful. Thank you Mark!

[@dailyonthecamera]

This was very informative. I agree with your insights as well. Thanks for sharing your experiences.

[@davidmatyis8137]

Really love your work Mark, thank you!

[@jirojiro1029]

Not depending so much on the cloud and weather. That feels like graduating from being Brendan van son to becoming Tom Heaton! And that photo at 8:15….that’s really gorgeous, and not something I thought I will see from you! Great job Mark!

[@torstenwennberg4845]

I was addicted to my 17-55 as my first lens. Now I appreciate the 70-200 way more for the 'selection' it offers. This is a good video and it's interesting as Mads Peter Iversen (photo vlogger from Denmark) has had several videos recently where the key to his landscapes has been to be in the 200-400 range, picking out and isolating what he wants from the landscape. Good stuff. Thanks

[@realMysta]

I recently got a 35-150 lens, and I am able to just kinda look at everything through different focal lengths and revisit later and found lots of good pics zoomed in on random interesting features

[@gerrydoherty52]

Nikkor 10-20mm was my first landscape lens

[@chrisjohn2415]

Love the video. Keep up the good work Mark.

[@carlmcneill1139]

When I switched from Canon to Nikon I bought a 24-70 and a 70-200 for my d750. Those were my only lenses. I have since added a 20mm, 14-30mm and the 105mm macro. I'm waiting for the 200-600mm to come out. The macro lens really opens up your options when you have a dull sky. The possibilities are endless when you get on the macro level. I live in northwest Alabama. It's mostly trees everywhere you look. I hardly ever need anything more than a wide angle lens. I do have some lakes in the area where I do my milky way photography. Sometimes you can catch a storm in the area and that's when I try to get photos of lightning. I either use my 24-70 or 70-200 for that. It depends on how far away the lightning is. By the way, I can see a big improvement in your photography from when your channel first began. Learning how to do exposure blending has really helped mine out as well. I'm still not on a professional level but I can really see a difference in my work over the last couple of years.

[@nolankelleher332]

My first lens for landscape was a 70-200 f4

[@nikoletinavukovic2476]

Started out with a 10-20mm lens some 6 years ago and it used to be my go-to lens for a long time. After discovering Mark's channel and realising how dependent of the conditions I, or I should say the lens, was, I started experimenting with 24-105mm and 70-200mm lenses. Nowadays 70-200 is my most used lens, by far. Once again, thank you Mark for all your hard work and suggestions we keep giving us every week.

[@Nazareth434]

That's a good tip... become a light seeker. "Puddles of light"- that comes from "Learning to see", trai ing the eye to see to see photos where there isn't much going on. Find the smaller spots where something is going on.

[@arnoldvanharmelen5381]

Thank you for the inspiration Mark!

[@powerhouseelectricllc.9330]

My first lens only purchase was the 24gm. It brings me joy every time I get to use it.

[@robertdavis1255]

Thanks for sharing....my first lens for my DSLR was Sigma 18-200mm for my Nikon D70s ...next I purchased a Nikon 50mm prime (special edition)...I then upgraded my camera to a Nikon D7100 & loved using the two lenses...I now have more lenses but still love my first two... cheers 😀

[@alangauld6079]

That Icelandic hot-spring shot fooled me - I thought it would be 50 yards across at least! But all good advice. I've been trying to "look at the light" for years now after attending a seminar by Michael Freeman but it's so easy to be fooled by only seeing the landscape. Definitely a hard skill to master. The other one is seeing an image as a set of shapes rather than objects, I'm still working on that too.

[@Superbustr]

Shoot film. Film expresses light in a way that digital doesn't hit without a great deal of image editing. Color film responds better to highlights and overexposure while digital responds better to underexposure and dark scenes.

[@alangauld6079]

@@Superbustr Depends entirely on the film. Positive films work differently to negative. Some only have a DR of 5 or 6 stops, others up to 12 or more. I started off with film in the 60s, even working briefly in a darkroom as a technician's assistant, but I only use film today for a few specific shots where I think it will suit the subject. Digital just offers so much more control and so much more comfort in so much less time. But understanding light and structure in composition is a skill that applies regardless of the medium.

[@Superbustr]

@@alangauld6079 With digital you get the speed but give up physical ownership of all of your photos. Without being physical, digital photos get lost in the ether due to technological hardware & software changes. Digital photos and film photos take essentially the same amount of time to process, the caveat with film being that you really need your own dark room and scanner to be able to process your photos same day since quick turn around labs are few and far between. For me digital allows be to spray and pray, taking hundreds of photos in one day of which only a few photos may actually be any good. I would rather take less photos that are of better quality on film to reduce the amount of time on the computer selecting, processing, and editing.

[@alangauld6079]

@@Superbustr Not if you print them - as I do. I have framed prints all over my home and in several albums. Some are from film others digital. As for 'spray and pray' that's down to the photographer! I rarely take more than 50 shots in a day which is about the same as I did with film. Most trips I only take about 10-20 (I'm primarily a landscaper). The discipline of composing a shot and working out the light you want doesn't change with the media, that's down to the photographer. But digital does make some things much easier, like HDR and focus stacking both of which were extremely hard (often practically impossible) with film.

[@allehman5095]

Mark, Another great tutorial. You always produce inspiring tutorials with fantastic images to emphasize your message. Job well done once again. I think I can speak for everyone to say thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience with us amateur shutter bugs.

[@KyleRutledge]

Loved this video. Thanks Mark!

[@HR-wd6cw]

One thing I will say and this is mainly for new photographers, but also experienced... when doing landscape and going somewhere for the first itme (say a national park) it's a good idea to scope. Not only do you figure out where you want to be (and any possible obstacles) at sunrise or sunset or whatever, but you also know what the area is like. You can even take your camera and try a few different compositions during the "harsh light" hours as you likely won't be as focused on getting the money shot at that time, but you can experiement, so when you do come back for sunset or sunrise, you have an idea of what you want to do. I know this sounds pretty basic, but for me, it's helped a lot because I'm not fumbling around in the morning while I only have, say, 45 minutes or 2 hours of good light. I already have an idea of what I want to do. But also don't be afraid to experiment too. Things can change between scoping and the next day when you're actaully shooting, but scoping a location the day before does help (you could even go the day before for sunrise or sunset with the intention of finding the good shots, and then come back another day (if the weather cooperates) to realy drill down and get the shots you want. Of course, some will say "shoot it now" while you're there, and you can, but the point is scoping and then coming back if you need to. If you can't come back later, then scope during the day (during the harsh light) and come back that evening.

[@jameskelson1891]

You make excellent and valuable points about looking for the light, looking in all directions, finding different compositions, and experimenting with focal lengths. What has helped make that work for me was getting rid of the tripod unless absolutely necessary for low light or long exposures. Some studio shots and pixel peeping convinced me that I did not need to use a tripod for the vast majority of my shots.

[@keeganoconnellphotography]

One of your best videos yet! Super informative and gave me a lot to think about

[@robertnelson3179]

Thanks for the tips. Many times the hard desert sun can make things a challenge for me.

[@andy_an_outdoors_guy]

the whole idea of "thinking small" is really great -- I stumbled onto this accidentally when I couldn't find a decent composition due to weather or light... so I would start to slow down and look around for literally anything else to take a picture of .. and low and behold all sorts of things would start to pop out :)

[@cwitt8280]

Great suggestions. I have not used the longer lenses much for landscape. But know I prefer the more abstract frames. You've connected alot of dots for me. Tx very.

[@alejandrocastro2711]

My first proper lens was the Canon 24mm. Absolutely love that lens. It’s still my favorite

[@aquariuslady777]

I have the Olympus 25mm 1.8 ....it is such a versatile lens

[@theresawilliams4228]

Canon 70-200mm is my go to lens for all Landscape photography

[@phynx2006]

The first lens I had that came with the 5D Mark III was a EF 24-105mm f/4L the first lens purchased after that was a telephoto EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM.

[@Freakwave26]

This pretty much sums up the way my personal photography has been moving towards in the last Year or 2. I never was the person for the grand wide angle landscape images since i never really have time to go out when the sky is appealing, so the wide landscapes have alwas more been a documentation thing for the yearly photobook my wife creates. More and more ive been putting away the wide angle lens entirely and grabbing longer and longer lenses to capture small sections or interesting little details. And this makes me so much more happy. So thanks for this video. Especially the storyboard way of thinking, which i already have subconciously done in some way, might be really helpful!

[@richardpesce5325]

Thanks for the advice Mark!

[@timfdubois]

Excellent video with information that I can use. Thanks.

[@erichschultz1093]

I purchased my first Camera, a Nikon FM, in 1980 came with a 50mm, which I used for years.

[@garyculley9939]

Go Mark. We’re watching your growth in photography. Yes still growing. And it is many times very interesting for viewers. Today is great example. Many ask “can I just be a fly on the wall while photographer works”. We are the Fly today. Thanks

[@thomasb9225]

follow the light

[@chrisbohinski3364]

This video certainly reinforced my belief in being versatile in my photography. I’ve watched yours and other channels for years hoping to be an excellent landscape photographer. While I still strive for greatness in that, I’ve really embraced exactly what you’re talking about and I’ve had the same result… I am having so much fun with it.

[@creationconnectionministri5066]

Great insights Mark, I can definitely relate.

[@Madix81]

Probably one of the most interesting photography video I have seen on youtube so far. You send photography to basics and not only editing as many instagram photographers are focused on, the subject, cropping and light. thanks for that

[@philippeleon4736]

Your story speaks to me... I do landscape with a 16mm and a 90 mm fix lens. On an apsc body.. That s it. It sometimes constrain ing yet it forces to look at the scene from different angle.. Thank you!

[@garythompson3869]

My first camera lens combo. Olympus OM-1with OM 50mm f/1.8. This forced me to experiment with focal distance using my legs insted of a zoom ring. And with slide film any expriment was an expesive,so quick learning curve. My Nikon D40 with kit zooms changed all that. Its easy to get lazy. Now have full frame Nikon with mostly prime lenses. So back to the leg work for composition variety. As you say step back and think which will ultimatley produce better stories and photos. Nice video with some healthy self criticism

[@brents1021]

I have watched thousands of hours of videos on Photography and this is one of the best out there. Your screenshots of Lightroom filled with dozens of similar pictures with an un-inspiring sky made me laugh out loud as it looked like something right off of my own computer. As you say, how many times do all the elements come together just at the right time! Excellent video, I really enjoyed your work. (First Lens 28-75mm)

[@rayganrambles]

This video is giving me the inspiration to get back out and take photos again. I've been in a slump since January. I'm going to dig out my macro lens and go shoot fascinating light.

[@jtinoco9859]

Great advice. I’m still taking 100 pictures of the same scene. I’ll put into practice everything you said. Thank you for your videos!

[@ericmoon871]

Other than the kit lenses I purchased a 75-200mm for landscape and focused on zoom in into landscapes. It took me about 10 years to purchase a wide lense (16-32mm) and it’s been a learning curve for sure but opens up a lot of possibilities.

[@robertnicklas655]

Oh my Lord Mark. Your video took me back 45 years when I took photography in high school. Mr. Heckman, our teacher, taught us the same thing of "looking for interesting light" and "always look down and all around". Those lessons have always been a part of my checklist when at any location. Keep the great videos coming. I always look forward to watching them. By the way, my first landscape lens purchased, was 20mm. Soon afterwards, a 70-300mm. Sorry for the previous comment. My big fingers swiping on a small keyboard accidentally hit the send arrow. LOL

[@atoafriend]

I recently picked up instant photography to force myself to think more carefully about composing my shots, and I've found that the limited dynamic range of the exposure of my instant camera has indirectly helped me pay more attention to light and contrast.

[@mactube72]

Wide angle 16mm Sigma, then 56mm.Thanks again Mark for the Priceless advice.

[@stevemockoviak8384]

First Lens for Landscape was the Nikkor 18-140mm. Love this lens.

[@albartron4800]

I started with a Nikon 16mm - 80mm. Serves me well for landscape and MilkyWay

[@Q87]

This is so true and the same time so hard. I'm watching your channel from some time but recently noticed that you perfectly touch the topics that I'm struggling. Really find it helpful and motivating. Big thanks for your work and help!

[@kimmartin9886]

Wide angle in Hawaii. Great photos. That was 45 years ago. Now I use any lens that lends itself to the scene in front of me.

[@charliecarteroutdoors9217]

Awesome information. It was like a slap in the face eye opening experience. I have been fixated on the grand scene and not the smaller details. I will diffidently take this info to the field. Thanks.

[@DutchTugMaster]

My Praktica L came with a f:/2.8 50 mm. Domiplan standard lens. My second lens was the Meyer Optic Goerlitz f:/2.8 135 mm. short tele. That was in 1974, I now still use these lenses via an adapter on my Sony ILCE-7 and on my NEX-5R. They are still nice usable lenses besides my Sony kit lenses.

[@Seeitmove]

Thank you, much for sharing!

[@francisbaker78]

Thanks this is a great suggestion I too can be so fixated on the wide or total composition, so this a great point to add to my photos. I like to get low and see what else is there.

[@alanevans9246]

Mark, great video!!!! I absolutely fall into the one shot wonder mode and then come home very disappointed not only because I really do not hav anything note worthy. But, then spend hours trying to find one photo to justify my time…. Another tip is when you get focused on a scene, take a step backwards and just turn 180 degrees. The number of times I have done this and found a better shot is amazing…. Great content and love the reminder…. Thanks for sharing each week and keep snapping! Look forward to your posts each week.

[@phillipgwin1277]

16-35 was my first and still one of my favorite! Great video Mark!

[@gertrudkohlfurst1835]

thanks for creating the video Mark. it spoke right to my heart. at the moment I feel that my images look the same no matter what the subject/object is. I'm running in a circle. thanks for the reminder to look around with an open mind and try different angles and not be afraid of "failure".

[@edeitzen1065]

I am fairly new to digital photography (just a couple of years) and did some film photography when I was younger, 40 years ago. With my new digital kit and interest in landscape photography, I started out using my 16-35mm zoom lens, mostly at the wide focal lengths. I found that a lot of the wider focal length images were lacking to me and also found that I started to prefer shooting more at 35mm than 16mm. Now I am more often taking out my 70-200mm zoom and shooting any focal length that lens has to offer, depending on the subject and how far away it is. I like closer up images much better now than wide open. I will still use a 16 to 20 mm focal length when warranted, but find that more often I like the images that are closer in perspective. Thanks, Mark, now I understand better why I'm feeling this way. Great video as usual!

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

Awesome to hear you enjoyed it Ed!