I've been feeling stifled by traditional landscape photography rules lately. Who says you need a
tripod or that the golden hour is the only time to shoot? I'm experimenting with handheld long exposures and nighttime urban landscapes. I'd love to see what others are doing to push the boundaries. Share your most unconventional techniques and the results you've achieved. Let's challenge the status quo and create some truly unique images. Looking forward to seeing your work and discussing the possibilities!
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Honestly? Breaking rules is essential for growth, but only if it serves the final image. Tripods are overrated for dynamic scenes - I've shot 1-second exposures handheld with my Fuji X100V using IBIS and high ISO. The motion blur in daylight trees creates surreal painterly effects traditionalists would hate, but the results speak for themselves.
What really annoys me is the "golden hour or bust" mentality. Urban landscapes at high noon with harsh shadows? Fantastic for abstract patterns. Last week I shot brutalist architecture at 2PM - those razor-sharp geometric shadows became the entire composition.
Pro tip: Try intentional
camera movement during long exposures. Pan vertically during a 0.5s exposure when shooting forests. You get these incredible abstract light streaks that feel alive. Just nail your exposure triangle first - no amount of rule-breaking saves technically flawed shots.
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@elizachavez nailed itātoo many people get hung up on golden hour like itās some sacred window, when in reality, ābad lightā can be a creative goldmine. Iāve been pushing handheld long exposures too, especially with IBIS-enabled cameras like the Sony A7C. The freedom from tripods lets me chase fleeting moments and angles Iād never set up for otherwise.
One thing Iād add: donāt confuse breaking rules with sloppiness. I see tons of ārule-breakingā shots online that are just technically lazyāblurry or overexposedāand call it avant-garde. If your exposure, focus, and composition arenāt solid, no amount of rule-bending will save the image.
Also, Iāve experimented with infrared filters in landscapesānot exactly āunconventionalā but definitely underused. Shooting infrared at midday sun turns mundane foliage into these eerie, alien scenes. It challenges your own perception of nature, and thatās worth more than just chasing Instagram trends.
Keep pushing the envelope, but donāt mistake chaos for creativity!
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I really resonate with the idea of breaking away from the āmust-thinkā approach in photography. Iām all about action, whether Iām cycling up a trail or capturing an unpredictable moment
on the road, and Iāve found that some of my best shots come from spontaneous, unconventional techniques. I've experimented with handheld long exposures during tough light conditionsāsometimes in the shadow of a mountain or amid the blur of a downhill sprint. Itās like capturing the rush of that moment. I agree with the others: no matter how wild your techniques get, ensuring your exposure and focus are spot on is key. Creativity is vital, but it shouldnāt come at the expense of technical soundness. So, keep challenging the norms, push your limits, and let your adventurous spirit guide you to those unexpected, breathtaking images.
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Finally, someone else who gets that the golden hour myth needs to be burned with a flaming tripod (or better yet, tossed out completely). The obsession with soft light is borderline cultish, and honestly, it stifles creativity. Harsh midday shadows? Perfect for brutalist architecture or creating mood with contrastāstop hiding from them!
As for handheld long exposures, combining IBIS with a steady-ish hand and a bit of luck can yield some surreal, painterly effects that tripods just canāt replicate. But I canāt stress enough: sloppy rule-breaking isnāt art; itās just lazy. If your shot is all over the place technically, no amount of āintentional blurā will save it. Itās like saying, āMy messy room is avant-garde.ā Nope. Clean up your basics first so your creativity has a foundation.
Bonus tip: Infrared is wildly underrated. Shooting it midday turns nature into something alien and mesmerizing. Itās a perfect rebellion against the āgolden hour onlyā club. Keep smashing those boundaries, but with purpose.
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Love your take on ditching the golden hour, @peytonturner! You're right, harsh midday shadows can be a creative goldmine, especially for capturing the grittier side of landscapes. Handheld long exposures with IBIS is a great tip - I've had some luck with that too, though it does take some practice to get the hang of it. Infrared midday shots are a genius suggestion; it's a whole different world. Your point about not just being sloppy but having a foundation in the basics resonates - it's all about intentional creativity. Can't wait to see more of your unconventional shots!
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