Karoo Landscape.

[Rudi Venter]

The Karoo is a large semi-desert area in the middle of South Africa. It is a flat, sometimes with a few hills, area that is mostly covered by some grass and a few bushes. Most of the time it is hot and dry with gray and brown the most predominant colors.

This year I was fortunate to visit the area after some rain, the normally subdued vegetation had lots of additional, though subtle colors.

This photo is taken from a low angle as I tried to show how wide and open the area is as well as to capture some of the colors.

Canon EOS 1DSmk3, Canon EF 24-105 L IS lens at 24mm, f14 and 1/100 sec.

Thanks for looking!
Rudi

 

[Chris Dodkin]

The colours really are something else - and I can't get over how clean your air is!

How far from any big city are you when you took this shot?

 

[Hamish Gill]

Someone in the shop was asking me about haze in landscape photos and how to get rid of it ... My only suggestion was a uv filter ... Or to try good weather ... I assume there is no other trick to it?

 

[Rudi Venter]

Chris, yes, the air is really clear in the Karoo, one of the reasons we have a big astronomical observatory there and they are working on a large telescope project in the area. The photo was taken in the middle of nowhere, I would say at least 400km from a city with the closest town (small) around 150km away. Around the larger cities it is a bit different.....

Hamish, no other trick that I am aware of, even a UV filter does not do much for me, in this case it is no pollution and low humidity that helps!

 

[Hamish Gill]

Hamish, no other trick that I am aware of, even a UV filter does not do much for me, in this case it is no pollution and low humidity that helps!

i stopped using uv filters a while ago now ... it had never occured to me that they would so drastically reduce quality ... i used to just shuv them on the end of the lens for protection and forget about them ... then one day took one off ... and wow! ... yeah ... wont be using one of them again!!

 

[Rudi Venter]

I agree, I have taken all my UV filters off as well, I am not prepared to "waste" image quality on an expensive system on the off-chance that the filter might protect the front element of the lens.

I have also seen what a broken filter can do to a lens.....

 

[Hamish Gill]

I have also seen what a broken filter can do to a lens.....

scratched front element? ... yes me too!

 

[Rudi Venter]

Yes! And I think it was far worse that it would have been without a UV filter....

 

[Ralph Thornton]

I agree, I have taken all my UV filters off as well, I am not prepared to "waste" image quality on an expensive system on the off-chance that the filter might protect the front element of the lens...

Me too. I got rid of my UV filters when I switched to digital. I try to use a lens hood as much as possible though. I think this keeps stray light off the front element of the lens and helps with image quality. There's nothing like good clear air to improve your photos though.

 

[Rudi Venter]

I also always use a lens hood Ralph, it helps with stray light and gives higher contrast, I also think it protects the front element as it is less easy to bump it.

The only time I want "un-clear" air is when I want a foggy shot

 

[Ralph Thornton]

Rudi,
Nice shot BTW.

 

[Chris Dodkin]

I know a lot of folks who only use two types of filter now they've gone digital - polarizer and ND

Most other effects can be done in PP

I still have my UV(0) filters on - when there's no polarizer or ND fitted - maybe I'll try going naked!

Ooooooo errrr missus

 

[Ralph Thornton]

Take it off!