5 Landscape Photography Tips

Unfortunately, taking breathtaking landscapes isn’t as easy as simply traveling to a fantastic location and pressing the shutter. It can be easy to look at the portfolio of other photographers in envy, wondering how they always seem to produce stunning images when you’re left with boring blue skies. That being said, a few tips will help you get the most out of your landscape photos. In this post, we’ll cover some of the best tips to capture amazing landscape photos, from in-the-field advice to post-processing hacks.

1. Follow the Light

Light is the single most important element in any landscape photo. Great light can transform an average landscape into a breathtaking image. Alternatively, even the most scenic landscapes can struggle to photograph well under less-than-ideal light. If you truly want to capture breathtaking photos, you have to adapt to the conditions in the field as you’re shooting. Far too often, landscape photographers get locked up using their wide-angle lenses on scenes that just aren’t interesting.

Instead of shooting with your wide-angle under blue skies, follow the light. Throw on a telephoto lens and find aspects of the landscape that are receiving light, which helps to create depth, dimension, and visual interest in your scene.

2. Spend More Time in the Field

You can’t expect to capture portfolio-worthy, breathtaking shots whenever you go out. No matter how well you know how to take landscape photos, there is no shortcut to time spent in the field. The photographers who spend the most time in the field generally have the most impressive portfolios.

In addition to spending more time in the field, you should also spend more time each day you’re out shooting. Too many landscape photographers arrive at their location minutes before sunset or sunrise and leave a few minutes later. Arrive on location at least an hour early, if not earlier. This gives you plenty of time to scout out the best compositions and be in position if interesting light hits the landscape. Stay later after sunrise for beautiful morning light after the sunrise clouds have cleared, and arrive early for sunsets to capture the light hitting the landscape in the hours before night.

3. Consider Unique Angles

Most people view the world every day from eye level, somewhere between four and seven feet off the ground. For more breathtaking photos, you can utilize a unique point of view by going higher or lower than standard eye level. Consider picking up a tripod and using it to shoot very low to the ground and close to your subject, or gain elevation on your subject to help cut through the clutter and focus in on the main subject of your frame. Some of the best photos will come from unique perspectives people aren’t used to seeing.

While not necessarily a rule that must always be followed, you can oftentimes give your photos more visual interest by using a wide-angle and shooting from a lower point of view or using a lens with more zoom from a higher vantage. With a wide-angle lens, consider getting close to an object in the foreground to add visual interest to your scene. If you’re using a telephoto lens, try getting higher to reduce the clutter around the subject and focus on just the most important aspect of your landscape.

4. Master the Camera Settings

For landscape photography, it’s usually ideal to use a low ISO, an aperture between f/8-f/11, and a shutter speed to help properly expose the scene. While you certainly can capture great images in automatic mode, switching to manual will give you full creative control over the scene and is the best choice for landscape photography.

Once you learn the settings, consider how to properly expose the image AND add creative effects to your images. For example, slowing the shutter speed down can add motion blur, and stopping the aperture down can add bokeh. Use the camera settings to your advantage for the most breathtaking images.

5. Edit Your Photos More Realistically

With the sheer amount of photo editing tools available today, it has never been easier to overdo a photo edit. Unfortunately, landscape photography is one of the easiest styles of photography to go too far with your edit. If you thought more saturation would help your landscape look even more stunning, think again. To edit more realistic-looking photos, try to capture the best image in the field rather than rely on post-processing software to turn your photo into a masterpiece. The more steps you take in editing, the easier it will be to make a mistake and over-edit your image.

If you struggle to create breathtaking landscape images, this is our favorite photo editing course. It covers how to edit realistic-looking landscapes using ON1 Photo RAW.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the Best Settings for Landscape Photography?

The best settings for landscape photography often depend on the lighting and the scene you’re capturing. However, a good starting point is to use a small aperture (high f-number, such as f/11 to f/16) to ensure a deep depth of field, keeping most of the scene in focus. For most landscapes, a low ISO (such as 100 or 200) is preferred to minimize noise. Shutter speed will vary depending on the time of day and lighting conditions; use a tripod if you’re using a slow shutter speed to avoid camera shake. Experimenting with these settings in different conditions will help you understand how each affects your images.

How Can I Improve Composition in My Landscape Photos?

Improving composition in landscape photography involves understanding and applying some basic compositional rules and techniques. The rule of thirds, where you divide the image into thirds both horizontally and vertically and place key elements along these lines or their intersections, can create more balanced compositions. Incorporating leading lines, such as roads or rivers, can guide the viewer’s eye through the scene. Including foreground interest adds depth and a sense of scale. Always be mindful of the edges of your frame and try to keep them free from distracting elements.

What is the Golden Hour, and Why is it Important in Landscape Photography?

The golden hour is a period shortly after sunrise or before sunset when the sunlight is softer and warmer than when the sun is high in the sky. This light casts long shadows and produces a warm, golden tone that enhances textures and colors in the landscape. It’s considered one of the best times for photography because the quality of light adds depth and dimension to landscapes, making them appear more dynamic and inviting. The golden hour is crucial for capturing landscapes because it helps to avoid the harsh, flat light of midday, and the colors during this time can dramatically enhance the mood and emotion of your photos.

Conclusion

Ultimately, the best thing you can do to capture breathtaking landscapes is to spend more time shooting. Not only will you get more opportunities, but you’ll be able to hone your craft and create images that can captivate your audience. Be sure to utilize these five tips the next time you’re going out to capture amazing landscape images!

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