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10 Landscape Photography Tips for the Perfect Shot
10 Landscape Photography Tips for the Perfect Shot
by Keenan Hursh
In today's article we’re going to go over 10 helpful tips and tricks that will help improve your skills in landscape photography. If you’re passionate about landscape photography or maybe just getting started, then keep reading! There’s definitely something you can take away from this guide.
Capturing landscapes is where I started my photography journey and it’s an art form I’m very passionate about. A good landscape shot can capture the essence and feeling of a place. It can transport the viewer into your shoes and make them feel like they are there.
Let’s get right into it. Here are 10 tips and tricks for landscape photography:
Capturing landscapes is where I started my photography journey and it’s an art form I’m very passionate about. A good landscape shot can capture the essence and feeling of a place. It can transport the viewer into your shoes and make them feel like they are there.
Let’s get right into it. Here are 10 tips and tricks for landscape photography:
1. Make a Plan
This really applies to any style of photography but having a plan before you go out is never a bad idea. Start out by researching where you want to go. Maybe there are some great spots in your local area or maybe you’re planning to travel somewhere to take photos. Either way you should have a plan before you head out.
You should research the area you will be photographing. Look at other photos people have taken there and maybe try to recreate some of these shots or improve on them. Many popular photography destinations have famous or iconic shots. People will often try to recreate them, but I always encourage photographers to mix it up and add their own unique perspective.
You should figure out what subjects or scenes you’ll want to capture and where you should position yourself to get the perfect shot. Make sure you can get to certain vantage points and maybe give yourself some flexibility to walk around a bit to change up your composition. You should also have a couple back up locations in case conditions prevent you from capturing your primary subjects. Exploring the area on google earth is a great idea!
This really applies to any style of photography but having a plan before you go out is never a bad idea. Start out by researching where you want to go. Maybe there are some great spots in your local area or maybe you’re planning to travel somewhere to take photos. Either way you should have a plan before you head out.
You should research the area you will be photographing. Look at other photos people have taken there and maybe try to recreate some of these shots or improve on them. Many popular photography destinations have famous or iconic shots. People will often try to recreate them, but I always encourage photographers to mix it up and add their own unique perspective.
You should figure out what subjects or scenes you’ll want to capture and where you should position yourself to get the perfect shot. Make sure you can get to certain vantage points and maybe give yourself some flexibility to walk around a bit to change up your composition. You should also have a couple back up locations in case conditions prevent you from capturing your primary subjects. Exploring the area on google earth is a great idea!
2. Craft a Compelling Composition
Composition is the overall layout of your photograph or where different elements are relative to one another. Creating an engaging and pleasing composition can be very difficult and this is something I’m always trying to improve on. Sometimes, if you simply take 5 steps to the left it can drastically change and transform the image you're capturing.
A good place to start is the classic rule of thirds. If you’re new to landscape photography or are having trouble deciding on a composition this is a great thing to fall back on. I often put the horizon in my scene on one of the horizontal lines and often put subjects of interest on one of the 4 intersections. The rule of thirds definitely works but I often try to stray away from this and mix it up once I’ve taken a couple shots.
Another thing I like to do in landscape photography is to add depth to my images. Instead of just showing a faraway mountain with the sky behind it and nothing else maybe try adding some foreground elements as well. You could show some rocks or plants on the ground, or you could frame your image with some tree branches. This is a great way to make your photo more immersive and engaging.
You can also utilize elements of the scene your capturing to create leading lines. This is a great way to direct or control how someone views your image. For instance your could have some roots or logs on the ground pointing towards a mountain in the background or you could have a shoreline pointing towards the subject of your image. Leading lines can be very powerful and effective tools in landscape photography.
Reflections are another way to create very interesting composition. This can add really pleasing symmetry to your images and just like mirrors in rooms, reflections can make your images feel more expansive and open. If there’s a calm body of water where you’re shooting, take advantage of this opportunity.
Composition is the overall layout of your photograph or where different elements are relative to one another. Creating an engaging and pleasing composition can be very difficult and this is something I’m always trying to improve on. Sometimes, if you simply take 5 steps to the left it can drastically change and transform the image you're capturing.
A good place to start is the classic rule of thirds. If you’re new to landscape photography or are having trouble deciding on a composition this is a great thing to fall back on. I often put the horizon in my scene on one of the horizontal lines and often put subjects of interest on one of the 4 intersections. The rule of thirds definitely works but I often try to stray away from this and mix it up once I’ve taken a couple shots.
Another thing I like to do in landscape photography is to add depth to my images. Instead of just showing a faraway mountain with the sky behind it and nothing else maybe try adding some foreground elements as well. You could show some rocks or plants on the ground, or you could frame your image with some tree branches. This is a great way to make your photo more immersive and engaging.
You can also utilize elements of the scene your capturing to create leading lines. This is a great way to direct or control how someone views your image. For instance your could have some roots or logs on the ground pointing towards a mountain in the background or you could have a shoreline pointing towards the subject of your image. Leading lines can be very powerful and effective tools in landscape photography.
Reflections are another way to create very interesting composition. This can add really pleasing symmetry to your images and just like mirrors in rooms, reflections can make your images feel more expansive and open. If there’s a calm body of water where you’re shooting, take advantage of this opportunity.
3. Choose the Right Lens
Unlike wildlife photography where everyone’s almost exclusively using using high focal length telephoto lenses, landscape photography is often much more about using wide angle lenses. Instead of capturing small or far away subjects, Landscape photography usually focuses on capturing large settings and environments. Of course you can capture some very compelling landscape shots with telephoto lenses (I do it all the time) but I usually like to start wide to capture the entire scene before me.
Want to capture the trees in the foreground, the lake behind them, the mountains in the distance, and the sky all in one photo? You’ll need a wide-angle lens for sure.
I use a 15-35mm lens most of the time and I love it. That being said, I sometimes find myself wanting to go tighter than 35mm. For this I have my trusted 24-105mm lens that I use quite often as well. If you go really wide, you may get some image distortion especially on the edges of your frame. I have an 8mm fisheye lens and this is an extreme example of how images can be significantly warped with wide-angle glass.
In addition to using the proper lens for your landscape shots you can also experiment with lens filters. Both polarized and neutral density filters are very popular in landscape photography. Polarized filters help reduce glare from light or water and neutral density filters allow you to achieve slower shutter speeds even if it’s bright out. There are also more exotic filters like graduated ND filters which gradually change darkness. These can be used if the sky is bright, and the land is dark during a sunset or sunrise.
Unlike wildlife photography where everyone’s almost exclusively using using high focal length telephoto lenses, landscape photography is often much more about using wide angle lenses. Instead of capturing small or far away subjects, Landscape photography usually focuses on capturing large settings and environments. Of course you can capture some very compelling landscape shots with telephoto lenses (I do it all the time) but I usually like to start wide to capture the entire scene before me.
Want to capture the trees in the foreground, the lake behind them, the mountains in the distance, and the sky all in one photo? You’ll need a wide-angle lens for sure.
I use a 15-35mm lens most of the time and I love it. That being said, I sometimes find myself wanting to go tighter than 35mm. For this I have my trusted 24-105mm lens that I use quite often as well. If you go really wide, you may get some image distortion especially on the edges of your frame. I have an 8mm fisheye lens and this is an extreme example of how images can be significantly warped with wide-angle glass.
In addition to using the proper lens for your landscape shots you can also experiment with lens filters. Both polarized and neutral density filters are very popular in landscape photography. Polarized filters help reduce glare from light or water and neutral density filters allow you to achieve slower shutter speeds even if it’s bright out. There are also more exotic filters like graduated ND filters which gradually change darkness. These can be used if the sky is bright, and the land is dark during a sunset or sunrise.
4. Choose the Right Camera Body
When it comes to your camera body you really don’t need anything too crazy for landscape photography. With wildlife or action photography having super powerful autofocus capabilities and wicked fast burst modes are nice, but you really don’t need these when it comes to capturing landscapes.
If you’re interested in printing your images, showing them on large displays, or just want higher resolution then I would definitely recommend a full frame camera with a large sensor. Many modern cameras have very high-resolution sensors often with over 30 megapixels.
In addition, many modern mirrorless cameras often host higher dynamic ranges which is really nice when shooting landscapes. Being able to capture darker shadows and brighter highlights in a single image is great, especially if you’re shooting early in the morning or late in the evening.
When it comes to your camera body you really don’t need anything too crazy for landscape photography. With wildlife or action photography having super powerful autofocus capabilities and wicked fast burst modes are nice, but you really don’t need these when it comes to capturing landscapes.
If you’re interested in printing your images, showing them on large displays, or just want higher resolution then I would definitely recommend a full frame camera with a large sensor. Many modern cameras have very high-resolution sensors often with over 30 megapixels.
In addition, many modern mirrorless cameras often host higher dynamic ranges which is really nice when shooting landscapes. Being able to capture darker shadows and brighter highlights in a single image is great, especially if you’re shooting early in the morning or late in the evening.
5. Understand your Camera Settings
It’s time to talk about the exposure triangle again. Let’s get into aperture, shutter speed, and ISO when shooting landscapes.
Shutter Speed:
Landscape photography is a great opportunity to experiment more with your shutter speed. With wildlife photography you almost always want to have a very fast shutter speed to capture subjects that are often far away and moving fast all with a zoom lens. Landscape photography does sometimes require a faster shutter speed to get sharp details, but you can also try slower shutter speeds if you have a tripod or good in-camera stabilization.
I love testing out slower shutter speeds when shooting landscapes, especially if there is motion in the scene such as moving water or foliage. Blurring a waterfall or mountain stream can look stunning and this is a great way to portray the motion and flow of water. I also like to occasionally add motion blur if there is wind moving plants around.
And, of course, if you’re shooting Astro-photography or taking pictures at night a very slow shutter speed, sometimes over 10 seconds can help capture dim lights. I love taking photos of the Milky Way galaxy and occasionally I’ll take the time to create a star trail shot as well. Landscape photography is a great opportunity to learn more about shutter speed.
Aperture:
Photographers usually aim to have a mid-range or high aperture when shooting landscapes. I prefer to have a larger depth of field as I’m often capturing a large area and want objects near and far to be in focus. Sometimes I will lower it a bit if I have a subject closer to me that I want to isolate from the background, but I hardly ever go below 8 when shooting landscapes
ISO:
Iso isn’t the most important when shooting landscapes. I would really just recommend keeping it as low as possible to avoid adding noise to your image. If you are shooting with a tripod you can often chose slower shutter speeds to keep your ISO low.
It’s time to talk about the exposure triangle again. Let’s get into aperture, shutter speed, and ISO when shooting landscapes.
Shutter Speed:
Landscape photography is a great opportunity to experiment more with your shutter speed. With wildlife photography you almost always want to have a very fast shutter speed to capture subjects that are often far away and moving fast all with a zoom lens. Landscape photography does sometimes require a faster shutter speed to get sharp details, but you can also try slower shutter speeds if you have a tripod or good in-camera stabilization.
I love testing out slower shutter speeds when shooting landscapes, especially if there is motion in the scene such as moving water or foliage. Blurring a waterfall or mountain stream can look stunning and this is a great way to portray the motion and flow of water. I also like to occasionally add motion blur if there is wind moving plants around.
And, of course, if you’re shooting Astro-photography or taking pictures at night a very slow shutter speed, sometimes over 10 seconds can help capture dim lights. I love taking photos of the Milky Way galaxy and occasionally I’ll take the time to create a star trail shot as well. Landscape photography is a great opportunity to learn more about shutter speed.
Aperture:
Photographers usually aim to have a mid-range or high aperture when shooting landscapes. I prefer to have a larger depth of field as I’m often capturing a large area and want objects near and far to be in focus. Sometimes I will lower it a bit if I have a subject closer to me that I want to isolate from the background, but I hardly ever go below 8 when shooting landscapes
ISO:
Iso isn’t the most important when shooting landscapes. I would really just recommend keeping it as low as possible to avoid adding noise to your image. If you are shooting with a tripod you can often chose slower shutter speeds to keep your ISO low.
6. Understand Natural Lighting
Having the right environmental lighting when shooting landscapes can push your photos to the next level. You should either plan specific times to shoot when you think the lighting will be ideal or try to take advantage of whatever light you’re given.
Golden hour is usually a great time to take landscape photos. Shooting early in the morning or later in the evening when the light is soft and diffused can be magical. This will make it much easier to expose for highlights and shadows and will often create a more pleasing and balanced image. I like shooting with cloud cover as well because clouds can diffuse sunlight preventing harsh, contrasting light. If you are shooting mid-day or in bright sunlight you should try to use this to your advantage and seek out dramatic or interesting shadows.
And finally, if there’s a lack of natural light, if you’re shooting at twilight or on an overcast day, you can always experiment with long exposures. Having a neutral density filter allows you to do this even with bright light as well.
Having the right environmental lighting when shooting landscapes can push your photos to the next level. You should either plan specific times to shoot when you think the lighting will be ideal or try to take advantage of whatever light you’re given.
Golden hour is usually a great time to take landscape photos. Shooting early in the morning or later in the evening when the light is soft and diffused can be magical. This will make it much easier to expose for highlights and shadows and will often create a more pleasing and balanced image. I like shooting with cloud cover as well because clouds can diffuse sunlight preventing harsh, contrasting light. If you are shooting mid-day or in bright sunlight you should try to use this to your advantage and seek out dramatic or interesting shadows.
And finally, if there’s a lack of natural light, if you’re shooting at twilight or on an overcast day, you can always experiment with long exposures. Having a neutral density filter allows you to do this even with bright light as well.
7. Reduce Shake and Blur
When shooting landscapes, you’ll want to do everything you can to create razor sharp images void of any unwanted motion blur. Sometimes this can be difficult as it’s not always ideal to have a super-fast shutter speed in this style of photography. This is especially true when you’re trying to keep your ISO as low as possible.
One of the best ways to reduce motion blur or shakiness in your images is to simply use a tripod. I use a tripod every time I’m specifically shooting landscapes. Your tripod will help to prevent your camera from moving when your taking photos.
It’s also a good idea to use a remote shutter release or to use a shutter delay which is built into most modern cameras. Combining these with a tripod will drastically increase your odds of creating sharp landscape images.
If you have movement in your scene such as water or foliage being blown by the wind you may need to increase your shutter speed accordingly. For this, I'd recommend taking several test shots at different shutter speeds to see what works the best.
When shooting landscapes, you’ll want to do everything you can to create razor sharp images void of any unwanted motion blur. Sometimes this can be difficult as it’s not always ideal to have a super-fast shutter speed in this style of photography. This is especially true when you’re trying to keep your ISO as low as possible.
One of the best ways to reduce motion blur or shakiness in your images is to simply use a tripod. I use a tripod every time I’m specifically shooting landscapes. Your tripod will help to prevent your camera from moving when your taking photos.
It’s also a good idea to use a remote shutter release or to use a shutter delay which is built into most modern cameras. Combining these with a tripod will drastically increase your odds of creating sharp landscape images.
If you have movement in your scene such as water or foliage being blown by the wind you may need to increase your shutter speed accordingly. For this, I'd recommend taking several test shots at different shutter speeds to see what works the best.
8. Should You Include a Subject?
Many landscape shots portray wide open spaces and a general environment rather than a specific subject like an animal or person. These photos can be very intriguing and pleasing to the eye and the majority of landscape photos I take fall into this category. That being said, you can include subjects in your landscape shots. And keep in mind that a subject doesn't have to be a living thing.
Adding a person, a plant that stands out, a mountain in stunning light, a cloud, or any other object that the eye is naturally drawn to in a landscape photo can often make your composition more interesting and compelling. Maybe there’s a unique tree that stands out from its surroundings. Maybe there’s a prominent peak that you want in the center of your photo. Maybe you want to put a person in your scene to provide a sense of scale or to immerse the viewer into your image. Whatever it is, adding a subject to your shot can be a good way to mix things up.
Many landscape shots portray wide open spaces and a general environment rather than a specific subject like an animal or person. These photos can be very intriguing and pleasing to the eye and the majority of landscape photos I take fall into this category. That being said, you can include subjects in your landscape shots. And keep in mind that a subject doesn't have to be a living thing.
Adding a person, a plant that stands out, a mountain in stunning light, a cloud, or any other object that the eye is naturally drawn to in a landscape photo can often make your composition more interesting and compelling. Maybe there’s a unique tree that stands out from its surroundings. Maybe there’s a prominent peak that you want in the center of your photo. Maybe you want to put a person in your scene to provide a sense of scale or to immerse the viewer into your image. Whatever it is, adding a subject to your shot can be a good way to mix things up.
9. Exposure Bracketing and HDR Images
If you’re shooting outside of the golden hour, if your lighting is harsh or less than ideal, or if you just want a higher dynamic range in your image you should experiment with bracketing. This is simply the process of capturing the same image with multiple exposures. You can take a photo exposed for highlights, one for mid tones, and another exposed for shadows. You can then combine these images in post processing to create a beautifully exposed HDR image. Many cameras have this function built into their menus but you can always manually bracket simply by changing your shutter speed.
If you’re shooting outside of the golden hour, if your lighting is harsh or less than ideal, or if you just want a higher dynamic range in your image you should experiment with bracketing. This is simply the process of capturing the same image with multiple exposures. You can take a photo exposed for highlights, one for mid tones, and another exposed for shadows. You can then combine these images in post processing to create a beautifully exposed HDR image. Many cameras have this function built into their menus but you can always manually bracket simply by changing your shutter speed.
10. Take Your Time
Finally, we have arrived at tip number 10. This is a great practice for all styles of photography, and you can definitely utilize it when shooting landscapes. Take your time! You may be excited to get to the next location on your shot list, or clouds might be moving in to mess up the lighting. Regardless of circumstances, slow down, get everything set up right and don’t rush yourself.
It's always a good idea to get to your desired location before you think you need to be there. If you anticipate great lighting or clouds in a specific location, get there before you think this will happen so that you have ample time to set up. Get your camera settings dialed in, make sure your camera is stable, make sure you have the right composition for the shot and then when you’re 100% ready start taking photos.
Finally, we have arrived at tip number 10. This is a great practice for all styles of photography, and you can definitely utilize it when shooting landscapes. Take your time! You may be excited to get to the next location on your shot list, or clouds might be moving in to mess up the lighting. Regardless of circumstances, slow down, get everything set up right and don’t rush yourself.
It's always a good idea to get to your desired location before you think you need to be there. If you anticipate great lighting or clouds in a specific location, get there before you think this will happen so that you have ample time to set up. Get your camera settings dialed in, make sure your camera is stable, make sure you have the right composition for the shot and then when you’re 100% ready start taking photos.
I hope these 10 tips and tricks have been helpful and informative and that they will aid you in your landscape photography moving forward. Enjoy the journey and have fun on your next photography outing.
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AUTHOR
AUTHOR
Keenan Hursh is a Photographer, visual designer, and creative story teller based out of Bozeman, Montana. He draws inspiration from his frequent excursions into the natural world and always brings his camera along to capture whatever adventures he finds himself in. Keenan is passionate about documenting and sharing fleeting moments from the natural world and focuses primarily on wildlife, landscape, and adventure photography.
When it comes to gear, he primarily shoots digital with his Canon EOS R5 and EOS 6D mark ii but also has several 35mm film cameras that get out every now and then.
At a very young age, Keenan started bringing a camera along on his excursions and immediately fell in love with the art of photography. He started out with his parent’s cheap point and shoot and has continuously improved his craft and gear refining his shooting style and producing more compelling and intriguing images.
Growing up in the foothills of Boulder, Colorado, surrounded by mountains and wilderness, Keenan has developed a deep passion for many outdoor activities. When he’s not out on a shoot or using his camera, Keenan enjoys skiing, climbing, hiking, backpacking, cycling, whitewater rafting, and paragliding. If he’s outside, away from the distractions of society and civilization, he’s in his happy place.
Keenan studied Emergent Digital Practices at the University of Denver while minoring in Marketing and Entrepreneurship. Since earning his degree in 2019 he was worked with a wide range of clients, companies, and organizations throughout his career. Apart from photography he specializes in content creation, writing, brand development, and graphic design.
You can view Keenan’s portfolio on his website at www.keenanhurshphoto.com
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All Images & Content are property of Backcountry Journeys Photography Tours, Workshops & Safaris LLC - Copyright 2024
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