Photo Techniques - Landscape Photography

How to Take Landscape & Scenic Photos

Desert Landscape

Landscape or scenic shots are one of those types of images that almost everybody takes, professional or not. The only problem is that so many of basic landscape pictures never look as good as it did in person. The reason may be obvious but it also marks the difference between professional scenic photographers and general consumers. The difference is the amount of detail that is able to be captured. Get more detail into your scenic shots and you will greatly improve your images.

The first trick to getting more detail has to do with the time of day the image was taken. Never shoot during the middle of the day if you can avoid it. Go for the Golden Hours as discussed before and take advantage of when Mother Nature looks her best. In landscape photography direct overhead sunlight kills landscape dimensions and makes them look flat and bleak.

A tripod and a shutter release cable are very helpful tools to have with landscape photography. Losing detail due to camera shake would be a terrible crime in landscape photography. In most cases, the landscape isn't moving - at least not a rate that we can tell. Take the time to properly compose and think about the elements in your shot. Look for hidden details within the landscape that can be focused on or even put in the sweet spots of your image.

Angola Waterfalls

Flashes are generally not necessary in landscape photography. This is mostly because the flash won't even hit the subject that you are shooting. If your camera tries to use a flash then force it to turn off. This will allow you to have slower shutter speeds.

Increase your depth of field. This can be done a couple of ways. The first way is to use the smallest aperture you can. This will give you a greater depth of field then with a larger aperture. A smaller aperture will also require a longer shutter speed. This is allowed in landscape photography since your subject is not moving. Remember that a small aperture is represented by a large number such as f/22.

You can also increase depth of field by including a close by subject to make a contrast in size. An example of this would be if you were on one mountain ridge taking a picture of the ridge next to you. Include in your image a tree that is on your ridge but far enough away. You suddenly brought depth and proportion into your beautiful landscape.

Other Technique from Dawn Lane

So you think you might be interested in doing a little landscape photography but the grand sweeping vistas of Ansel Adams Yellowstone tend to intimidate more than inspire? Don't despair. You needn't lug around 30 lbs of camera equipment or scout the National Parks for suitable subjects to enjoy the art of landscape photography. It is within the reach of anyone who enjoys the outdoors and owns even the most basic camera equipment.

Defining landscape photography

Landscape photography is difficult to define. The more landscape photography I do, the broader my definition becomes. For me, landscape photography is not so much about what is contained in the image, but what it portrays about a place. While a landscape photograph might be a wide-angle image of a pristine lake or an ocean sunset, it might just as well be a dormant plant in a winter pond. If the lake, the sunset and the dormant plant image each reveal something significant about a place, its inhabitants, or its conditions and evoke an emotional response in the viewer, they qualify as landscape photographs in my book. Grand or tiny, a landscape is not so much about the subject itself, but rather about the place in which the subject exists and the feeling the subject and place evokes.

Camera equipment for landscape photography

You do not need to invest in a lot of expensive gear to begin exploring landscape photography. I like to travel light and concentrate on taking pictures rather than changing lenses, so my gear of choice is a Coolpix 5700 digicam with a built in zoom lens. A zoom lens will give you ready access to a wide range of focusing distances that will allow you to explore different compositions within a single scene with little effort. The one additional piece of equipment I would recommend is a lightweight tripod. A tripod will ensure a steady camera at any shutter speed and allow you to fine tune your compositions.

Landscape photography in your own backyard

What if the familiar places of the famous landscape photographers lay many states away from your own home? Who says these are the most worthy locations anyway? Landscape photography is not about a specific place, but about seeing the significance of the natural world around you every day. Your own backyard literally can be a great starting place because you know it better than any other place. If you don't have a backyard to call your own, a city or county park, a campground or even a drainage pond bordering the local shopping mall can provide a great starting place to explore landscape photography. Most of my landscape photography takes place within a 20-mile radius of my home. I've created a list of places I like to visit and have come to know these places well. One you know a place well, you can anticipate things like how the light will cast a shadow at a particular time of day, or when a certain wildflower will be in bloom.