Simple, Yet Impactful Landscape Photography Tips
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The great thing about landscape photography is that it's incredibly accessible - anyone with a camera has the opportunity to take photos of sunsets, mountains, beaches, lakes, and so forth.
Of course, taking photos of landscapes and taking good photos of landscapes are two different things...
To maximize your efforts, you need to rely on tried-and-true landscape photography tips.
Editor's Tip: Not sure where to take your next photography adventure? Learn why the Pacific Northwest should be at the top of your list.
Introduce Motion
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One of my favorite ways to create a landscape image with tons of impact is to slow the shutter down to blur motion of things like clouds or water.
Doing so makes the image instantly more dynamic, particularly if you concentrate on composing the shot such that there are static elements that contrast with the movement you've created.
And while long exposure photography might seem hard to pull off, it's actually a simple matter of adjusting the shutter speed to get the desired effect.
For example, if you're photographing a river that's moving at a rapid clip, a shutter speed of 1/4 or 1/8 seconds might be slow enough to blur the water's movement.
Of course, shooting long exposures at dusk and at night are a little more straightforward because the dim lighting means that you can slow the shutter without necessarily having to use a neutral density filter.
But if you want to shoot long exposure landscapes during the daytime, a neutral density filter is a must, otherwise you'll end up with photos that are vastly overexposed.
If you're new to neutral density filters, check out the video above by Josh Katz for a thorough explanation.
Quick Tip: If you want to shoot long exposures, you'll need a solid tripod to stabilize your camera. Even if you have the steady hands of a surgeon, you still won't be able to hold the camera still enough for a long exposure.
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Don't Just Shoot Wide-Angle
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If you look at any collection of landscape photos, the vast majority of them will have been shot with a wide-angle lens (i.e., less than 24mm).
Though wide-angle lenses have plenty to offer landscape photographers, they aren't the only option.
In fact, you can take some pretty epic photos with a longer lens, like a 50mm or 85mm prime, a 24-70mm zoom lens, or even a 300mm telephoto lens.
The advantage of using a longer focal length lens is that as the focal length increases, the larger that distant objects appear in the shot.
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So, that mountain range 25 miles away that looks like a tiny hill in your wide-angle shot will look much more like a mountain in a shot from the same spot with a telephoto lens.
Another advantage of using a longer focal length is that allows you to create much more intimate photos of elements in the landscape that might get lost in a wide-angle shot.
A tree here, a wildflower there, and so forth can become the star of the photo, rather than just a supporting element.
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Don't Automatically Shoot at f/22
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There's a common photography suggestion that if you're shooting landscapes to shoot at f/22.
That's because f/22 is a very small aperture, and the smaller the aperture, the larger the depth of field (the area of the image that's in focus).
On the surface, this makes perfect sense because most landscapes benefit from having a very large depth of field.
The problem, though, is that by using a lens's smallest aperture, you run the risk of the image being "soft," or not completely sharp.
That's because no lens - not even $5,000 professional glass - gives you the sharpest results at the smallest aperture.
So, instead of going immediately to f/22, try f/16, f/11, or even f/8.
Unless there's something immediately in front of your lens, using one of these smaller apertures will still give you plenty of depth of field to get everything nice and sharp.
Editor's Tip: There's gorgeous landscapes all over the world that you can photograph. Discover why the Alps can make a case for being among the best locations for landscape photography.
Never Stop Learning
Image Credit: ApertureXplorer
Learning how to become a better photographer is not something that ends after a particular amount of time behind the camera.
Instead, if you want to stay on top of your game, it's important to pursue learning opportunities at every turn.
Consulting tutorials like this is a great start. YouTube is a fantastic resource, too.
If you really want to learn a lot about how to be a photographer, though, one of the best choices you can make is to take a photography expedition.
Image Credit: ApertureXplorer
Think about it - on a photography expedition, you're put smack dab in an iconic and breathtaking landscape with the benefit of having an expert photographer and guide to help you along the way.
That means that you not only have the scenery you need to capture a magical shot, but you also have someone right alongside you to answer your questions, guide your development as a photographer, and provide you with crucial feedback to improve your photos.
You have to be selective when thinking about a photography expedition, though. Some are hastily planned or have huge groups that limit your one-on-one time with the instructor.
But others, like ApertureXplorer, offer top-of-the-line experiences in which everything is planned for you and your fellow learners.
Image Credit: ApertureXplorer
Take, for example, their Mystical World of Banff expedition in July 2019.
Limited to just a handful of participants, this photography workshop takes you to some of Canada's most breathtaking sites, including Banff, Mount Rundle, the Vermillion Lakes, Sundance Canyon, and Surprise Corner, just to name a few.
But it isn't just the locations you visit that are impressive.
Instead, ApertureXplorer ensures that everyone on the expedition has what they need to succeed.
Whether you're a beginner or an expert, your guides takes the time to learn about who you are and what skill level you're at.
You also get a quick syllabus of materials to work on during the expedition so you can set personal goals for growth.
Image Credit: ApertureXplorer
And you don't have to worry about planning a thing! Lodging and transportation are provided once the group arrives in Banff.
Once in Banff, the group will also enjoy most lunches on the go in order to maximize shooting time, but the group will have opportunities to eat breakfast and dinner together at restaurants of the group's choosing in Banff.
In other words, you can explore the beauty of nature in style, learn a lot of photography skills, and enjoy the company of other photography enthusiasts all at the same time.
Now that's how to learn landscape photography!
