Photo by Kalen Emsley on Unsplash
Landscape photography accessories help make capturing beautiful images a little or a lot easier. Your skill level is what matters the most, then the quality of your main landscape photography gear, the camera and lens.
After those things, the other stuff adds to the ease of your landscape photography, or gives you a capability over your basic gear, or allows you to accomplish something special.
Camera and Lens
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These two items are the core pieces of your landscape photography gear. Whatever you are currently using and comfortable with is a good choice. If you are near time for an upgrade, there are some qualities and features you should consider.
Entry-level cameras, like the Canon EOS Rebel SL3 are fantastic, and pro-level cameras, like the Nikon Z7, are amazingly complete tools, but there’s a level or two of cameras in between I like for outdoor and landscape photography. I’ll call them enthusiast and prosumer cameras.
While being smaller, lighter, and less expensive than top-of-the-line pro models, these camera types add features, capabilities, and quality above the entry-level cameras. Two prime considerations are useful functions that are easy to access and more durable and rugged construction. Examples of enthusiast and prosumer cameras include the Nikon D5600, the Canon EOS R (shown above), and Sony a6400.
Along with that, the lenses that are a step up from kit lenses have the same considerations as the landscape photography camera choices. In the video above, I talk about three of my favorite landscape lenses. My choices are more expensive, pro-level lenses, but you can get a good idea of features and ideal focal lengths to look for that fit your budget.
After the camera and lens is chosen, I have three prime categories of landscape photography gear and several other landscape photography accessories I prefer.
Recommended Photography Reading
- National Geographic Photo Basics: The Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Great Photography
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You Need a Great Tripod
A great tripod is on my short list of must-have landscape photography accessories. In some photo situations, it’s absolutely vital to have one you can use with ease and that you can trust with your camera and lens.
My criteria for an outdoor use tripod are sturdiness, portability, and versatility. Sturdiness is listed first because if I’m going to go through the effort to have a tripod in my landscape photography gear, it better do the job I need it for.
Portability and versatility will make it easy to carry out into the field and give me some extra options. The Vanguard Alta Pro 2+ 263AB 100 aluminum tripod with Alta BH-100 ball head is one of the most versatile and study tripods in a moderate price range. Extremely sturdy, the multi angle center column is what really makes this tripod stand out as great landscape photography gear.
Along with a tripod, add in a remote release, wired or wireless. This will increase the stability of the camera on the tripod during the exposure since you won’t need to touch the camera to take the picture.
Learn More:
- Camera Bags For Every Kind Of Adventure
- Five Things You Need to Know About Tripods Before You Buy One
The Right Filters
Three filters are in the prime category for must-have landscape photography filters. C-POL, ND, and GND.
Circular polarizer (C-POL) filters remove reflections, deepen colors, and adjust contrast for capturing outstanding landscape photography images. Neutral density (ND) and graduated neutral density (GND) filters give us the capacity to tame the extremes of exposure variables within our scenes.
A filter system such as the Haida M10 Enthusiast Filter Kit II has a filter holder and lens adapters plus the C-POL, ND, and GND filters most desired by landscape photographers.
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A Protective and Efficient Bag
The outdoors can be rough on a camera. Just look at what it does to your shoes! The best landscape photography camera bag will combine rugged protection for your landscape photography gear with making it easy to get at your camera when you’re ready to take a photo.
One of my favorite bags for carrying my cameras, lenses, and the rest of my landscape photography accessories is the Blastwall™ sling pack camera bag from Hazard 4®, manufacturer of extreme use tactical gear.
It is a sling pack design, comfortable to carry and convenient to access as needed. Lightweight shell construction and convertible pads for gear protection with Hardpoint® hardware and also strap rests for attaching tie-downs, straps for a tripod, and other extra items. It’s made so that nothing blows in the wind during extreme weather or riding on a motorbike or ATV.
The Blastwall™ features multiple MOLLE webbing on the sides and main strap along with a patented roto-locking buckle keeps the sling pack secure. Heavy duty construction features YKK zippers, real Cordura® 1000D nylon or 600D Polyester and reinforcing stitch patterns for added durability. There’s even space for a laptop computer or a water bladder for hiking refreshment.
It’s one of the best extreme use outdoors and landscape photography camera bags to protect your camera gear and give you rapid access.
The next few items either solve specific problems or make landscape photography more convenient and pleasurable.
Bubble Level
Some cameras have this as a built in function, for others you will need an external level. Especially when using ultra wide lenses or attempting a limited panorama, keeping the camera level will avoid odd and uncomfortable viewer apparent perspectives.
If your camera has this function, find out how to turn it on. It may be buried in a deep menu tree. If not, or if you prefer an external visual aid, a hot shoe mounted bubble level like the ChromLives Hot Shoe Bubble Level multi pack is very useful.
It has two different styles of bubble or spirit levels for adjusting your camera with a wide lens while on a tripod. It’s cheap as pocket change and you can keep one in your pocket, making it a must-have landscape photography accessories choice.
Extra Batteries or a Battery Pack
photo by Alexthq via iStock
Some photographers prefer to carry extra charged up batteries in their camera bag, while others like having a camera mounted battery pack with extra batteries in that. Either way, the intent is to make certain you don’t run out of battery power before your photo trek is over.
Because if you run out of power, your photo trek IS over. Which is why extra batteries are must-have landscape photography accessories.
Extra Memory Cards
Same reasoning as with batteries, once you’re out of a place to keep your images, you’re done. This is the equivalent of running out of film.
Most of the enthusiast and prosumer cameras use SD cards. Options are a couple of high capacity cards, or several smaller cards. Either way, extra memory cards are must-have landscape photography accessories.
What’s In Your Bag?
Photo by Avi Richards on Unsplash
The landscape photographer has a great job. Outdoors, taking pictures. What could be better? These landscape photography accessories can make that endeavor easier, more productive and more fun. Let me know what’s in your bag.
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